Is Flavored Water Okay for Dogs to Drink?

Can Dogs Drink Flavored Water?

Yes, dogs can drink naturally-flavored water that contains only safe and suitable ingredients for dogs. In fact, adding some flavorings into your dog's water bowl may help fussy pooches hydrate more as the water becomes more palatable for your dog's sophisticated palette! From bone broth to fresh fruit, there are plenty of options for you to give your pet.

It is important to point out that not all water enhancers are suitable for dogs. Those MiO drops, 4C juice packets, and Tang liquid soft drink mixes do not only contain ingredients that can upset your pet's digestive tract, but many of these water enhancers contain artificial sweeteners that are deadly to pets! Avoid the commercial water enhancers for your pets.

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What Flavored Water can Dogs Drink?

So what can your pooch sip on? While most dogs are perfectly content lapping up plain water, some pets can be particularly fussy when it comes to drinking water. Hydration is necessary for preventing numerous health problems, and flavoring your dog's water is a great way to get your dog to drink more water.

Dog water enhancers are not the same as water enhancers that humans can consume. Instead, flavor your dog's water with fresh fruit, broth, or even your dog's food. Not only with your furry friend love the sweet and savory flavors in their water bowl, they will increase their water intake, stay hydrated, and prevent problems like urinary tract infection as well!

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Flavored Water for Dogs

1. Bone Broth

Bone broth is the most popular dog drink additive as dogs enjoy the meaty, savory flavor of slow-boiled broth! Dog owners may be relieved to know that unsalted bone broth added to the dog's water bowl does not harm their pooch, but even promotes healthy joints, collagen production, and increased appetite.

You can use pork or beef broth, chicken broth, or even tuna broth - it all depends on your dog's own preferences and taste. You can give your dog up to 1 0z of bone broth per 20 lbs. of your dog's body weight per day, but make sure to water down the broth before serving it to your pooch. Avoid broth with added salt, onions, or other flavorings as well.

When in doubt, make your own broth. It is a safe, easy, and nutritious way to introduce more essential vitamins and minerals to your dog's diet. You can even use a slow cooker to make the process easier: Simply fill your slow cooker with fresh bones, cover the bones with water, and let the broth cook on high for one hour, then simmer on low for 24 hours.

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2. Dog-safe Fruit

While bone broth is a pup favorite, it can be very rich as it is nutrient-dense. Plus, making the broth can be time-consuming. Hence, some pet owners opt to give their dogs flavored water made with fresh fruits and vegetables instead!

Dogs are omnivores, and enjoy the occasional crunchy carrot or sweet watermelon. Adding your dog's favorite fruits and vegetables to plain water will get your dog to drink more, and lap up nutrients as well. Make sure to use ingredients safe for dogs, like carrots, cucumber, watermelon, apple, strawberry, blueberry, and the like.

Simply cut up dog-safe fruits into small pieces, making sure that the pieces are small enough that they won't choke your dog. Add the pieces to fresh water, and let it sit to infuse flavor. Pour the flavored water and fruit in dog bowls, and serve it to your pooch. You can even make frozen fruit ice cubes for a refreshing, cool drink for your dog!

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3. Frozen Dog Treat Mixes

There are plenty of dog treat options currently in the market, with dog ice cream, dog frosting, and dog treat pates to pamper your pooch. These are not only great for rewarding your dog, they can be used to add a flavor boost to your dog's water!

If the dog treat is powdered, mix 1/4 tsp of the powder into your dog's drinking water. If the treat is a frozen or wet food, simply mix a small amount of the treat in your dog's drinking water to flavor it. This will get your dog to drink and hydrate more, increasing their water intake!

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5. Ice Cubes

Ice cubes may not add much flavor to your dog's drinking water, but on a hot summer day, your dog may enjoy an ice-cold beverage just like you would! Plus, you can flavor the ice cubes with canned food, fresh fruit and vegetables, or safe dog drinks like yogurt, lactose-free pet milk, or broth.

Adding ice cubes to your pet's water will encourage them to drink more, especially on a hot day. Ice cubes may provide better flavor than with canned food as they help your pooch stay hydrated. Plain ice cubes are not calorie intense either, so you can feel at ease giving your pet a couple of ice cubes to cool down!

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6. Food Topping Packets

Food topping packets, often called Churu sticks, are thin pastes of pureed meat and vegetables meant to hydrate your pet, and whet their appetite. These packets are perfect for mixing into drinking water to entice your dog to drink!

Multiple brands of dog food offer food topping packets, and while these are often added on top of kibble or dry food, they can be added into the water bowl of your dog to encourage your dog to drink more water. Use these food topping packets sparingly, however, as they tend to be salty and rich.

Tip: Avoid adding flavorings to your dog's water in a pet fountain, as the oils, chunks, and sugars of the additives will block the pet fountain, causing mold, mildew, and bacteria to grow.

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The Best Water for Your Pooch

Like humans, keeping dogs hydrated is beneficial to your pet's health, and prevents a variety of health issues like gum disease, kidney disease, and other medical conditions. Always provide your dog with clean water, and make sure they are drinking enough water to maintain proper circulation in their bloodstreams.

Filtered water is always the way to go if you want to give your pooch the cleanest and purest drink! At My Own Water, we process all our water to ensure that the beverage you're getting is completely free of any contaminants.

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Check out our options at My Own Water, and keep hydrating!