[BrindleNBell]

My 4 year old gets her water bowl and food bowl left down for whenever she may want it. She's only 50lbs so she needs to eat whenever she wants. She has never over-drank either.

However with the puppy, I have been usually giving her water at meal time (three times a day). Does she need water more often? I will occasionally give her some after a hard play session. I am trying to regulate her bowls and bladder by regular feedings...so is this ok to only give her water 3-4 times a day?

 

[DUKE01]

I don't really know the answer to that question....we leave our water out all the time and they only get fed twice a day.

 

[HannaBanana]

I leave the water down all the time.   The kibble is dry, hence there is more need to drink for digestion to occur.   Also water makes up about 60-70% of their body.   So if you limit their water IMO I think it could lead to dehydrations and bladder infections.

Here is a good article on water intake -

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=water

***As far as your female goes, 50lbs is not skinny.  Boxers can range in all weight across the board from shy under 40 (little KC) to a larger dog of 80lbs.   The weight should agree with the structure of their body.  Boxers are lean dogs.  Hanna is 56lbs, and pefect.  She gets two scheduled meals per day. I think free feeding one dog, and schedule feeding another (again IMO) may make it hard to feed both at the same time- but I am not expert.  I am just not a fan of free feeding, but that's just me

 

[sully]

Yeah I'd make clean water available at all times.  Just with a young puppy, I'd probably take it away close to bedtime.  I found with Oggie I actually had to remind him to drink water when he was younger.

 

[DUKE01]

Adam got the dogs a water purifier....my friends think we are crazy, we drink water out of the tap and they get purified water.

 

[Michelle]

I always have the water bowl down, but not the food.  Tyson drinks so much water!!

 

[Zhanna]

I wouldn't free feed either.  It might confuse the dogs, why does one get to eat and the other one not?
We leave water out all the time.  I find that I usually have to remind Henry to drink. :roll:

 

[samsonsmom]

I would leave the water down, just keep an eye on your puppy...Definitely ration the water a couple hours before bed time....I have never "free fed", if I did Samson would weigh 100 lbs easy, and Angel would be right behind him...It also could be confusing as one is free fed and the other isn't..Set meal times are probably better.....

I agree with Heather, 50 lbs is not skinny, Angel weighs 53 at 2 1/2 yrs...As long as you are not seeing spine or ribs in excess, she's probably fine..Better to be too thin than too fat, believe me

 

[lucky8926]

I was curious about the same thing and the general consensus seemed to be take the water away a few hours before bed so they're not peeing several times a night (we're talking about puppies here) Since they're just sleeping they won't need the extra hydration. I take my Tysons water away about 3 hours before bed then let him get a few gulps in right before bed to wet his mouth, unless him and Jackson have a hard play session then I let him drink a little more. He seems to be fine all night and in the morning he gets his water back with his food and so far he hasn't seemed excessively thirsty where he gulps down half the bowl.