# Keeping Hydrated in the Crate?



## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Since I plan to use a crate, how could I make sure that my pup will stay hydrated during the day? Living in Arizona, it's pretty important, but I don't want to overwhelm the poor thing's bladder and have some leakage before I can get home! 

Would ice cubes in one of those crock dishes that lock onto the side of the crate be alright?


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Is your crate going to be in an un-airconditioned area?


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## triordan (Dec 5, 2008)

depending on the location of the crate, inside or outside, if inside in airconditioning he should be fine...outside definately leave water


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I think you would probably need to give a little more information, such as the dog's age and where the crate is going to be (inside where it's air conditioned or somewhere where it's not).

An adult dog doesn't really need to have water in his or her crate, even if you crate your dog during a normal work day (8 hours), as long as the area where the dog is is climate controlled and they get enough water when they are not crated. Most dogs that are trained to a crate will go in, curl up, and go to sleep or rest. Like people, they don't need a drink while they're sleeping.

We have Lixit bottles and those have worked pretty well for us if the pups need to be home for 8+ hours. They usually don't touch them at all, but I like them to have the bottles, just in case, especially since we have very low humidity inside during winter. The Lixit bottles are basically like big hamster bottles and mount on the wire portion of the crate, outside (so they can't be knocked over or chewed) and the dog has to lick it to get water, which keeps them from sucking up a ton of it at once.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

He'd be about 8 weeks old, inside, but it's still fairly warm. I'd probably put the crate downstairs since it's cooler down there. (Yay for tile!) 

I wouldn't be leaving him in the crate for more than 4-5 hours at a time.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

He probably won't be able to hold it for 4 to 5 hours at 8 weeks old. The general rule of thumb is one hour for every month of age, plus 1, when they're pups. So, 2 months old - 3 hours max before he needs to potty.


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## Topdog (Feb 12, 2010)

Lixit 64 oz. Water Bottle - Feeders & Waterers - Small Pet - PetSmart

Links not working but its just a Litix bottle like Abby uses. 

I use one of these for my pups if Im going out or one just like it that way they have water but the way the system is designed, I have found they dont drink to much.. In fact They hardly touch the thing but it gives me POM when in out for a few hours.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I do not leave puppies with water in their crate. Even for 4 or 5 hours. For one thing, an appropriate sized crate for an 8 week old puppy really doesn't have room for a bucket (although I think that one of those hamster bottles would work!) And I've always had puppies that like to play in their water or with their ice cubes, and I feel like I end up with more accidents that way. If the crate is inside and not in direct sunlight it should be fine.

I just make sure that before I leave, my puppy gets to have a drink, and then I make sure he pees. I had to work for the last puppy, so I when I brought my puppy home I took a long weekend so I can have 4 days off to focus on setting my routine. By 8.5 weeks my pups have held it for 4 hours, until I had someone come by to let the puppy out and give it another drink.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

JKlatsky said:


> I do not leave puppies with water in their crate. Even for 4 or 5 hours. For one thing, an appropriate sized crate for an 8 week old puppy really doesn't have room for a bucket (although I think that one of those hamster bottles would work!) And I've always had puppies that like to play in their water or with their ice cubes, and I feel like I end up with more accidents that way. If the crate is inside and not in direct sunlight it should be fine.
> 
> I just make sure that before I leave, my puppy gets to have a drink, and then I make sure he pees. I had to work for the last puppy, so I when I brought my puppy home I took a long weekend so I can have 4 days off to focus on setting my routine. By 8.5 weeks my pups have held it for 4 hours, until I had someone come by to let the puppy out and give it another drink.


I do the same.

I don't expect my puppy to do anything but mostly sleep while they are crated, so there is no need for water. REally not setting them up to succeed at the crate training if I'm allowing them to tank up from boredom and then expect them not to have to pee....

If the area I leave the crate in is SO hot they need water, then I need to rethink where the crate is. Fans or AC or the basement.....


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

I'm not sure how warm a dog is comfortable in. I guess it'd be fine, since the ones we have now are alright with romping outside in the sunlight for about half an hour when it's 115* outside. It's a bit warm for us humans, but not so bad that we're sweating like pigs and need to sleep with frozen water bottles, lol.

If he has an accident in the crate because I'm gone for too long, would it be alright if I just set up a play pen with some puppy pads? (Given I teach him how to use them. Haha.) I was planning on leaving at least a filled kong with him when I'm gone. (It'll be his special "alone time" toy, I guess you could say.)


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

I never leave water in crates, puppy or adult. JMHO


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Personally I wouldn't use pee pads if I could avoid it at all. But I'm one of those people that begins as I mean to go on. 

I really do think that if your maximum away time is only 5 hours, if you give your puppy a good amount of time to settle in, have a good schedule, and maybe let your breeder hold the puppy for an extra week...you will not have an real problems with the crate training. 

I think that they can become a crutch for some people. My sister has a dog and that's what they started out using and they never graduated off of it. It was just easier knowing that if she was running late home from work, her dog would pee on the pad by the door and she would just pick it up and put down a new one the next day.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

I used the pee pad with Isa when she was a baby, 8 weeks. Because I had school then, I couldn't let her out so I left her in a small tiled room with a crate open and pee pads down. I gradually weaned her off of them, worked like a charm as I could not come home from school. 

I also do not keep water in my dogs' home crates, no need as they are sleeping. But, I do have water in their crates when they're in the car. Especially if we're on a trip or they are coming with us in the car during the day.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

don't leave your pup all day without
someone coming in to take him out
for a break (several times). don't
leave your puppy in the heat.

i've heard of people leaving a frozen
bowl of water for their dog.


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