Why is my dog not drinking water?

If your pet is drinking less, keep an eye out for the signs of dehydration in dogs, such as:

• Lethargy
• Dry, dull, sunken eyes
• Dry, sticky gums
• Thick saliva
• Panting (beyond their usual level of breathlessness after exercise)
• Loss of their usual skin elasticity

To check if your dog is dehydrated, you could try gently pinching and lifting a little of the skin on the back of their neck. In healthy, well-hydrated dogs, the skin should spring back into place more or less immediately, but in a dehydrated dog this will take longer than usual. (If you have a particularly loose-skinned, wrinkly breed, such as a Neapolitan Mastiff, this test may not be effective.) You could also try gently pressing a finger against your dog’s gums; as a rule, the area will look white for a second, but then return to its normal shade of pink almost straight away. In dehydrated dogs, the pink will take longer to return.

If you’re worried your dog is dehydrated, seek your vet’s advice, and in the meantime make sure they have ready access to fresh water. To encourage them to drink, try offering them a small amount of water directly from your cupped hand. Teaching them to do this is also a great way to encourage them to engage and bond with you.

You wouldn’t drink water that’s less than fresh, so make sure your dog doesn’t have to, either. Change the water in their bowl(s) regularly throughout the day to keep it chilled and appetising and limit the chances of harmful bacteria breeding and giving them a tummy upset.

Some dogs aren’t so keen on tap water due to its chlorine content, and prefer outdoor sources of water. If that sounds like your dog, try offering them filtered or bottled water, instead of water straight from the tap. If you’ve moved house or gone on holiday and the water tastes different to your dog, try mixing it with filtered or bottled water at first and phasing in the new taste gradually, so they have time to get used to it.

As well as putting multiple bowls around your home, you should also think about how to make drinking a comfortable experience for your dog. Our four-legged friends are likely to forgo tasks they find too challenging – even if that means not meeting their basic needs. For example, if you have an older dog with stiffness or mobility problems, consider switching to an elevated bowl, so they don’t have to bend down as much. (But if your dog is a breed prone to bloat, be aware that raised bowls are thought to increase the risk.)

If your dog has any negative associations with their current drinking location, change their routine and place the bowl in a new location where they can drink undisturbed. And if you’ve more than one dog, watch out for signs one of them is resource guarding water and deterring the other(s) from drinking. If so, you’ll need to feed and water them separately, and address the resource-guarding issues.

Any health condition that makes your dog feel sick and puts them off their food could also deter them from drinking. This could mean anything from a simple stomach upset to poisoning or advanced kidney disease. Similarly, pain in dogs, such as the discomfort of a bladder infection, may also affect their usual habits and appetite. If your dog is not eating or drinking, observe them closely for other symptoms such as lethargy, abnormal movements, vomiting, diarrhoea or toileting problems, and seek vet advice without delay.

Some neurological diseases can also affect your dog’s thirst levels. The best known is rabies – and while thankfully this deadly disease has been eliminated from the UK pet population, your dog will need to be vaccinated against it if travelling abroad.

Our dogs are sensitive creatures, and stress and anxiety can cause them to lose their appetite for food and drink. This could follow an unsettling change in routine, such as a house move or new pet, or could be caused by separation anxiety if they’re seeing less of their favourite person or people.

Similarly, if your dog has had a bad experience while drinking from their water bowl – such as someone stepping on their paw, or being chased away by another dog – they may become fearful of repeating the experience. Always pay attention to signs of stress in your dog, and consider adjusting their routine to help relieve any anxieties they might be feeling.

While excessive thirst is more typical in older age (as older animals develop kidney and some hormonal issues), occasionally older dogs reduce their water intake. They may be less active than in their younger days, and simply require less refreshment. They’re also more likely to develop underlying health issues that affect their appetite – and if they’re tired, sore or arthritic, may not want to exert themselves to make the trip to their water bowl. Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) – aka doggy dementia – can make dogs forgetful of their usual habits and routines.

As with any behaviour change in older dogs, it’s wise to discuss an alteration in drinking habits with your vet.