doggy water: bottled or tap?

[Barney's Mom]

I usually just fill Barney's water dish from the tap, but I have a friend who gets Hinckley Springs delivered for her dog's water! Is there really that much of an issue with the water they drink? My husband's dog growing up lived to be 18 years old and she was given tap water and cheap, generic food, not Canidae!

I know water with high chlorine content is not good, but I don't really notice a heavy chlorine content in our water.

Any opinions?

[bradl]

I think bottled water is largely a scam. Most bottled water has LESS restrictive requirements than municipal tap water. My opinion only. Hypocrite alert: we use bottled water extensively -- but mostly because rust from our old pipes would clog the espresso-maker otherwise

[mrskti]

We use our well water. We have been told that our florida water wouldnt be too good, so we go bottled there or water I fill before we leave IL.

[HotToTrott]

When we first got Trotter the breeder said bottled water only for awhile then gradually add tap, so in my opinion it was just when he was a puppy. He still gets bottled only because I never finish a whole water, so I put it in the fridge but always seem to get a new bottle out. So the leftovers go to Trotter.

[AngusMacDoggal]

If you live in an area with a high chlorine levels in your water, I would just add a filter to your tap. That is what we do. I have also heard not to switch drinking water for your dog if you travel. So we carry a large jug of spring water, or just fill a large jug from our filtered water on our tap. Angus drinks filtered water (when he drinks water which is not very often - but that is another topic.) We were told by the specialist at University of PA Veterinary School to give our Wheaten who had kidney disease filtered water only, so his kidney's did not have to work so hard to rid his body of chemicals. I just continued to give Angus filtered water, it's what I drink, so it's good enough for Angus.

[Sculptedmoon]

We live in South Eastern Florida and use bottled water here for ourselves as well as Shaylee.

[OzGirl]

If you have high chlorine content in your water you can just fill a bottle/jug and leave it overnight. The chlorine dissipates into the air and you are left with better tasting/smelling water.

[sanford]

Approx. 9 months ago, I switched from tap to purified water for my dog. I was told that this could help clear up the discharge from his eyes which caused dark streaks on his face. I was skeptical, but to my surprise, it worked! It seems that chemicals, (chlorine?) in the tap water were the problem.

This is anecdotal...hardly scientific, but my cairn no longer has this problem, so I continue with the purified water.

[goforette]

It is so ironic that this is a forum topic - as I just told Chris that I wanted to convert the girls to Britta water - and he looked at me like what on earth for... I gave him the excuse it's colder from the fridge - but really I like the idea of filtered water for them. In the last year I think I've learned so much about things - water and food for both us and our pets that some things just terrify me. If you would have asked me if I was going to ever buy organics and filter water for my dogs - I would have been like what for? But sometimes the internet can be a blessing and has taught me a lot, and the forum continues to teach me a lot about being a better puppy/dog parent. My vote is for filtered water, bottled water when we travel.

[Maggie15]

we drink tap, so does mags... like ozgirl suggests, we leave a pitcher in the fridge all the time, tastes better... bottled water (esp. little bottles)=more waste ...also heard about some bottlers bottling the water when the bottle is still hot, the offgassing is carcinogenic! ...wouldnt apply to water coolers...

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[Tracy A.]

I don't buy bottled water for the boys unless we are in the car or on a trip. At home I give them water from the fridge water dispenser which has a culligan filer on it. I am thinking about getting a britta for the tap.

As a side note: one of the ladies I work with moved to a new house, and started having a bunch UT issues-

Turns out when she got new water system installed in her home all the issues went away. She and her Dr's had no clue it was the tap water at home doing it- Freaky.

[savannahsmom35]

We have a water filter on our fridge and I get Savannah's water and our drinking water from there. I heard somewhere that some of the stuff in regular tap water can cause kidney stones in dogs. Whether that is true or not, I don't know, but it is easier just to get her water from the spout on the fridge so that is what I do.

[tena]

We use tap for both the dog and the cats.

Water dishes are the greatest hassle of our lives. Sophie is forever 'digging' in the cat's bowl which offends them greatly. She has a large 'self-filling' bowl that the cats like to watch fill (a bubble rises up the tank) so they play in it.

My kitchen floors are always wet.

[goforette]

Yeah the water dish and dunking.... poor Hollie loves to literally dunk Brystal in the water bowl on purpose. And then Brystal gets up with water dripping from her whole head with all her teeth out - it's hysterical and I so need to capture a pic - it happens at least once a day. So really I guess I'm giving them a more purified bath.... good inside and out...

[CathyAnn]

Lately, due to the heat, I have been filling Piper's water bowl with ice from the fridge. It has a purifier on it.

Otherwise, I just use tap water..... .

Cathy

[kayharley]

I also use filtered water that is dispensed from our fridge for my crew but I think nothing of using tap water for myself!

[Eliz222]

We drink our tap water, and so do our dogs. I know other areas around the country have water that doesn't taste good, but ours tastes just like water!

[Will&Grace]

I use a Britta water filter pitcher for my dogs water - keeping it in the fridge. I started it when Will came home and couldn't get his digestive system working quite right. I wanted to eliminate as many variables as I could. Anyhow, then I just kept with it - for Will & Grace. No extra work and barely any cost... I think we're crazy sometimes....

[maggie]

We all drink tap at home, when we travel we use bottled water.

[Newm]

Wow, I really hate to open this bucket of worms. However I just can

[Newm]

Sorry about the double reply. Newbie

Loki's dad

[purebella]

we use tap and bella gets tap - that is if she isnt drinking out the pond, puddles or whatever water supply she can find!

[MikeC]

My two guys get tap water. Fortunately my city has one of the best water purification systems in CA so I don't worry about it.

[kcsdogs]

Well some dogs drink from the toilet

I say if the tap is good enough for me it is good enough for the fur kids, I have been known to run it through a Brita on some days and put ice cubes in it though

[Newm]

If you really beleive that tap water is good enough for you, go for it. I would never make such a statement after over 20 years in the water industry. We even sell bottled water to managers of city water treatment plants for them and thier familys. That's good enough for me.

I would never even think of giving it to my furry little guy. I know that he likes the bottled water more than what comes out of the tap, I do too. Sometimes I think that he may even know the different restrictions that regulate bottled water compared to the restrictions that regulate tap water.

Sorry, but, different strokes for different folks.

Loki's says bottled water rules!

Have a good evening.

Loki's Dad