not drinking water when home alone

[Sally]

So I have gone back to working out of the home 3 days a week. Since bringing Duncan home as a pup 2 years ago i have basically freelanced from home. He's used to me coming and going but i guess this is a longer stretch. I leave at about 8:30am. The dog walker comes at 2pm and then i get home about 7pm. I'm noticing that each night when i get home his water bowl is completely full as i left it and after greeting me as if i've been in china for the last month he runs to his bowl and laps/guzzles a lot of water.

 

When he was younger he wouldn't eat meals or treats if he was home alone but that isn't an issue anymore. He gladly eats his breakfast and treats when i am gone. I wonder if it will just take some adjustment period for him to realize water is ok to drink alone.

 

He's not expending much energy for sure as i'm sure he just lays on his dog bed but i would feel comfortable if he drank a little.

 

I'm going to try and make sure he has some water before i leave the house i suppose. But I was curious if any other doodles are similar?

 

Oh my latch key pup! It's so hard to to leave in the morning to catch the bus when he gives me those doodle expressive eyes!!!!

 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Do you clean the bowl and refill it just before you leave?

 

Luna is picky with her water and doesn't really like to drink it if it's not fresh.  Maybe Duncan is nervous to begin with and the water isn't really very appetizing since it's been sitting around?  Also - does the dog walker maybe refill the bowl?  Maybe after he goes for the walk he has a drink then the dog walker refills it.

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

Snickers won't drink when alone either. My DH thinks it is because he "knows" he can't go outside to go potty if he needs to. While I know my dog is smart this cause and effect thinking seems had to swallow. However whenever we get home sure enough Snicks goes right to the water bowl. So who knows. Usually before we leave him for a long period say 6hrs I will give him a few ice cubes. I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as the water is available she should be fine.  

[Sharon & Monty]

I've noticed that dogs I've had that were kept inside while I went to work drank a tiny amount or did not drink their water at all, same with food. My theory is that as a pack animal in a closed environment, they know they cant get out to eliminate, so they wait.

[Maryellen and Curly Lambeau]

Our dogs never drink water when home alone. I too worry about this, specially since two have died from PLN, a kidney disease. We have tried everything, including putting a little chicken broth in it to encourage them to drink, but they still aren't interested.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Calla will eat and drink in her crate. I have Lixit water bottles in the crates. Luca rarely eats and he doesn't drink when in his crate.He generally waits until I come home to do either.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Daisy steers clear of her water bowl all day - she doesn't expend any energy so she's not thirsty. I seriously think she doesn't cause she won't be able to pee. My brain says that's crazy and I always give her way too much credit.

 

[Fiona sim]

Puddles does the same thing. He does not drink much from his water bowl but rather, he would drink from the lick it bottle that we fix in his crate. You can find the lick it bottles from pet stores and they have a little metal ball that controls the water and only drips when the dog licks it. So he knows his back up water source. In fact, he knows that he is not allowed to drink after his last walk each evening and will go to his water bottle to quench some thrist. The endearing thing is the water bowl is still there :)

[Pat and Traveler]

I worry about Trav not drinking enough water, and I'm usually home all day with him!  He had an episode of what seemed to be a UTI, though the urinalysis was clean.  My own idea was that maybe he was holding his urine too long--he didn't want to go out in the morning until after breakfast, the goof.  Guess he was worried that breakfast might come and go while he was outside.  He's had the hunched, immobile pain stance only in the early mornings.  Anyhow, I started mixing his dry food with water and canned food, and added a bit of cranberry.  Also, sometimes I go out with him for that first early morning pee.  It breaks my heart to see him in pain, though this has only happened once since he was on antibiotics a while back for the undiagnosed whatever.  Frustrating!

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

Dex & Kirby don't drink when we're not home either.  We leave them water and figure they'll drink if they really are thirsty.  They may also realize they won't have a chance to pee (like what Lisa said) and maybe that's why?  :)

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

Oh - to add to this Kirby also won't eat when we're not here.  He's been free fed lately.  Sometimes he will start eating/drinking immediately when we get home.  We tell him he's a silly doodle and could have done that all day.

[Sally]

Well I feel so much better to know Duncan's not the only "non-water drinking when alone doodle"...Today I worked from home and we took a wild walk/run/chase for an hour in the park where he chased squirrels up trees left and right leaving my arm out of it's socket a smidge (darn leash laws). As soon as we got home he drank lots and lots of water. I am definitely going to agree that he doesn't really do much to get thirsty when home alone. But i think i'll leave the bowl only 1/2 full and leave some bottles of water out so the dog walker can "replenish" and perhaps "tempt" Duncan into a small sip or two after his mid-day walk.

 

Thank you all. Much appreciated!

[Jennifer Tramell]

I haven't noticed anything about drinking but my dogs rarely eat unless the whole family is home.  I set out their food in the morning and leave it but usually they don't eat until after my husband comes home from work.  We always had family dogs and they usually didn't eat until my mom and dad were home.  Maybe in dog psychology you don't eat unless the "pack leaders" have eaten?