Water… the Most Neglected of All Canine Nutrients

by Mike Sagman
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OK, let’s play a little game, shall we? Here’s the question…

dog-drinking-from-toiletWhat’s the one nutrient a dog simply cannot live long without?

A nutrient so important… so vital… no dog could survive deprived of it for more than a few days… before ultimately dying a painful death.

Think about it.

Is it protein?  Fat?  Or maybe some vitamin… or mineral?

Well, surprising enough… it’s none of these.

I’m talking about water.

Water… The Forgotten Nutrient

You see, water is probably the most overlooked… taken-for-granted canine nutrient your dog counts on you to provide.

I know, I know… it’s difficult to think of water as a nutrient.

But it is.  And compared to the other five nutrient “families”… proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals… it’s unquestionably the most important.

Dogs need constant access to water.  It’s the one (and only) nutrient that must be served “ad libitum”.  That is, “on demand”… instantly available whenever a dog’s natural urge to drink calls for it.

That’s because water is forever being lost through the urine and feces.

Plus… since dogs can’t sweat to stay cool, they lose a lot of moisture through the “cooling effect of evaporation”… as they breathe… and pant… to control body temperature.

And that brings me to my number one dog feeding pet peeve…

Canine Water Negligence

Water negligence is the dangerous practice of failing to provide adequate, fresh (uncontaminated) drinking water for every dog.

Unfortunately, this problem is far too common.  That’s because most people are simply unaware they’re doing anything wrong.

For example, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken my family to the beach on a hot day… only to watch (in disbelief) as a dog pants in thirst… while her owner sits under an umbrella… sipping a cold drink!

Or that far more common habit of supplying water that’s been allowed to become dangerously polluted with germs from the dog’s own mouth.

This hazardous situation is caused by using too small a water bowl… or allowing the water volume in any container to become perilously low… thus “concentrating” the germ population to a recklessly high level.

By the way… this problem can be aggravated by forgetting to wipe away that slimy, germ-laden “biofilm” from inside the water bowl… at least once each day.

And tainted water can increase the risk of intestinal disease.

How to Avoid Dehydration and Disease

So, follow these recommendations to ensure your dog stays adequately (and safely) hydrated at all times…

1.  Use an oversize bowl and fill it with fresh drinking water

2.  Change all water at least twice each day

3.  Wipe away any biofilm from inside the bowl

4.  Keep dog bowls as clean as you keep your own dishware

5.  Never separate your dog from her drinking water at any time

6.  Carry fresh water and serving bowls with you when traveling

By the way, Patti and I regularly place Bailey’s food and water bowls in the dishwasher for a thorough scrubbing.  They come out sparkling clean… and ready to serve up a nutritious diet.

Give it a try.

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  • Bob K

    Its good to know that there are dog food producers that use human grade meats, but what about all the other ingredients used in the kibble?  You say that the plant you use has never had a recall.  That statement means to me that they have decent QC and GMP processes and they caught or managed many of the problems before it reached the consumer.    When Tyson has recalls they behind the scenes are trying to track back to which farmer it come from and try to locate the problem in the food chain.   You trust Tyson to do all the tracking for you as a company.    There are  some recent videos on the mass produced volume farmers that are owned by large vertically integrated companies. Since you do not seem to own the plant your kibble is produced in, you are subject to many of their processes which so far seems to have worked out to your advantage. 

  • http://BrothersComplete.com Richard Darlington

    Bob K

    I realize and am aware of what you are referring to, but simply because there is lots of complexity in the food industry does not mean that in every case it is impossible to know the chain of events. 

    As you say, very few food suppliers are as vertically integrated as Tyson who own and control their chicken farmers – and the processing of their food from cradle to grave. Do you really think it matters which farmer the initial egg comes from or the specific Tyson plant the final product comes from when they exercise such control over every aspect of the process? 

    They are supplying the entire country with high grade chickens – do you think they should attempt this out of one single plant supplied with eggs from one single farmer? Genetic diversity makes for a much healthier option than just one supply I would think.

    The plant we use to make Brothers has never had a food recall and one of the reasons is the care they take to choose and bring in human grade meat from suppliers like Tyson who exercise such control over every aspect of the process.

    Do you purchase only chicken that is completely organic from a local farmer and only that one farmer – no other local organic farmers? I understand the tendency to feel absolute frustration when dealing with the food supply situation in this country for humans, much less dogs, but I think it more useful to attack the discrepancies at the  bottom of the dog food chain rather than cast general dispersions on a supply of meat for dog food that is human grade – and fastidiously processed, even for the human side of the food chain, which is where their product is designed and quality controlled for.

    Given the general quality of “meat” that is served up for dogs in this industry I would have thought you’d be relieved to know that there is a company that goes to a lot of trouble to control every aspect of the food they are serving to humans, more so even than other human food suppliers, and that same quality food is being put into a dog food.

    JP our quality control consultant – on the right testing a new batch of braided Bully sticks just arrived at The Doggy Store – but at the moment just ‘Chillin’ in sunny Fort Lauderdale says, “Wass UP?”

  • Antonio

    Richard, I wasn’t aware that Brothers didn’t source their meals from rendering plants that’s actually new info for me.  Bob K I think I understand what your saying about the entire chain of which farm etc it the one actually producing the meats that supply the human food leftovers that go into dog food.

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