Will my little dog be able to drink from the Pet Water Bottle?
Yes they will. Our dog bottles are being used by dogs of all sizes. My little 'niece' is a 12 week old miniature Maltese poodle. She's became an avid user of the dog bottle. There is a video of her (Sasha) using her dog bottle on FACEBOOK. As for larger dogs, if you're buying it for a Great Dane, I can't guarantee they won't swallow the entire bottle - but we do have Great Dane owners who have provided very positive feedback to us on FACEBOOK.
Why should I not simply let my dog find water puddles on our walks?
There are many parasites out there, one of the most concerning in the UK being LungWorm. Dogs pick it up by ingesting the larvae of the A vasorum. They pick it up through eating snails and similar creatures infected with the larvae, or simply drinking water where slugs and the like have been in. So making sure you always have fresh water to hand, and your dog knows where to get it, are very important.
Do Dogs Need More Water Than Us Humans?
Unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat, which means it's harder for them to cool down. That means they need a regular supply of water to help them cool and avoid dehydration. That's why it's so important to ensure your dogs have water available whenever you're out and about.
So how do dogs cool down?
Dogs cool themselves through their tongues and the pads of their feet - if you see your dog panting, tongue hanging out, or looking lethargic, you need to give him / her water- and don't forget, if the ground is warm, they cannot cool down through their feet.
What size pet water bottle should I buy?
It depends on you and your pets. If your dogs are big drinkers, if you take your dogs out for very long walks, or if you have a few dogs, you probably want a 750ml bottle. The 250ml bottle is an ideal handbag carry size and provides enough water for short walks. The 500ml is a perfect in-between sizes pet water bottle.
Can I wash the Pet Water Bottle in a dishwasher?
No, best not! Hand wash only please.
What if water flows out of my Pet Water Bottle?
The trick is to hold the dog bottle with the spout facing downwards. The ideal angle is a 45 deg downward angle, as you see in the video below. When at a downward angle, the water pushes the ball to the top of the spout and stops the water from flowing. If water is flowing out of the top, you need to tilt the bottle more down. If by some chance, there is water flowing out of the side of the dog water bottle, or your bottle leaks when closed, your dog bottle is possibly missing a seal - CONTACT US and we'll make sure we resolve the problem.
What if my dog doesn't get it straight away?
Hold your dog bottle in front of your dog, but away from the face and not above the head (it will wet them). Allow a little water to drip out the dog bottle so your dog can see the water. Let some water drip into the palm of your hand, and let your dog lick the water from your hand. Bring your hand closer to the dog bottle and your pet will find the source of the dripping. As he or she licks the ball, the dog bottle will release more water and they usually start licking the ball. If you still struggle to get them to try drink out the Pet Water Bottle, try a little chicken broth in place of the water initially.
Anything I should not do when training my pet?
Yes. Do not hold the dog bottle above the dog's head and do not let water drip on the dog's nose. No one likes that, and it will definitely scare them off. Also don't let water pour out of the dog bottle. Allow it to drip out slowly so they can see the water.
Can my cat drink out of the Pet Water Bottles?
Yes they can. We do have a number of cat owners as clients of the Pet Water Bottle, and if you do take your cat for walks, the Pet Water Bottle is not just a dog bottle - it may be perfect for you too.
Why Stainless Steel?
Stainless steel is important because aside from plastic, metal drinking bottles can also be made from aluminium, which is porous and houses bacteria. The aluminium bottles are often made with a plastic polymer coating on the inside - the coating uses the same plastic that is used to make plastic water bottles. Stainless steel is polished rather than porous, and is not coated inside with plastic. We hope our dog bottles will help people reduce their carbon footprint, while at the same time remove the risks associated with plastics.
But I thought dogs don't drink this way - they scoop the water into their mouths using a downwards lick?
This is partly right. When drinking from a bowl, dogs do scoop water downwards and backwards into their mouths. However dog's tongues are pretty dextrous (as you'll find when they give you a big sloppy kiss). When drinking from a running tap for example, they tilt their heads sideways, let the water fall past their mouths, and then scoop. But some scoop downwards, while others will scoop upwards in this case. With the Pet Water Bottles, they simply scoop upwards. TRIED and TESTED!
What are BPA's?
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is an organic compound that is used, together with other materials, to make plastics. It is controversial because it releases low, but detectable hormone-like properties, and is often used in the lining of tin cans, plastic bottles and other consumer products. Several governments have raised concerns about the safety of Bisphenol in consumer products and some retailers have even withdrawn its use. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has raised concerns about the exposure of foetuses, infants and young children, and Canada has declared BPA a toxic substance. Both the EU and Canada have banned the use of BPA’s in baby bottles and studies are being made into the current stated ‘safe levels’ of BPA in the human body.
Over the past 7 years, potential links have been identified between BPA exposure and: obesity; fetal and infant brain development; thyroid changes; increased risk of various types of cancer; changes to breast tissue; adverse reproductive effects; increased prostate weight; lower bodyweight; early puberty; longer estrus; decreased maternal behaviours; and reversal of the normal sex differences in brain structure.
“The problem is, BPA is also a synthetic estrogen, and plastics with BPA can break down, especially when they're washed, heated or stressed, allowing the chemical to leak into food and water and then enter the human body. That happens to nearly all of us. The CDC has found BPA in the urine of 93% of surveyed Americans over the age of 6. If you don't have BPA in your body, you're not living in the modern world.”
The Perils of Plastic, TIME Magazine