In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the risks inherent in dogs drinking too much water while they swim. While letting pups swim is great exercise and activity for them, overconsumption of water during these swims – both pool and natural water – can come with some serious health risks, and should be avoided.
At Innovative K9 Academy, our dog training classes, from dog boot camp to group classes and many other options, will help both dogs and their owners in numerous disciplinary and educational areas, including how to limit specific behaviors. We’ve helped many dog owners limit their pet’s obsession with drinking too much water when they swim through simple techniques. Here are a few of the most basic approaches to take if you’ve noticed this kind of overconsumption from your dog recently.
Separate, Tasty Water Supply
The single biggest reason dogs are liable to drink too much water from swimming sources: They aren’t getting enough water normally. This can be true both within the home and while on walks, hikes or other excursions. Your dog needs plenty of water regularly, but it can’t outright tell you this – in many cases, it will simply drink more when water becomes available.
For this reason, you should ensure your pet always has enough water throughout the day. If your dog sometimes has trouble drinking water at home, consider adding a small amount of bouillon to make it more enticing.
Other Mouth Items
For other dogs, including those who have had enough water, they may chomp or lick at water while swimming simply because it’s fun for them. In these cases, a simple way to move them away from this behavior is to give them a toy or some other item to keep in their mouth, then keeping them engaged with it by playing using the item.
Leash and Discipline
For dogs who have repeated water overconsumption issues in swimming areas, some long-term training and discipline might be needed. You can begin by leashing your dog on a long leash, then reeling them out of the water when they begin drinking. This will teach them, over time, that while swimming is okay, drinking the water is not and will result in discipline.
Muzzle Usage
Finally, as we noted in part one of this series, some occasional drinking from swimming water sources is okay in your dog. If you’re simply worried about the amounts and not the practice itself, you might consider a muzzle – this will allow your dog to breathe easily and will still allow moderate drinking, but will make this drinking just a bit tougher and prevent the kind of overconsumption that leads to health risks.
For more on how to stop your dog from drinking too much water while swimming, or to learn about any of our dog training programs, speak to the staff at Innovative K9 Academy today.