Winter’s on its way, and that means more water to look out for in your local pet-friendly areas… and not just the kind you’ll be drinking!
Any time you venture away from home with your pet, you can’t be sure about the water supply you’ll find when you get to your destination. Even at well-managed off-leash dog park areas, you can quickly end up with a thirsty dog and nothing to offer him. We here at Take Your Pet can’t stress enough the importance of being able to offer your dog clean, fresh water whenever he needs it… even when it’s no longer hotter than a freshly trimmed poodle in summer.
If you’re leaving the house, take the time to grab two basic items: A bottle of water for your pet, and a portable dish to offer it to him in. People often overlook these two simple items, and forget that when their pet is thirsty, she will help herself to any source of water that she can find, be it a mud puddle or a clear stream. The point is that you can’t trust these water sources as being safe for your dog to drink
Many of the pollutants that end up in these water sources could contain chemicals that could kill your dog. In fact, antifreeze, one of the biggest killers of dogs in the world, not only mixes with water, but tastes good to dogs as well! Aside from these factors that can be found in nature, you also face the possibility that someone has put out water with the intent of harming your dog.
To avoid having to make your dog go thirsty and spend your time at the off leash dog park pulling him away from puddles and streams constantly this fall, take some water with you when you head out. A single serve soda bottle can easily be refilled with water from your tap before you venture forth for exercise and adventure with your pet. Portable bowls come in many forms, from cloth bowls that can be squished into small spaces to flat plastic discs that can be expanded when needed.
Always be alert and examine any sources of water that you come across before letting your dog play in them. Whether it’s a natural stream or a child’s plastic pool that has been set up with water, make sure that they look clean and can be trusted before you let your pooch hop in to cool off. And with winter approaching, you may want to limit your dog’s water activities altogether to prevent them catching a chill as the weather starts to cool down for the year.