Community Forums

photraveller · 05-19-2017, 07:29 PM

Wondering what type of water do you use for your fur kids?

We've travel with our dogs and never had a problem until the last trip.

After getting stuck in South Dakota with two sick dogs from campground water, I'm trying to decide whether to go RO for the dogs, or bottled.

Good news, after a trip to the vet, and a DUH moment, we switched to bottled and they got better. Bad news, the dogs used more water than my DW.

Never had an accident in the coach, but I got tried of trying to squeegee up their business!

Steve

willowrun · 05-19-2017, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photraveller

Wondering what type of water do you use for your fur kids?

We've travel with our dogs and never had a problem until the last trip.

After getting stuck in South Dakota with two sick dogs from campground water, I'm trying to decide whether to go RO for the dogs, or bottled.

Good news, after a trip to the vet, and a DUH moment, we switched to bottled and they got better. Bad news, the dogs used more water than my DW.

Never had an accident in the coach, but I got tried of trying to squeegee up their business!

Steve

Hey Steve... we travel with dogs and learned even with our own water filter to use bottled water! Sometimes I will half and half it and I keep a big bowl stainless filled with bottled water and ice cubes too from bagged ice. It eliminates a lot of things including runny eyes! The stomachs thing happened twice in 7 mos from water sources tap. So we just don't fool with anything but the big mondo bottles from like Costco or Walmart!

THenman · 05-19-2017, 07:42 PM

We have been using bottled water for our dogs. (2 small terriers.) They don't drink all that much and just share wife's water. I suggested going to gallon jugs but so far it has just been simpler to use bottles wife drinks from.

Tom

Edit: Oh this past Jan. we still had 3 and put down washable bed pads in the coach. It was a blessing when 2 of the dogs got sick after eating something that "ran" through them.

BFlinn181 · 05-19-2017, 07:47 PM

I've had dogs drink from water I wouldn't touch, let alone drink. I've always wondered why dog food is marketed as "beef, chicken" etc. when dogs will sniff butts, roll on feces, and chew on road kill. Are you sure it was campground water that was intended for human consumption? Rather than creating all the plastic waste generated by bottled water, again marketed as "mountain spring, or glacier water" that has been proven to be filtered tap water. Why not install a filter in the RV system or even just at the kitchen faucet? We use a Brita drinking pitcher in the RV and a whole system filter, never had a problem, human or canine.

hdgoldie · 05-19-2017, 08:18 PM

We use bottled. Dogs tummies are like young children's. If they are accustomed to it they can eat or drink anything - if it's new, you'll clean a mess. Just a change in the chemicals used to purify the water can set them off. Easier on us - and our stomachs - to just use bottled. If we are staying in an area for length of time, then we'll transition them to the water by mixing it in gradually with the bottled - same way you would with a new food.

brobox · 05-19-2017, 08:31 PM

Ours has had bottled or RO water since she was a puppy even at home. Our water is not fit for a dog.

Sandmancw · 05-19-2017, 09:03 PM

We buy the purified water from Walmart in the gallon jugs for our trips. It is easy to buy anywhere in the country, not sure if it is the same water everywhere, never had a problem with our dogs. Plus for less then a buck it is cheap to buy.

When you think about it though, like one of the other posters said the dogs drink all sorts of nasty stuff at home. One of mine drinks the water from the the tray underneath the the big flower pots. Is it really necessary, don't know but it makes the dw feel better.

ByeTheWay · 05-19-2017, 09:26 PM

Getting an education here. Our dog (who has a sensitive stomach) has been traveling w/ us for 13 years and drinks the water from where ever we are. Now I do pour Bleach over the hydrant when getting fresh water prior to hooking up my hose at a full hook up site, because the last guy who dumped there probably used the fresh water tap to rinse out his sewer hose.

Cruzer · 05-20-2017, 06:46 AM

Dakota drinks what we do. Except in extreme circumstances that is the water from the fridge or galley dispenser. Both are double filtered. The primary whole house filter holds a Hydrolife C2063 bacteriostatic element with KDF carbon media. The Entegra in-line filter that filters the galley drinking water dispenser and fridge water in a Hydrolife HL-170. 90% of the time that is all we need. In extreme conditions we go with bottled water. We do keep a couple of gallons under the bed just in case.

Selah · 05-20-2017, 06:55 AM

My dog must be strange. We fill his water bowel from the fridge filtered water but he much prefers to drink from mud puddles, from other dogs water bowels, from the dog bowels set out by dog friendly stores, or just about any unsanitary water source. Never gets sick.
And you should see what he tries to eat off of roads and paths on our walks!

Cruzer · 05-20-2017, 07:00 AM

Dogs are different. Our last dog, Sundance, had a more temperamental stomach but Dakota can eat or drink most anything (and lots of it) and it doesn't phase him.

HarleyOutlaw · 05-20-2017, 10:34 AM

Our 2 have a pretty solid constitution. Sadie rarely has any problems. Tucker will get out of sorts if he gets table food. Both will scarf up virtually anything they find on the ground that was once living and would prefer to drink from a mud puddle than nice clean bottled water.

We keep a can of pumpkin handy to mix with their food if things get too "soft".

spsm · 05-20-2017, 10:47 AM

Dog or no Dog, we use bottled water period. Any water coming from the fresh water tank is used in the bathrooms only. And I don't care if it is disinfected, we just don't use it for drinking or cooking or for the dog. I think I made my point.

BFlinn181 · 05-20-2017, 11:16 AM

Dogs or humans, I think sensitivity and tolerance to various waters is something learned. If you travel and sample the local waters, you develop a tolerance. If you only drink water from plastic bottles, then you can't handle change. I'd prefer to build up tolerances for various water (and food) sources rather than drink bottled water.

I'm cheap and recycle when possible. I just can't see spending money for bottled water. Not only the cost in $$ but the one use petrochemical bottle and all the waste it generates.

As I said in post #4, filters on the RV, or on the faucet, or in a Brita pitcher can reduce taste and sensitivity issues for man or dog.