My dog hates tap water but will drink out of any old manky puddle when we're out walking. I don't walk him in this heat though. When it was hot last year he managed to burn his paw just from the heat of the pavement and had sore feet for day. It's only a couple of hundred yards from my house to the woods and I thought I'd take him up there to cool down in the river but that was enough tarmac to damage his feet.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I like it when we find water bowls left out. the dog woods round here (only place a dog is allowed off the lead) often have communal water bowls. I really don't care who else has drunk out of the bowl, I've seen (and smelt) some of the things my dog eats/drinks!
Dogs can share germs and parasites through a communal water bowl, things like worms or kennel cough. I carry water and a folding bowl for my dog.. but he also drinks from streams and mud puddles.. and other dogs water bowls that have been left under their bumper in the parking lot. If dogs are up to date on their shots and wormer pills, they should be fine.
I’m sure plenty of dogs and dog walkers would really appreciate it, I know I would. Any with worries can always choose not to use it, but I think most people are trusting of good nature rather than suspicious of a sinister plan
In our old house there would occasionally be organised walking groups going by with dogs absolutely gasping so, after the first person asked, I always put out bowls of water on such days. Happy doggies.
Cafés and restaurants with terraces always have dog bowls over here and some towns and villages have little doggy fountains. Putting some outside your gate where doggies pass is a friendly gesture that costs nothing and can help other critters, not just dogs.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I think it's a good idea, and very thoughtful. I haven't had a dog for years, but there are a lot around our area. I think it is up to the owners as to whether they let their dog drink from it - and yes, l know it can be difficult to stop your hairy friend from doing what he/ she wants at times!
If dogs are up to date on their shots and wormer pills, they should be fine.
One of mine is immune compromised having had chemo and is still neutropenic. We had a neighbour who tried to poison one of our dogs with rat poison. As I said, I may be unusually paranoid.
WE - my chemo dog won't drink from the water bowls they leave in the waiting room at the vets - I assumed because of the chlorine smell of tap water, although given a clean bowl in a private room with a bit of reassurance, he will drink it. The vet reckons he's a bit "Normal for Norfolk". He will try to drink out of manky puddles though.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Our cats never drank tap water when we lived in Harrow or in the house we rented when we first moved to Belgium. The house we bought had very pure water, tho hard and the cats and subsequent dogs drank it happily. They do here too - reservoir 5kms away so very fresh and clean.
The dogs also like rivers, puddles, ditches, ponds...........
I don't think you're paranoid RG, given your experiences, but most people aren't out to harm other people's pets.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
If dogs are up to date on their shots and wormer pills, they should be fine.
One of mine is immune compromised having had chemo and is still neutropenic. We had a neighbour who tried to poison one of our dogs with rat poison. As I said, I may be unusually paranoid.
WE - my chemo dog won't drink from the water bowls they leave in the waiting room at the vets - I assumed because of the chlorine smell of tap water, although given a clean bowl in a private room with a bit of reassurance, he will drink it. The vet reckons he's a bit "Normal for Norfolk". He will try to drink out of manky puddles though.
Speaking as a Norfolk resident .............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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A glow worm's never glum
Cos how can you be grumpy
When the sun shines out your bum!
Cafés and restaurants with terraces always have dog bowls over here and some towns and villages have little doggy fountains. Putting some outside your gate where doggies pass is a friendly gesture that costs nothing and can help other critters, not just dogs.
WE - my chemo dog won't drink from the water bowls they leave in the waiting room at the vets - I assumed because of the chlorine smell of tap water, although given a clean bowl in a private room with a bit of reassurance, he will drink it. The vet reckons he's a bit "Normal for Norfolk". He will try to drink out of manky puddles though.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The dogs also like rivers, puddles, ditches, ponds...........
I don't think you're paranoid RG, given your experiences, but most people aren't out to harm other people's pets.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.