crates and water access

I really don't know about water, though :) I've never done the puppy stage!

sl2crmeg

Pet Sitters International's website has a locator, so that you could find dog-walkers to interview. (http://www.petsit.com/locate/)

 

I really don't know about water, though :) I've never done the puppy stage!

OOOOOH thank you for that link!  Will definately check that out.  I've never done the puppy stage either.  We had an adult dog when I was little and my Mom adopted a 6 mos. old but she was already fairly well trained.  I've worked with younger puppies, but not on an intensive level.  I can't wait!  The significant other has never had a dog or any pet before. 

Oh and forgot to add that Pirate is adorable! 

One thing I'm adamant on is NEVER leaving a dog without water.  Not ever ... not anywhere. 

I like "lick bottles" (you can get small ones for birds or big ones for bunnies) -- put just a touch of butter or peanut butter on the tip every morning and the dog will figure out FAST water comes out of there. 

Being without water can set them up for kidney or UTI problems ... puppies are GONNA play -- and you can do a variety of things to be creative, but I've had good luck with the lick bottles.  They can leak a bit so don't blame the dog for a puddle made by the bottle.  Experiement with how 'tilted' it is and how full it is. 

*sniff* OF COURSE Pirate is **adorable** -- he's one of MY "nephew" dogs on here (of which I have an ABUNDANCE!!

In fact, you'll find that ALL the dogs on here are A-dooooor-a-ble!!!  It's in the Dog.com rules, you know!!! *grin*

the_gopher

sl2crmeg

Pet Sitters International's website has a locator, so that you could find dog-walkers to interview. (http://www.petsit.com/locate/)

 

I really don't know about water, though :) I've never done the puppy stage!

 

OOOOOH thank you for that link!  Will definately check that out.  I've never done the puppy stage either.  We had an adult dog when I was little and my Mom adopted a 6 mos. old but she was already fairly well trained.  I've worked with younger puppies, but not on an intensive level.  I can't wait!  The significant other has never had a dog or any pet before. 

No prob :) I'm a part-time dog walker, so let me know if you have any questions.

Just wanted to say... good luck w/ the puppy stages!!!!    I went through it not too long ago w/ my own dog, and lets just say I would not want to trade places w/ you!! lol

Hi Sharon,

you must be so excited for your puppy coming home!  When Monroe was a puppy we lived in Delaware and it was summer and hot his first few months.  After he reliably left his crate and went straight outside to potty when we got home, he got a water bottle.

He learned to drink from it pretty quickly and he couldn't spill it like he would a bowl of water.  It did leak and drip a bit so there was a bowl there but he would just shove it around.  We only did that for a few months but it worked for us!

calliecritturs

One thing I'm adamant on is NEVER leaving a dog without water.  Not ever ... not anywhere. 

I like "lick bottles" (you can get small ones for birds or big ones for bunnies) -- put just a touch of butter or peanut butter on the tip every morning and the dog will figure out FAST water comes out of there. 

Being without water can set them up for kidney or UTI problems ... puppies are GONNA play -- and you can do a variety of things to be creative, but I've had good luck with the lick bottles.  They can leak a bit so don't blame the dog for a puddle made by the bottle.  Experiement with how 'tilted' it is and how full it is. 

thank you so much Callie.  I think I will go the route of a lick bottle...less chance of it being knocked over and spilled out.  I really really really would not want to leave the pup without water for any length of time, and the peanut butter trick is perfect.  I have not met a dog yet that doesn't like peanut butter...and my Mom's shih tzu would walk through fire for peanut butter (I'm only mildly exagerating...that dog is mad for peanut butter). 

I wouldn't blame the dog for any accident actually.  Either it was human fault (not taking the pup out enough) or medical reason or just slow to mature :) 

VanMorrison

Hi Sharon,

you must be so excited for your puppy coming home!  When Monroe was a puppy we lived in Delaware and it was summer and hot his first few months.  After he reliably left his crate and went straight outside to potty when we got home, he got a water bottle.

He learned to drink from it pretty quickly and he couldn't spill it like he would a bowl of water.  It did leak and drip a bit so there was a bowl there but he would just shove it around.  We only did that for a few months but it worked for us!

Thanks VanMorrison...I think excited would be an understatement.  This has been 2ish years planning and waiting!!  I'm glad to hear the bottle worked well for you too and that just firms up my thoughts about going that route.  I thought I had it all planned out then when I went to go pick up a kennel I realized that I hadn't given thought to drinking while in the crate!

I've never done the water bottle thing with my fosters, I always just leave a ceramic bowl with water in there. I use larger crate than  are reccomended though (I never know what size dog I'll have...), so there is plenty of room for the water. My pups are only alone for a max of 4 hours, and they can hold it for that long.

We've had Rory (10 mos) since she was 8 weeks.  She's been crated during the day while we work the whole time.  I have a friend come 1-2 times a day to let her out, play with her.  We have always left a water bowl in her crate for her.  We got one that sort of has a base, so it couldnt be tipped.  Sure some still may get spilled or a toy may end up in it, but it's been fine.  We also have her in a crate bigger than she needs.  I felt bad leaving her with no room to walk, so we have her in an XL crate, even tho shes only a 20 lb beagle.  She has room for her bed, water and a little bit of space.  She has never messed in it, except when she had diarrhea or threw up.  She was fairly good about potty training though.  We actually made a connector section to the crate that had a potty pad, in case she couldn't hold it when she was little.  She knew it was for pottying on and when she stopped peeing on it and was waiting until she was let out to go we just took it off.  But even with the potty area attached, she never pottied in her crate/bed area.  I made sure they were two distinct areas, just attached.  Not sure if others would agree with it, but it worked for us.  But I would definitely leave them water... and a kong.  =)

the_gopher

Oh and forgot to add that Pirate is adorable! 

D'oh, I missed that! He thinks he's pretty cute too. I'm with Callie, alllllll the dog.com dogs are adorable!

 I use a clamp on bowls for my dogs crate, one for food and water.  He is never without water when in his crate and since they are hooked you don't have to worry about any mess unless you get a dog who is going to dig in them out of stress or boredom.  Just make sure to size your crate with the bowls added because they will take up extra room.