Water in Crate?

[Greenepony]

With my schedule this semester and next there are times that I'm out of the house 7-13 (an hour to hour and a half commute depending on how the blue line feels that day, blech) and while DH is usually home during that time he sometimes has to gone for a week at a time for work. When I am going to be out for 7-8+ hours we were planning on hiring a dog walker (Alexandria has a plethora of options) but my trouble point is water.

Usually, I'll put 1/2-3/4 C in a small bowl in the front corner for Olive when we're gone for a couple hours. However, lately she's been so anxious that she'll knock it over, or forget it's there and race out to get to her real bowl when we get home.

For those that crate for a long time, do you keep water in it? How?

[take4roll10]

I keep water in the room that I gate my dog in when I am gone. I have this crate water bowl: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o06_s00_i01

When she is not crated, I leave the crate door open, so she has access to her water at all times. And of course when she is crated, the water is there as well.

I don't think my dog drinks a lot of water when I'm gone because she will also quickly drink water from her bowl in the kitchen as soon as I get home. I think dogs purposely do not drink a lot of water when they are alone, so they won't have to go to the bathroom. They also mostly sleep when we are gone, so they're probably thirsty as soon as they wake up.

[Ann]

I always leave water in the crate for my dogs, and I use the same coop cups that attach to the side of the crate as Randi does. I like these much better than the ones that just attach to the side with hangars. If the dogs gets excited they can still knock those down. The ones that screw onto the crate are much more secure.

[JessicaR]

I would try the coop cup and instead of water put some ice cubes in it. That way she can either chomp on the ice (my dogs love this) or if she is not thirsty right away it will slowly melt and she can drink later.

[Jaynie]

My dogs aren't crated that much except at night, so it's not much of a problem. I do use the screw-type crate cups for food and water.

In the past, I have used one of the big ball-tip water bottles. As long as you make sure it doesn't leak (point the drippy end towards the crate cup to catch drips), my dogs love it. (Of course it's pretty noisy at night.)

[Lightplum]

This is what I use http://www.petco.com/product/105767/...eCat=LookAhead

[Shelby's mom]

We use one that fits into a ring that screws onto the crate. I don't think she drinkns much when we are not home.

[seashel]

I tend to only leave the dogs crated for any length of time now at night or at shows. Then they have water in their coop cups that are the hook kind and I put them in the corner of the crate. I've never had a problem with them being tipped out, even with Epic the manic who can get pretty excited! He's still in a puppy pen when I'm not there in the day but doesn't seem to tip the water there either. However, when other people I know have had issues with knocked over water the screw on coop cup holders have solved the problem. I don't find they drink a lot when in their cages either but still like them to have access to it if they need it.

[BarbV]

Its a fine balance.

Definitely the coop cup or similar. But you don't want to suppy too much water so that dog is now crossing paws just desperate to go outside!

[Greenepony]

Thanks everyone! The Coop Cup looks promising (and free shipping since we have prime, woo!)

She tends to bark a bit when we're away (when we leave, when someone walks by in the breezeway, the courtyard, etc) and while she does a bit better when a towel is thrown over the front, I feel awful when we get back and she sounds a bit hoarse- thus the trying to figure out a way to let her have water. She's fine at night but being away is too much.