My dog is showing signs of constipation, does anyone have any ideas on what I can give her.  She also doesn't drink much water.

Fluid is probably the key. You could increase the amount taken by wetting her food or by adding tiny amount of milk to water to encourage her to drink more.
If that does not improve things you could look at the amount of fibre in her diet.  When I switched to a "low output" food with my terrier she suffered constipation until we switched back to a food with 3% fibre.  If you don't want to change food you could add a little bran, just a tea spoon should be enough for a small terrier I would say.
Increasing the fibre of course does not negate the need to ensure plenty of fluid is taken, it won't work effectively without fluid.

Thanks, I'll try adding milk to the water, she's my first dog and I never thought of that.  She gets fed twice a day, of which she is eating tinned food 1 tin a day of I think it's bakers variety pack, all flavours made with tripe as well as 2 handfuls of puppy mixer biscuits.   Could this be too much?  She is 20 month patterdale so she's not very big.

Just out of interest what signs of constipation is your dog showing? A hard small stool is generally better than a large soft one. Or is she just not going?

I've found that making lots of gravy with the main meal ensures they drink enough. I tend to use freeflow tripe or cook up hearts, liver, lungs etc.. So long as the gravy is meaty and smelly it all goes.

Hi

It's small hard stools and not as much as she usually does, it does make life a lot easier when poop a scooping in the long grass, but I assumed that like in people this was a sign that she is constipated.

If she is not struggling or appears uncomfortable you might want to just see how it goes but in my experience small hard stools do not empty anal glands as well as bulky ones do.  The clands aly outside the rectum so small stools are not going to squeeze them so effectively.  If you get the fibre just right they are not sloppy and not any more difficult to scoop up.
As far as the quantity you are feeding goes it is a bit hard to say because it varies so much in individuals but people seem to report more trouble with looseness if overfeeding although it seems to me the more obvious effect is your dog will be fat! :-D

Smaller, harder stools can be a good thing. They also help to keep the anal glands clear. In days of old when dogs used to live on bones and scraps
they generally produced small, hard stools...don't know how old you are but I remember as a child seeing small, hard, white ones- perfectly healthy.

If you read a site like Burns- they do a reasonable complete food- they actually go out of their way to create a diet that produces smaller, harder stools.

If she seems to be having real trouble going or doesn't go at least once a day, or there is blood or soreness, or the stools are tarry and black, or she cries out, then get her checked. If she is emptying her bowels, with ease, say twice a day, I would not be too concerned.

Have you changed her diet recently?

With the hotter weather it could be she is a bit dehydrated. Try the milk in water or the gravy. You could also try a bit of cooked cabbage with her meal every day.

If you are still concerned after a week, or if there is a change, have a word with your vet. Better to be sure.

Would think that as this dog is being fed tinned food there would be no shortage of water in the food, think it is usually about 70% water in tinned food. Agree with those who say hooray for small hard stools, and if she is passing them with no trouble I would leave well alone. Milk will encourage water drinking and milk on it's own will encourage softer stools.