Getting her to drink more water

[Stefani]

How do you get a dog to drink more water?  Razel isn't having to pee as often as I'd like her to go. I think it is because it is cooler, and she isn't as hot.  I've mixed water in her food.  I verbally praise her when she drinks.  I'll take her out to exercise, to get her to drink more water (thuogh she hardly drinks any afterwards).  I can force her to drink by standing over her and water bowl, telling her "water" and praising when she drinks, but I don't like doing that (I'm worried she'll start to hate drinking).  She is getting to a point where she'll only pee every 6 hours, and even then, she won't always go.  I potty everyone at 8 or 9am around noon, around 5, around 8 and again at midnight.  There are days were she'll pee at the 8 or 9 am, at the 5pm, and won't go again until midnight.  I'm at a loss on what to do to get her to pee more often.   Oh, I verbally praise while she is peeing, then sometimes I let her go "chase" the neighbors cats (they aren't really out there, but she enjoys looking for them).

[springingpups]

When I need to get Grady to drink more, I mix water in with a bit of plain yogurt (just enough so the water looks a bit milky).

[Kirsten]

She may already be drinking all she needs.  Is her urine pale yellow and clear?  So long as it isn't cloudy or dark, then she is drinking enough.  How about the skin-pinch test for dehydration?

My dogs drink about half as much water in the winter as they do in the summer.  They just lose a lot less from not panting.

If she really isn't drinking enough, ie her urine is dark yellow, I suggest mixing a little unflavored pedialite in with her water to balance out some of the chemicals she may be losing.  If she becomes dehydrated enough to do a full second on the skin pinch (on her side or shoulder, not the scruff of her neck) then you should consult your veterinarian.