Water is life for dogs as well as humans. Given proper hydration, let’s focus on how the water quality can differ between you and your dog. Obviously consuming impurities in your water whether human or canine is not an ideal situation. The best dog water may not be as close as your tap.
If your tap water, whether from a municipality or well, smells or tastes bad you will likely not drink it and replace it with a better source. Your dog is not going to complain about that smelly tap water so it is pretty easy to just fill the water bowl from the tap for your special friend. As for the bad stuff you cannot see or smell, tap water can contain some of this too. The EPA provides Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLS), which are the highest level of contaminants allowed in drinking water. More information can be found at the EPA’s safewater website. Needless to say there are plenty of things that end up in tap water that you may prefer not to consume, even if they are within the EPA safe water limits. The same can apply to your dog too.
Dogs are very opportunistic when seeking water. If your dog has access to outdoor water sources, these could be contaminated with fertilizer, weed killer, or other yard chemicals that are likely to be unhealthy. Even a birdbath can provide stagnant water that can sicken a dog. It is probably best to eliminate these sources when you find them. Additionally, providing a good supply of pure water in multiple locations makes it more likely that your dog will find a safe source of water. On a hot day, your thirsty dog will likely avail themselves to the easiest water source regardless of your wishes.
Some dogs like to drink out of the toilet. Not only is toilet water tap water, but it could be contaminated with bacteria and cleaning chemicals, which makes it a very poor choice for drinking water. Another source of unhealthy bacteria can be found on your dog’s water bowl. You may find stainless steel drinking bowls easy to clean regularly which helps to keep bacteria growth to a minimum.
While traveling with your dog and visiting loved ones it’s very easy to just rely on the local tap water supply for your dog’s water. If you can bring a pure water supply with you or obtain one at your destination, you can feel more confident that you are providing the best water for your dogs. Those stainless drinking bowls mentioned are also easy to pack for trips.
The best dog water may be as simple as the water you are currently drinking. Many dog owners enjoy the taste and purity of quality filtered water and the invisalign cost to provide the same healthy elixir of life to your dogs can be very reasonable.
