feeding

[not color blind]

How did dogs live before heated water dishes??

[FullCryHounds]

They did the same thing that they do now, they get dehydrated and then the owners wonder why thier dogs aren't performing.

[pegleg]

well before heated water buckets there were piles of bucket shaped ice cubes outside the kennels. I lived in co for years and the changing of buckets gets old. if you can put the water inside it helps. otherwise water less much more often. I do add water to my dry feed and if it is cold out i wait until later in the evening and add hot water it sure helps keep them warm. in a real cold snap I have added a few tbs of lard or chunk of pork fat to their feed too.

[bob baldwin jr]

Water in the dry food we do also ,but on the other hand they have access to the heated Garage Shop so the water freezing is never an issue, Many times they will come-in eat ,drink ,take a nap for an hour then go back out to their barrell houses. -O weather I do put the warm water in the dry food .I have no proof ,but like us it sometimes makes us feel better with a warm full belly

[FullCryHounds]

I think adding warm water to thier dry food is great, I also add ground meat/water which it's pretty obvious the dogs love it because they go crazy over it.

[islandbearhunter]

use raw dog food it is 67% water my dog perform awsome all year in any weather

[mondomuttruner]

all you water advocates seem to live in a moderate climate state. cost of running power and heated bucket along with the chance of a dog chewing through a cord doesnt suit me. personally I dont let my food soak, I believe the crunchy food helps their teeth. They have to drink the water before they can get to the food. after the water is gone they have to be smart enough to eat snow. I actually know a guy that puts out no water, dogs rely 100% on snow. Not that its right or wrong, just the way I do it.

[kordog]

i put the water in the food and can actually say they get more that way then they would otherwise there urine is clear not dark colored like when their dehydrated and the skin on the shoulders and necks springs back like a rubber band . it wont due this if they are dehydrated it will slowly sink back into place .this is my wintertime feeding the rest of the year they have both.if your dogs are showing the signs of dehydration ive pointed out then you may need more than what your giving .

[techno]

. personally I dont let my food soak, I believe the crunchy food helps their teeth. .

Feeding with soaked feed will do more damage to the teeth than you think. I have done everything from boiling water and filling 2 liters and dropping the 2 liter in the water bucket to busting ice out of water bowls 3 times a day.

I honestly feel if you can't afford to use electric water bowls... get out of the dogs. You can EASILY make a chew proof set-up with an electric bowl.

I have 1 dog right now because with my time constraints 1 is all I can keep up with. At one time I had 5 and you would have been hard pressed to say my dogs lacked anything in any area.


Kind of like cleaning poo. Cleaning poo less than once a day is absolutely NASTY! If you don't have "time" to take care of a dog or dogs... get out of dogs and start knitting.

[kordog]

you must be following your dog around with a baggie techno ,and if they fart do you spray the air with air freshner . honestly who do you think you are telling people to get out of hounds. ive got a hound here right now that has perfect set of chompers at 14 1/2 . been fed this way his whole life. how many heated water bowls do the eskimos have do you suppose ?they rely on their dogs for a living especially in the past . if you want to treat yours like they belong in beverly hills thats fine . i will just make sure mine are healthy . you just made my list as an anti cause thats the kinda shit they shovel.

[bob baldwin jr]

kordog : +1

[Redbone83]

good point kordog, we feed our dogs water soaked food year round never had no trouble we feed meat when we can, but dam there every day they get soft food.

[techno]

I am by far an anti... or peta moron or a humaniac. I get up and clean up the chain space for my 1 dog before I go to work. I come home for lunch and hang out with the dog while I eat lunch. Then when I come home I feed the dog and go out before bed to clean up. I enjoy being around my dog. To me he is more than just something I hunt with. I have a wife and a step son with a baby on the way. That is why I keep 1 dog. When it was just me, no girlfriend or anything else but work... I had 5. At that time I went to work and messed with the dogs.I did not go out and hang out in bars or chase woman. I didn't even watch TV. Same deal I got up and did dog chores before going to work. At that time I wasn't coming home mid day. When I would get home I got all 5 out and walked them as well as dog chores.

I was brought up with coon, bird and rabbit dogs. All my uncles kept a tight ship when it came to care for their dogs. That is what I saw and set the same standards for myself. I had the flu pretty bad this last winter. I still got out and did dog chores.

Honestly I know who and what I am. To me your just some dude on the internet. I'm not here to disrespect you or call you names. I try and keep high standards for my dog care ethic. Some folks don't give a crap about putting forth 110% To those folks I still say "get out of the dogs".

[kordog]

your the one who started the disrespect saying to get out of dogs if you dont have a heated waterbowl thats absolutely ridiculous. just because it isnt done specifically your way doesnt make the dog any less healthy. for what it cost me in the run of a year ,and the time i spend along with alot of other houndsmen on here that do the same ,but dont have heated waterbowls your being absolutely disrespectful .and you said it you are an anti get the heak off this site you don't belong here.go knit fluffy a sweater he might get cold.

[techno]

I said by far am I an anti. I'm sorry you don't know what that means. And get mad because I don't make excuses about how I care for a dog. Some folks do... get mad at them.