Not sure of the age of puppy, she's a rescue. Probably about 7 weeks old. She's supposedly a boxer/pit bull mix. She will eat food like crazy, I mean just vacuum it up. But she will not drink water at all, no matter what I do! I ended up adding water to her food to force her to have some, but when I try to get her to drink out of bowl, or with a medicine dropper (I didn't have a bottle with a nipple) she will absolutely refuse and fight me to get away from the water! She did drink milk the first day, before I knew not to give her milk. I am a new puppy owner, I really, really need some help here!
2006-07-15 04:56:09 · 21 answers · asked by ynot4966 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Try soaking her food in warm water to soften it up before you give it to her. Just run it under a warm tap until it's damp, and let it stand for about 10 minutes to soak up the water. That will make sure she stays hydrated. Also, splashing your fingers in the water bowl can help attract her attention to it so that she knows what it is, and making salt-free chicken or beef broth in place of water will keep her hydrated until she'll drink.
2006-07-15 05:00:32 · answer #1 · answered by Julia L. 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
At that age she should know how to drink, but maybe her breeder did'nt teach the litter. Let her know the water bowl is nothing to be frightened of, better still use a different one then wet your fingers and let her lick the drops off, slowly lower your hand nearer to the water each time untill its right under the water then she should be lapping away. It may take a day or two as she now has an issue with this but it will work, I taught all my litters this way. You could also give her an ice cube to lick. Good Luck.
2006-07-15 07:36:02 · answer #2 · answered by Roxy. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start of by giving her 50:50 water and milk, then very gradually cut down on the milk. Only offer it in a small amount, twice a day. The rest of the time just leave a bowl of water down, she'll drink it when she's thirsty. Don't try to force her.
2006-07-15 07:46:20 · answer #3 · answered by sarah c 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
animals are very natural creatures.They do things the natural way. If you leave the water in front of your puppy for a while and is feel thirst , it will look for the water and drink naturally.
If you wanted to entice it to drink, just place the bowl before it and take a little water with your fingers and drop it in the bowl. The puppy will realise that there is something in the bowl that moves and will touch it to investigate it.I assure it will drink.
2006-07-15 06:22:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
one way to get a dog to drink is to put a little bit of sugar in the water making it sweet. I do this when my dog is sick so she does not dehydrate. Once they taste the sweetness of the water they can't stop drinking. to get your puppy to taste it just dip your fingers in the water and let the puppy lick them. It only takes a little bit of sugar though.
Also try changing the bowl. Some dogs are a bit funny about their bowls. Make sure it is not too deep, if it's ceramic try plastic and vice versa and put the bowls on the mat so the puppy does not slip when trying to drink.
2006-07-18 23:45:40 · answer #5 · answered by Tuppence 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be your puppy had a bad experience with water and is afraid of it. Make water her friend, I have a plastic pool, my dogs love it, play with her in water?
I have 5 baby pups, born 6/20 I am adapting water already, some are drinking and some arent. I am trying to get them use to it.
By forcing water it may be frightning to your pup.
Good luck
2006-07-15 05:05:26 · answer #6 · answered by Brandy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure to leave out fresh cool water, in clean bowls, in a few spots around the house. Dogs will drink when they are thirsty, if water is there. Even from puddles, toilets,faucets, ect.. Don't worry-It'll work.
2006-07-15 05:03:41 · answer #7 · answered by mcghankathy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if it is a rescue it could be scared of water try getting a plactic paddleing pool see if it drinks out of that. Also what bowl are you useing and is it just on the floor
2006-07-15 10:29:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i had this with my puppy, i found that buying dry food and mixing it with gravy, then slowly making it more watery, to the point where u leave out the gravy, works, may take a little while, or just leave a bowl of water down, and let him find it himself!
when i got my puppy, had to wean him off weetabix! he was addicted to it!!
2006-07-15 07:25:36 · answer #9 · answered by storm.minx 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fill an eye dropper with water and put it in her mouth do that a couple of times then lead her tward the water
2006-07-15 05:04:07 · answer #10 · answered by lacrosse chick 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋