Water for puppies?

[LoveMySadie]

Gus and the Girls are now eating one meal a day of a gruel made from puppy replacement milk and puppy kibble. Sadie nurses, but very reluctantly. She's much better if I sit with her, but I can only do that about twice a day. They are always sound asleep and content in the AM so I assume she is nursing some time during the night as well.

Do I need to have water available for the puppies? I've tried offering it and no one seems terribly interested, even when I offer it on my finger. I'm afraid to leave a bowl in their Palace pen - what a mess!

So...what's the word on puppies and water??

Thanks again - I don't know where we would all be without the Cool Corgi Crowd! I think my vet would have had to change his phone number. :BIGGRIN"

Leslie

[Jespah]

That's a good question - never thought of that - you don't want them making a mess or having something awful happen because they fall alseep in the bowl or fall in. I don't know - but what about those bottles like they have for hamsters and such with the tube attached? There's larger ones for rabbits. That might be safe and clean.

[MissGambler's+Mojo'sMommy]

If you are keeping them in a crate, they make bowls that screw onto the crate, so they can't spill and make a mess. That's what I use. (Yet Miss Gambler is such a slob when she drinks water that I still end up with water all over the crate!)

[dcole]

The bottles Deb mentioned might be a good idea for them. I use one of those in Trevor's X-Pen, and they work pretty well.

[LoveMySadie]

They are not in a crate right now. They are still in the Puppy Palace - a large, step-down shower that Sadie can get in and out of but that they can't. It's the perfect puppy containment system - all tile, drain in the middle. I have 1/2 of it covered with newspapers and a puppy pad, and the other half has flat towels as bedding. It's working so well that I plan to keep them there until they are coordinated enough to climb out. :SMILE:

I don't want to leave a dish of water in there for all of the reasons mentioned. I'll just keep trying to offer water when they are out of the shower playing with us or when they are outside in their pink playpen and just not worry about having it available on demand. That should be ok, don't you think??

Leslie

[Dillydoodle]

maybe Debbie (Glencorgi) or Peggy ( Taflar) could give some advice on this - they both have quite a bit of experience with raising puppy litters...


Emilie

[Jespah]

I was just doing a bit of research and found that puppies as young as 4 weeks should have access to water to drink. That they don't like it left out all day - which is good for the mess idea. And that after they start eating solid foods it's important to have water them after they eat to help with digestion. Maybe you should be offering it in a saucer or low lipped dish after feeding to get them used to it.

[LoveMySadie]

I was just doing a bit of research and found that puppies as young as 4 weeks should have access to water to drink. That they don't like it left out all day - which is good for the mess idea. And that after they start eating solid foods it's important to have water them after they eat to help with digestion. Maybe you should be offering it in a saucer or low lipped dish after feeding to get them used to it.

Perfect! They are four weeks old today. The food that they are now getting once a day is puppy kibble mixed with milk replacer - much more liquid than solid right now. But I will offer water in another pie pan a couple of times a day. I'm much more comfortable with that than with leaving a water dish available for someone to fall into!

Leslie

[Fluffypants]

I'm much more comfortable with that than with leaving a water dish available for someone to fall into!
Leslie

Understandably so!:CUTE:

[bayoucorgi]

I always used to make my 'gruel' with water on the puppy kibble. The modern kibbles are nutritionally complete. If you're doing if for palatabilty, you could dilute with more water and less milk replacer over a week. My puppies were always little hoglets and I never had any problems getting them to eat kibble and water. I offered water and picked it up several times per day and didn't leave a dish in with them because I didn't like puppy slime pond as everyone ran through it. Never had a puppy dry up ever. Also if they get used to drinking when water is offered it is easier to have the schedule when housebreaking and crate training. How fun for you. I'm still envious.

[LoveMySadie]

Our vet said to use the milk replacement at first...then move to kibble and water. I've been diluting the milk replacer a little bit each time so within a week or so they will be getting only softened kibble and water. "Teaching" them to eat has not been an issue...getting them to stop before the explode has been! :EEK: :EEK:

Leslie

[bayoucorgi]

You're right on track!

[taflar]

Do I need to have water available for the puppies?

Yes, of course. When I have puppies I put my whelping box in an exercise pen. I use a water bottle on the pen. Momma can drink and the puppies learn from mom how to drink from a water bottle. Mine start using the water bottle about the same time they start to eat solid food. Once they start eating on thier own they need water too.

Also, a water bottle doesn't get spilled and they can't play in it so they don't get all wet and chilled.

Peggy

[taflar]

I always used to make my 'gruel' with water on the puppy kibble. The modern kibbles are nutritionally complete.


I start with rice baby cereal and goat milk for the first week. (3-4 weeks depending on the litter, how much milk mom has and the number of puppies), the second week I start adding kibble. I use adult kibble, the same food I feed my other dogs. I soak it and mash it with a fork. Over the week I replace the cereal/milk with meals of soaked kibble. Until they are on 4 meals a day of kibble.

Peggy