Water is one of the basic requirements for humans and dogs alike. We need it to survive. But needing to drink water constantly means also needing to pee constantly, and while it is not a big deal for us to constantly pee, figuring out a way to stop our furry pets from peeing all over the house definitely is! This is even a bigger problem at night.A lot of you might have tried or heard a friend having to reduce the water intake of their pets at night to avoid having to deal with a fresh delivery of urine each morning. While this might be effective, it can be concerning especially for new pet parents. After all, your pup’s health is always the top priority. Should you leave water out for your puppy at night?There is no need to put water out overnight if your puppy is healthy and has no medical issues. Enough water during the day, especially for puppies older than 12 weeks, is sufficient to keep your dog hydrated.Now that you have an idea of whether or not you should put water out for your puppy during the night, let’s go on to a more in-depth explanation of why you should do so, as well as what you should do, to ensure that your puppy stays hydrated.
Why Should You NOT Leave Water for Your Puppy at Night?
If you leave water out for a puppy that has not yet been housetrained, you could end up doing more harm than good. It goes without saying that we do not want our puppies to become dehydrated; but, as long as they have unrestricted access to water throughout the day, they will not require any more hydration in the evening.Leaving your puppy’s crate with water in it when you go to bed increases the chances that your puppy will have an accident while you are sleeping. Puppies fill their bladders quickly and easily. If you are unable to prevent their access to water while they are kept in their crates throughout the night, your puppy won’t be able to control peeing, which will lead to the crate becoming filthy and uncomfortable for him to sleep in.
How to Keep Your Puppy Hydrated While You Sleep
1. During the day, give your puppy unlimited access to water.
Because they have complete access to water during the day, there is no need to provide them with water at night.
2. Allow your puppy to drink two hours before going to bed.
Allowing your puppy to drink two hours before night ensures that he has enough water to last until his next potty break. Make sure your puppy goes to the bathroom before going to bed.
3. Allow your puppy to drink prior to his midnight potty break.
If your puppy isn’t old enough to hold his bladder for an entire 8-hour period, you’ll have to take him to the potty every four hours, even at night. Give your puppy water during his midnight breaks before he goes to the bathroom so he will stay hydrated till morning.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Allowing your puppy to go without water at night should only be done if your dog has access to water during the day.
How Much Water Does My Puppy Need?
Dogs need a daily intake of one ounce of water for every pound of body weight. 1 fl oz per 1 pound per day is the formula. Your dog’s food diet will also be taken into account. Wet dog food is about 35% water. This means that if you feed your dog wet dog food, like the water he drinks from a bowl, it will count toward your dog’s water consumption.Puppies will need a little bit more than this amount because they are more likely to become dehydrated than older dogs, particularly when the temperature is high or when they have been active for a long time playing or running around.
When Should You Leave Water for Your Puppy at Night?
While we have established that leaving water at night for your pup is not the best idea, there are some exceptions to this. Do not take away their water if your pup is sick in any way, particularly if they have a fever, are vomiting, or have diarrhea. These symptoms could result in your dog becoming dehydrated, which is a serious health risk that could even be fatal.In addition to this, you need to make sure that they have access to water after being in hot weather or after engaging in strenuous activity. If you can’t adjust your schedule to allow for them to have time to drink and potty before bed, you’ll need to leave water out during the night.Last but not least, if your pup is only allowed limited access to water during the day, you will need to leave some water out overnight.
Possible Issues with Withholding Water
Water Obsession
Your dog could develop an unhealthy obsession with drinking water if it is only offered to it occasionally. This frequently results in the dog drinking all of the water that it can drink, regardless of whether or not he is thirsty. Dogs who develop an unhealthy obsession with water and mistakenly believe that it isn’t always available may start drinking from inappropriate sources, such as the pool, puddles, or other areas.
Resource Guarding
Your puppy may begin to demonstrate resource guarding tendencies, like snarling or biting at anyone who approaches their water bowl, in addition to excessively drinking the water. In the same way, your dog’s obsessive behavior around water can turn a dog into one who guards the toilet, sink, or other locations containing water. Resource guarding can become a serious problem, especially if your puppy bites another dog or person.
Urinary Tract Infections
Restricting your puppy’s access to water puts him at risk for painful urinary tract infections. These infections are not only unpleasant, but they can also lead to other health issues such as bladder stones and kidney damage. Furthermore, if your puppy develops a UTI, they are much more likely to regress in their potty training due to the increased need to urinate as well as the pain involved in urinating.
Should You Risk It?
Limiting your puppy’s water intake during the night poses little risk as long as he has complete access to water in the morning. Keep track of when they need to go to the bathroom and when they drink water. This will give you a good sense of whether or not they are getting enough water.
Dehydration on Puppies
What are the Early Signs of Dehydration on Puppies?
Dry Mucous Membranes
Early signs of dehydration for puppies include sticky or dry gums and tongues instead of wet ones. His saliva may become sticky or even stringy.
Loss of Skin Elasticity
The skin of a puppy typically has the qualities of a comfortable coat, with some freedom for movement, particularly in the shoulders. Take hold of the skin that covers your dog’s neck and shoulders and lift it gently; the skin will immediately return to its natural position once you let go of it if your pup is adequately hydrated. Puppies with skin that retracts slowly is about 7% to 8% dehydrated. When the skin is dehydrated by 10% or more, it forms a ridge that does not spring back into place when retracted.
Other Signs of dehydration include:
Nausea, Lethargy, Dilated Pupils, Vomiting, Loss of Coordination or Staggering, and Bloating
What to Do if Your Puppy is Dehydrated?
Puppies who are simply thirsty will recover quickly once you give them enough water. However, if your dog is not getting better after you give him water, take your puppy to the vet.
Water Intoxication on Puppies
Can My Puppy Drink Too Much Water?
While keeping your puppy hydrated is great, there is also what we call water intoxication/overhydration or simply putting too much water. This is not very common for puppies as they usually know when to stop drinking. However, if you and your puppy are fond of water activities like playing with the sprinkler, swimming, or water retrieving, then there is a big possibility that your pooch is accidentally drinking water without him knowing. This can result in water poisoning that causes the organs and the cells to swell, which will lead to all sorts of problems.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Water Intoxication?
LethargyVomitingBloatingPale gumsDilated pupilsStumbling and falling or general loss of coordinationRestless demeanor
How to Treat Water Intoxication?
Intoxication with water results in a deficiency of sodium due to the fact that an excessive amount of water consumption causes a dog to urinate more sodium than normal. Sports drinks may help with puppies who are water intoxicated as sports drinks has a huge amount of electrolytes. However, it is still best to consult your vet for specialized medications that increase sodium level at a controlled rate without overhydrating your pup.
