Have you tried mixing unsalted chicken or beef broth ... or canned dog food into her indoor water? I'd try that, starting with a solution that is heavy in broth/canned food and light in water. If she'll drink that, gradually increase the proportion of water to broth/canned food over time.

If that doesn't work, you can always buy a heated water bowl so that she'll have water available any time she goes outside.

Laurie

This post was edited by laurief on Mon, Nov 11, 13 at 14:04

I've tried the broth in the water, the vet suggested that. She wouldn't touch it. I'll have to try the heated water bowl, never thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Have you tried canned dog food mixed into a thick gruel with warm water?

Have you tried dropping a few chunks of raw meat into a shallow bowl of water? She'll pull the meat out of the water, but in so doing, she'll also get some of that water in her mouth. That may be all it takes to get her drinking out of a bowl indoors.

Btw, NEVER use soap or detergent when washing a dog bowl. The soap residue can be enough to deter the dog from eating or drinking out of the bowl. Also, use the same type of receptacle indoors that you use outdoors. If she drinks out of a plastic pail outside, make sure you use a plastic pail indoors, as well.

Laurie

This post was edited by laurief on Mon, Nov 11, 13 at 14:27

Good idea about using the same bowl inside and out. I've heard of dogs that wouldn't eat their food after something happened to their old food bowl...dogs...gotta love 'em! :)

It snowed here yesterday. She's happy because now she has snow to eat! She does this every winter. I do use soap to wash her dish but I did before when she was a pup and it never bothered her. It would be great if I could figure out why, all of a sudden she quit drinking inside. BTW, I did try dropping some of her food in the water but she wouldn't touch it either. I asked the vet what to do about it and even he's stumped!

Last year our cavy refused to eat and drink. I offered fruit and other fresh greens but he continued to waste away with barely touching the fresh food. Luckily we had a snow fall . He polished off the entire snow water bottle in a matter of two hours. I also realized I had changed his cavy cuisine pellets to another brand. " we did check his teeth for any issues.>
I also noticed the cat prefers drinking from my water glasses.
I detest the tap water since the water softener leaves the water with a metallic taste so I drink filtered water.
By chance is your water well water with a high mineral content?
Maybe offering a filtered water source is what is needed.

How about putting a bird bath warmer in a large outdoor (metal?) bowl of water in the winter? When I was a kid we had a gismo that kept the birdbath water from freezing. I assume they are still made.

My last dog drank from his indoor water bowl without problem. But I noticed that he would ignore his outdoor bowl of fresh cool tap water, and drink old, yellow-green rain water instead. I kept four bowls for the animals; in hopes they would leave me some tomatoes.

It could have been a number of things:
1) Did not like the flouride or chlorine residual taste in tap water.
2) Liked the taste of rainwater -- may have picked up some taste from leaves on roof.

How about putting a bird bath warmer in a large outdoor (metal?) bowl of water in the winter? When I was a kid we had a gismo that kept the birdbath water from freezing. I assume they are still made.

My last dog drank from his indoor water bowl without problem. But I noticed that he would ignore his outdoor bowl of fresh cool tap water, and drink old, yellow-green rain water instead. I kept four bowls for the animals; in hopes they would leave me some tomatoes.

It could have been a number of things:
1) Did not like the flouride or chlorine residual taste in tap water.
2) Liked the taste of rainwater -- may have picked up some taste from leaves on roof.

How about putting a bird bath warmer in a large outdoor (metal?) bowl of water in the winter? When I was a kid we had a gismo that kept the birdbath water from freezing. I assume they are still made.

My last dog drank from his indoor water bowl without problem. But I noticed that he would ignore his outdoor bowl of fresh cool tap water, and drink old, yellow-green rain water instead. I kept four bowls for the animals; in hopes they would leave me some tomatoes.

It could have been a number of things:
1) Did not like the flouride or chlorine residual taste in tap water.
2) Liked the taste of rainwater -- may have picked up some taste from leaves on roof.

My Great Pye does the same thing. I have the same container in the kitchen that she has outside. I also refill the outside container with water from the kitchen sink. I have tried bringing the outside container in!! She refuses to drink. She also laps up any rain water outside and munches on snow. I wish she could talk lol.

Ibmudpie -- your situation suggests trying to place a second water bowl next to your indoor one. But use rainwater instead of tap water.

A few years ago I took off the bottom of one alum downspout and put a trash barrel there to catch roof water. I use it in the garden, and for dogs who prefer rainwater over tap water.

In a above post, I mentioned flouride and chlorine as being two reasons my dog preferred rain water. I guess lower pH might be a third reason. My water supplier gives a value of 9.7 pH in my area.

I had a dog who forgot how to drink in her old age - some kind of dementia. She would stand at the bowl and lick the air. I tried every bowl known, but she still wouldn't drink. My vet gave me a large plastic syringe, and I would get water into her that way. I put the tip between her side teeth and cheek, and slowly squirted it in. She swallowed that just fine. I also put her dog food in diluted low sodium chicken broth - about 1 part water to 2 parts food.

I know your dog still drinks outside, but supplementing with the syringe method will help keep her hydrated. You can probably get one at Petco - it's called a feeding syringe. To make sure she is not dehydrated, check her gums. They should be pink and slick. If they look dry and are tacky to the touch, she needs more fluids.

Good luck ~

She still won't drink inside. Funny thing is I tried putting her dish outside, when she was watching me, and she drank outside. We are on well water but she drinks that in summer. I did try putting some water in her dish and adding some food (she eats dry food). It took a while but she ate that, after giving me dirty looks that could kill! We did have her at the vet for her annual and she is healthy enough. I think its all in her head. Thanks for all the help. Marg

I was going to suggest bottled water, but it now appears that the water itself isn't the problem. Have you tried placing the water bowl in a secluded area of the house? I keep a ceramic bowl in my bedroom and the other in the kitchen.......... both the cat and the dog prefer the bowl in the bedroom.

Have you tried letting her drink out of the toilet? My Mastiffs ONLY would drink out of the toilet I was glad because they made such a mess when drinking out of a regular bowl on the floor. They also did have a bowl outside but in the winter only the toilet.