Hydration on the move
Whenever you take your dog on a long journey or a walk, it’s important to take plenty of water to keep them suitably hydrated. If you’re going on a long car journey, we recommend you take at least five liters of water with you to ensure you have enough in case of a breakdown.
Collapsible water bowls and bowls with water bottles attached are great options for on-the-go hydration.
Pet lollies
Freezing pet-friendly ice lollies are a fun way to provide your dog with extra hydration while cooling them down in hot weather. You could try filling an ice lolly mould with a small amount of Furr Boost and freeze it overnight.
It’s important to watch your dog to ensure they don’t bite the lolly as this may damage their teeth and could become a choking hazard. For this reason, we don’t suggest giving your dog ice cubes unless they are closely supervised.
Plenty of water bowls
Setting up plenty of water bowls throughout the house and garden will give dogs lots of opportunity to keep themselves hydrated.
Putting bowls in new or unexpected areas can also pique their interest and encourage them to drink. Placing them in areas that have less animal or human traffic will also make your pet feel more secure about taking time to drink.
Little and often
Serving your dog smaller, more frequent meals can encourage them to drink at regular points during the day, particularly if they have dry food.
How do I know if my dog is dehydrated?
Dehydration in dogs can result in the following symptoms:
Excessive, ongoing panting, vomiting and/or diarrhea, sunken, dry eyes, loss of energy, dry sticky gums, loss of appetite, loss of skin elasticity.
A good way to check if your dog is dehydrated is to gently pull up some of their skin near the shoulder blades. If your dog is well hydrated, their skin will instantly spring back into shape. If your dog is dehydrated, it will retain a ‘tent-like’ shape and take longer to fall back into place.
If you suspect your dog is dehydrated, contact your vet immediately.
