Water is essential for your dog’s health and happiness. You will need to give them clean fresh water each and every day.
If your dog is properly hydrated their cells will be able to carry essential nutrients to the organs and tissues. On top of that, water is helpful for digestion, and regulating your dog’s temperature.
Dogs tend to overheat quickly when they are active or have unfeasibly thick fur. By drinking enough water they will be able to better cope with the heat and regulate their internal temperatures better.
You get it, water is essential for a dog’s health and longevity. So should you put water in your dog’s crate? Well, let’s find out!
Is It Okay To Put Water In Your Dog’s Crate In The Night?
As a general rule you should really not leave water in your dog’s cage overnight. Especially if you have a puppy.
One reason for this is because when you are house training your puppy, the increase of water at night will mean that you will almost certainly get more accidents happening in your home.
A puppy’s bladder will fill up quickly which is why this happens.
An adult dog which is not ill will not need water at night either. As long as they have access to fresh and clean water throughout the day as needed.
Is It Okay To Put Water In Your Dog’s Crate In The Day?
It depends on the circumstances. But in general you do not need to put water in your dog’s crate during the day unless you are closing them in for four hours or more.
You also need to be confident that your pet is totally house-trained before you put water in your dog’s crate on the day.
Circumstances To Keep Water In Your Dog’s Crate
We have said that you should not put water in your dog’s crate at night or in the day. Unless certain circumstances are met. Well, that is what we are going to cover in this section. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and get started!
Your Dog’s Crate Is Somewhere Warm
The first thing you need to consider is where your crate is located. If it is somewhere warm then you may need to make sure that your dog has access to water. This is because they may overheat and need water or they may become dehydrated.
However, it is better for you to keep your dog’s crate somewhere that is cool, sheltered and has good airflow. You should never leave your dog in a crate outside or somewhere that is very hot or humid without water.
This could be very dangerous and may even cause loss of life.
Your Dog Is In Being Crated For Four Hours Or More
This one is more for daytime crating. If your dog is in their crate for four hours or more than you should really make sure that they have access to water.
In general, it is not recommended to keep your dog crated for more than six hours. This is because they may need to move around, take a potty break, or stretch their legs.
To keep your dog happy you should allow them to come out of the crate every three or four hours.
By crating your dog for too long, especially in the daytime you may cause physical or mental side effects which could be detrimental.
Your Dog Has Health Conditions Or Sick
If your dog has an illness like Diabetes, Cushing’s Disease, Kidney Disease, or Addison’s Disease then they may need water more frequently. Even at night.
Because of this you should leave a little bit of water in your dog’s crate. But, not too much that there may be an untimely accident.
That aside, it is essential that a dog with a chronic medical condition should NOT be left in a crate alone for long periods of time. This could worsen their illness and cause new mental or physical symptoms which will exasperate their condition.
What Are The Best Bowls To Keep In Your Dog Crate?
You may find that there are certain water bowls which will serve you better if you need to keep water in the crate with your dog. While it is typically not something you should do, there are times when it needs to be done.
If you are encountering one such condition then there are a few types of bowels that you need to consider, all of which we talk about below:
Clippable Water Bowls
Dog water bowls that are clippable will be able to attach to the bars of the crate. This makes them the perfect option for preventing water or food spilling.
They can however be difficult to take off the crate. But with a bit of practice you should be able to get the hang of it.
Tip-Proof Water Bowls
If you are looking for a good water bowl for your pup that will not easily be tipped over then this kind of product will be just what you need. They can be a little hard to open but with a bit of practice they should be easy to open and use.
Water Feeder Bottle For Dogs
These products will look a bit like something you use for a hamster or gerbil. Bottles like these are not going to be damaged by your dog as easily. You just need to make sure that your chosen product is the right size.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you have enjoyed reading this article and learning about whether you should put water in your dog’s crate or not. The basic answer is that it depends on several things.
How long, what the temperature is like, whether your dog is ill and several other things.
But if your dog is healthy and they are in their crate at night or for less than four hours then you should really not be putting water in your dog’s crate.
With all of that said, we hope that you have enjoyed this article. Have a great day!
