My pup is 1 on Xmas Eve. Over the last couple of months she has not been drinking as much water as she used to also not peeing as much. She used to drink quite a lot on getting up in the morning as she sleeps in a crate. We can't leave the water in there as all attempts failed to stop her from tipping it over. Now she will be up for an hour before she drinks and then only a sip. She is also not gaining any weight and has started refusing her breakfast this week. She eats her evening meal with gusto. Is this normal at this age or should I be worried?

She has been on constant medication since Sept. but eventually diagnosed as dermodicosis and ring worm. Skin tests now show that she is clear of these problems. We have been advised to carry on with the medicated shampoo weekly untill our supplies are finished (about 3 weeks worth)

Is she fed wet or dry food?  If you feed dry, do you soak it?  Many dogs fed wet foods don't appear to drink a lot, particularly in cooler weather.  As she matures she will drop any meal she no longer requires, this is quite normal - obviously her evening meal is seeing her through or she would be eating breakfast.  If you'd rather she ate twice a day, try reducing the amount you feed in the evening.

Personally I don't like leaving a dog without access to clean water for any length of time - could you invest in a spill proof container such as an eathenware bowl or a travel bowl for her crate?

Hi Gaby,

Do you feed complete (dry) food or tinned etc. (wet)   "Wet" foods contain a high % of water and so dogs fed like that don't need to drink as much.  Dogs eating dried food should drink a lot and always have access to water - overnight is too long to go without an opportunity to drink.  Can't you buy a bowl that clips to the side of the crate?  They fix on with either prongs or a ring that can be tensioned with a wing-nut.

HTH, Teri ;)

Just a thought but has she had a season yet?  I am sure people have told me that often bitches will go off their food and be 'moody' (bit like us women LOL) when they are coming into season.  Just a thought.....

She has had one season already and is not due for another untill Feb. We have changed from a dry feeding regime to a wet one so this could well be the reason.
I do not think she needs more access to water as she does not want water when she wakes up. I did think about one of those clip on the crate bowls, but the ones I have seen are far too small for a big dog. She has a heavy large ceramic bowl which she used to put her paw in and tip up but I now jam it behind the back door with only enough room to put her head through. No more wet back kitchens phew!!

Whent to the vet this morning for worm tablets and the nurse weighed her. She has put on 2 kilos in the last 2 weeks so panic over. Must have been all the medication and now its over she's making up for lost time. Skin tests gave negative results will carry on the shampooing regime and have another skin test in a few weeks.

Many Thanks to all

My shepherd used to LOVE ice cubes!
Have you had a sample checked in case of a UTI???

What is UTI?

Urinary Tract Infection.

I took a sample to the vets a few weeks back but vet said ok. She loves ice cubes so gets a bit extra this way.

As someone with two Shepherds (3 years old and 9 months old), one of whom thinks he is a seal with water! this bowl https://www.barjo.co.uk/shop/accessories/anti-splash-plastic-bowl.cfm has been a life saver for us.  We used to have waterworld in our kitchen whenever our older guy drank but no more!

Highly recommended!

I had one of these bowls in my car because my Setter, like your GSD thinks he is a seal.  So what did he do, itstead of putting his paws in it he just ate the lid :(

Gaby,

Wet food (canned or moist packs like Naturediet) are 70-75 percent water.

Stacey