# Tap Water?



## NCPupLove (May 28, 2010)

What type of water is best to give a puppy? Is tap okay? Should they be drinking filtred or something else?


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## Namrah (Jul 15, 2008)

If it's safe for you to drink, it's safe for them to drink. My dogs drink tap water, though they get filtered ice since that's the only available. =)


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Tap water in the U.S. is safe to drink. There's no reason to give a healthy puppy anything else.


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## NCPupLove (May 28, 2010)

We don't drink the tap water. Don't like the taste. We do drink the filtered water from the fridge.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

If you WANT to give the dog water from the fridge, go ahead....but it's not necessary. Dogs don't care much about taste.


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## KEichman (Jan 7, 2010)

Willowy said:


> Tap water in the U.S. is safe to drink. There's no reason to give a healthy puppy anything else.


Yep...it's totally safe, but there IS a reason to give SOME puppies filtered or distilled water. Our white/cream shih tzu/bichon mix had horrible tear stains, until we switched her to drinking distilled water from a non-metal bowl. Took about a week or so (and growing out/cutting the existing tear-stained hair), but no more tear stains. I don't know why, but it has worked wonders! (Of course, this only applies to dogs that are prone to tear stains.)


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

Tap is fine, but if you use a softener (where you are adding salt to the water), it will make the dogs more thirsty...and as puppies, this means more accidents. I try to give filtered water when I can, but any water will be okay as long as its safe for you.


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## NCPupLove (May 28, 2010)

Wow who would have thunk it LOL! I don't know if Wheatens are prone to tearing. That is something I would have never thought to research about the breed. I do wonder though about the red clay in the south and the particles of it staining???


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## NCPupLove (May 28, 2010)

No water softner but a good point to ponder all the same!


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## ricardol (Jun 7, 2010)

Its up to you ..


Our tap water looks dingy coming out. We dont drink .. we dont even water our plants with it. So I wont give it to my pup.

We all drink Ozarka ..


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## KBLover (Sep 9, 2008)

I tend not to give Wally tap water, but usually filtered water (Pur. Brita, etc) and it's readily available so I figure, why not.

However, he does sometimes get tap water and it's not a big deal. Usually it's when we go out walking in the evening where it's still warm so I put cold water (tap) over ice for the both of us.

I do let the tap water run for about 15 seconds first. Somewhere I read this is better. Forgot why, it was a while back.


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## infiniti (Mar 19, 2010)

KBLover said:


> I do let the tap water run for about 15 seconds first. Somewhere I read this is better. Forgot why, it was a while back.


It's better because it allows any sediment that has settled in the pipe to be flushed out. However, it's not necessary unless your faucet has sat dormant for a long time.

To the OP: It's safe if your city water supply is rated as safe to drink. As long as there are no water restrictions in your area, such as a boil order or a do not use order, then tap water is fine for your dogs.


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## Camillea (Jun 17, 2010)

Tap water in the area I live in in Southern California has been known for years to be disgusting and considered unsafe for people to drink. Supposedly it contains small living organisms in it which pending how bad they are from month to month can make people ill. I don't know if it's wholly true or not but it's how I grew up and how everyone around me lives; most people I know don't even think about it anymore we just buy bottled water.

Since that's the case where we live, I've been giving my puppy the same bottled water I drink.

By way of comparison though, a number of years back I lived in an area where the tap-water was great -- everyone drank it, it didn't taste bad, it never had floaties, and it was known to be just fine. If I were still living there I'd be drinking the tap water, and I'd give it to my puppy too.


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