How much water does a dog need when they are eating home cooked meals?
I feed based on the 1/3 ratio of cooked fresh meat and cartilage, veggies and starches.
I feed whole grains i.e. brown rice, teff and tubers like potato (with skin) and carrots. They are cooked prior to eating usually by steaming.
He eats fresh and cooked veggies and fruits with a handful of nuts.
He chews on beef bones and gets liver or other cooked meats for treats. He also takes a canine multi-vit and glucosamine supplement.
I know he is meeting his caloric requirements which can be hard because they change based on his work load. He is trim without fat, well muscled, bright eyes and shiny coat.
He used to drink 3- 5 bowls of water a day eating dry kibble and now he is only drinking 1- 1.5 bowls. Is this a normal decrease in water needs based on water already in the food?
Yes, feeding human food has the consequence of the dog gaining weight if you continue to feed dog food. Timber hasn’t seen dog food in 8 months. I travel and camp a lot and sometimes to places where I won’t be able to get dog food at all much less his brand.
I don’t have children and I do cook for my dog everyday. I eat meals that are very close to what he eats. So it is simpler. For instance in the mornings I cook potatoes and eggs for us and then I change the portion (he eats more then me) and add an apple/ berries/ etc for each of us plus something green and bob’s your uncle.
I already know he is healthy and his vet has assessed his menu and said it is great for him. My own doctor and nutritionist have cleared it for me.
I was just surprised the only time he wants water is when he is working hard or at the park. I fill the water bowl at home in the morning and keep emptying it and replacing the water but it is barely touched.
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Tagged with: beef bones • bright eyes • brown rice • caloric requirements • carrots • cartilage • cooked meats • dog food • fresh meat • gaining weight • glucosamine • human food • kibble • nutritionist • shiny coat • teff • tubers • veggies • water bowl • whole grains
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Sounds like your dog is eating better than I do! Want to come cook for me?
Sounds like he is getting enough water to me. He’ll drink if he’s thirsty. Just make sure you keep fresh water available at all times.
Do you seriously cook for your dog every day? You must not have kids!
The decrease is normal, just make sure he always has fresh water available, and he’ll know how much to drink.
Don’t worry, excessive drinking can indicate problems, the opposite usually is OK, as long as he does drink some!
Water is very important for all animals,, but since you are feeding him Human food,,, alot of the things you listed have alot of water in them when they are cooked. Just wondering,,, my vet has always told me to never feed my dog off the table. He said it could cause digestive problems,, make them gain too much weight,, and causes heart problems because of the cholstrol. Well hope this helps some !!
Yes, the decrease is normal. There is more water cooked into the diet you are providing than dry kibble. You’d drink more in a day if you ate nothing but potato chips than if you ate nothing but ice cream, right?
Generally, if you keep water in the bowl at all times, dogs will self-regulate how much water they need.
Just keep the water dish full. He knows when he is thirsty.
He knows how much water he needs. Just make sure there is an open supply of water at all times and you should be good:)
The answercould be sodium related. Do you add any salt at all to the dogs diet? All processed dog food contains a small amount of salt which is essential for all animals. If you aren’t giving any sodium at all, it may not trigger the dog to drink much water. Try adding a very small amount, like 1/2 teaspoon to the amount you would make for one day, then see if his water consumption increases.