Q: When we go on walks in the park, my dog refuses to drink water from a bottle, even if I pour it into a small bowl. Is there anything I can do about it?
A: I would not be too concerned about this, as long as your dog is drinking adequately at home and has no medical problems. This can be quite common, and some dogs won’t show any interest in drinking when they are out walking, even though they may be thirsty.
Without knowing your dog’s personality, temperament, history, or the environment you are walking in, it’s difficult to determine the reason, but there could be a number of different explanations.
Going on a walk is a very exciting event for your dog. He may simply be so excited and stimulated by all the interesting smells, other dogs and the environment, that stopping to drink water feels like a waste of time.
So, maybe he just has FOMO (fear of missing out)!
On the other hand, when out walking, your dog may feel vulnerable, or have a level of stress or anxiety that you may not even be aware of, and the act of lowering his head to drink may prevent him from scanning the environment for any potential ‘threats’.
There may even have been a previous unpleasant experience while drinking, like being startled by a loud noise, another dog, child or person, that your dog has now associated with drinking.
Keep offering water on walks and try to find a quiet spot to do so, where there is no one else around. See if this makes a difference.
Also, try offering your dog water at home in the same container that you take out walking. If your dog still won’t drink while out, just make sure there is plenty of fresh water available as soon as you return home.
Alyson Kingsley-Hall, behaviourist
