Obsessive drinking

[LAUREN FULSHER]

Hello, I have two 6 month old puppies from a litter of 10. They use to resource guard water but are better now that we put two bowls out but one of the dogs will still drink until there is no water left. We don’t want to ever take the water away-we know they came from a situation where they always shared all resources so I think that’s the cause but how do I try to curtail it other than distraction? Is there a way? It has been causing major potty frequency issues!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there!

Welcome to the forums! Congrats on your new pups! To better understand the situation, I have a few questions.

How long have you had them? 

What breed are they?

Have they showed this behavior from the first day you had them? If not, when did it start?

Can you please describe what behaviors they engage in when they resource guard the water? (growling? barking? snarling? lying down and hovering the bowl? blocking each others' access? actual fights?)

Is it really both of them or only one showing signs of guarding the bowl? Is there a pattern of one pup trying to drink, and the other blocking access to it?

Is the only sign one dog drinking all the water in the bowl to prevent the other one from drinking? Is it always the same dog?

Are they having potty accidents inside the home?

How many times are you taking them outside? 

How much roughly are they drinking in 24 hours? Do you have an idea? In general, dogs are expected to drink anywhere between 1-2 ounces per pound of body weight per day.

Thanks!

[LAUREN FULSHER]

Hello, both pups are 6 month old Akita mountain cur mixes and we got them right before they turned 4 months old.  Both dogs would water guard from our husky, Shandy, initially and it would be blocking the way or easing in when she was drinking to push her out so we put two bowls down so it doesn’t occur as much but Al still occasionally does it. Al is the one obsessively drinking and always has, Ed use to but he has cut way back and when they obsessively drink it does cause potty accidents in the home but I will try to let them out within 10 minutes or less of a large amount of water intake then I have found I can’t go much more that 15-20 minutes without an accident-Al knows he should go outside but his cues to tell us he needs to are so minimal that we schedule his bathroom break most of the time but other than in the kennel neither boy has made it 3 hours yet without going out for a potty break (kennel they have held up to 6 hours). Ed isn’t really having this issue anymore, it’s really just Al with the obsessive water drinking but we are talking a bowl that has maybe 12 oz in it and another that is 8-10 that he will start in on if he finishes the first so we try to distract him away from it…He is at least 55lbs at this point. They have access to the water all day but are kenneled at night at when we are at work so from 1:30-8pm they are free to drink water openly. 
the potty training thing is a whole other issue, as Al doesn’t have good cues and Ed we always know he has to go because he gets frantic/paces…Al is fairly smart but a little slow overall so we have been praising him for every outdoor pee but he still will have accidents so we recently started using a belly band and he will pee in that if we don’t catch him in time…It’s all been frustrating as I’ve had puppies before and never had such a hard time with potty training but I’ve never had such huge drinkers either. There is no UTI but we have not had any other bloodwork done on either dog at this point. We changed foods and that helped Ed with the obsessive drinking (vet recommended due to potential salt intake) but did not help Al.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thank you for the extra details, very helpful! 

I am glad that the water bowl guarding has subsided at least in one pup, so that you have less workload now, although I can understand the challenges this behavior can bring. I am also glad that there haven't been major fights. It sounds like the behavior is rather ritualistic if it mostly consists of body blocking or drinking along with another dog and then pushing the other away. It sounds like the other dogs have understood that AI places a high price tag on the water bowl and give leeway to it without any major challenge. 

However, things may change in the future as they mature and reach adolescence and social maturity and the squabbles may get more significant, so it's good to be proactive and take steps to prevent AI from rehearsing this behavior more and more which can become pretty ingrained and may escalate should one day another dog decide to no longer give leeway. 

However, before considering behavior change interventions, as the very first step with pups who drink a whole lot, is always ruling out medical conditions. It's important knowing whether the AI values water so much because he has an underlying physiological cause that triggers him to drink more, versus possible behavioral causes. 

I know you mentioned checking both pups for a UTI, but there are several others things a vet may want to check out before assuming the issue is behavioral. 

For example, here are just some possible causes for increased drinking in puppies. 

-Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition caused by a deficiency of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This hormone is responsible for regulating water conservation and balance. Symptoms of this condition include excessive thirst, frequent urination, diluted urine, and an abnormally low concentration of urine. Although diabetes is more common in older pets, it can sometimes occur as well in younger dogs.

-Kidney Problems

Early kidney disease can cause increased drinking and urination in dogs. Basically, what may happen here is that the kidney is prevented from concentrating urine as it's supposed though, causing the dog to drink more as a way to compensate.

In a puppy, the underlying cause can be an anatomical or congenital defect of the kidney. Although not very common, it's something a vet may want to rule out through imaging (Xray, or better, ultrasound).

-Cushing's Disease

Cushing's disease is mostly seen in dogs who are 7 to 12 years old, but it can be seen in dogs of any age, although it is rare in puppies.

-Medications

Some medications are known for causing increased drinking as a side effect. For instance, steroids (like prednisone) are notorious for causing increased drinking and increased urination in dogs (along with increased appetite). Other thirst-inducing medications include diuretics, such as Furosemide (also known as "water pill") and dog seizure medications such as phenobarbital.

-High Sodium Diets

Sometimes, the diet is to blame.  It sounds like your vet has already suggested a lower sodium diet which has helped to some extent. Other things to consider is that also some types of treats may contain loads of sodium. I know a dog who had a snowball effect from being fed a diet high in sodium and given peanut butter daily (which contains loads of sodium too) and treats rich in sodium. Once diet changes took place, the obsessive drinking subsided. 

Other Factors

Increased drinking may also take place in the following scenarios:

• When temperatures and level of humidity are high
• When puppies have been very active
• When puppies have heavy coats and are hot in the home
• When puppies are anxious/stressed
• When puppies are running a fever

So the very first step is being absolutely sure there's nothing going on medically and there are no other possible physiological reasons for the excess drinking. You therefore want your vet to check off the list any potential medical causes, before coming to the conclusion that the issue is behavioral. This is important because, should one assume the issue to be behavioral, any behavior change techniques  would fail, in the meanwhile leaving a medical disorder untreated with all its potential negative consequences.

Upon seeing the vet for this problem, it's important to give the vet an accurate measure of how much your puppy really drinks. Just telling the vet "my puppy drinks and pees a whole lot" is too vague for them to grasp the idea. Most puppies drink and pee a lot normally so they hear that too  often. An actual figure can help a lot.

This would mean doing a 24 hour water intake test. This would consist of keeping AI under observation for 24 hours (separated from your other dogs), giving him free access to water (making sure he doesn't gain it from anywhere else e.g. toilets, puddles etc). and measuring his exact intake of water. Whatever is not lapped up in the 24 hours will need to be deducted from the amount you have measured when pouring it into the water bowl.

Your vet may have stricter guidelines though, so he may have you repeat the test, or even better, give the vet a call prior and see what guidelines he or she has so to follow them correctly. Some vets have handouts with clear instructions. 

With pups who drink a whole lot (and consequently pee a lot), it's very important to not restrict their water. If the puppy is suffering from an underlying medical condition triggering excess thirst and consequently an excess volume of urine, this can be dangerous. The increased drinking may be an important compensatory mechanism to the large volume of urine being produced.

On top of this, we must consider that, in a dog who guards water, restriction to it risks making it more salient, and therefore, more valuable, which risks increasing the dog's guarding behavior over it.

Once medical causes have been ruled out, the issue is then considered to be potentially behavioral. We can see behavioral polydipsia and polyuria (medical terms for increased drinking and increased urination)  in the following cases: 

-Just Being a Puppy

In some cases, pups who drink and pee a whole lot end up just being normal puppies. Puppies may have fun playing with water and drinking from the bowl may become a fun game. Some pups remain this way until 5, 6 or 7 months old, when they start learning more about moderation and finally slow down as they find other interesting things to do.

-Short Attention Spans

In some cases, a pup's crazy drinking has to a do with a pup's short attention span and being easily distracted. Just like kids, they get distracted and by the time they realize they're thirsty, they'll be dehydrated, so they'll drink the whole bowl in one go.

-A Matter of Stress

One possible behavioral reason for a puppy drinking excess water is having a history of recently coming from a shelter. The shelter can be a stressful environment, and increased drinking may be a coping mechanism. Sometimes, this behavior sticks around for quite some time. 

-Lack of Enrichment

Pups who are bored and without nothing more interesting to do, may fall onto obsessing over water. Adding more variety into their lives through training, brain games, play, walks etc can help. 

-A Matter of Being Hyper

Puppies who are very hyper will often feel thirsty and therefore water becomes more salient and worthy of guarding, especially when there are other puppies and the water isn't replenished in a timely matter. I had a Lab mix who was this way, and her drinking calmed down once a combo of interventions took place and she matured and got calmer.

With having two littermate puppies, I am sure there is a lot of play going on and they drink a whole lot as a consequence. You may find these tips helpful with littermates:

On top of this, when raising littermates, it's important giving them one-on-one time to be trained and socialized so that they don't come to depend too much on each other.  More about this here: 

-History of Deprivation

This can happen when puppies weren't provided water as often as needed when in the breeder's home, when water is restricted and when breeders raise large litters with only one shared bowl and the bowl isn't quickly replenished (sounds like what you mentioned, but always important to rule out medical issues first). 

-Bullying Behavior

Some puppies can simply be bullies and may block/herd other pups away from gaining access to certain resources such as the water bowl, even if they're not thirsty.

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Once medical reasons have been ruled out, here are some possible solutions. 

-Leave Water Free Choice

While it may be tempting to restrict water, especially when the puppy has accidents around the house from over drinking, this practice can backfire because it convinces the pup that water is scarce and therefore becomes more valuable.

-Move The Water to a New Location

It can help help to move the water bowl/bowls to a new location, so to create a new clean slate and hope that the behavior doesn't generalize well to the new location.

-Avoid The Corners

Sometimes, when water bowls are placed in a corner, a dog may feel threatened from other dogs approaching from behind to go drink too, and this can cause defensive behaviors. Some dogs do better if they can clearly see other dogs approaching. 

-Add Extra Water Bowls

This may work in some cases, but not in others. The risk is some dogs may get more preoccupied if there are more things to guard, but it sounds like things got better with two bowls, so maybe with more it may even get better.  You will therefore have to do a trial and carefully assess whether the behavior is getting better or not with this type of intervention.

I know you already have two, but what about having four? The goal here is that, with the extra bowls, the guarding puppy will finally get to relax knowing that there is always a good supply of water. 

-Replenish Quickly

Make sure to replenish water quickly as soon as a water bowl becomes empty. This helps the pup learn to relax knowing that there is always a good supply.

-Try a Water Fountain

If you're tired of continuously filling up the water bowl, you can try a water fountain. With the water always flowing, the pup should learn that supply is never ending and there's no reason to guard. Again, you will have to do a trial, if your pup loves the fountain too much and he decides to lie next to it to keep other dogs away, that's a no go!

-Use of  Counterconditioning

This is a behavior modification method that aims to create a positive conditioned emotional response to other dogs approaching the water bowl. There are several things to be aware of when doing counterconditioning;

1) your dog should not be over threshold (rehearsing the guarding behavior) https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

2) It needs to be accompanied by desensitization: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

3) Here is how counterconditioning works: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

4) The goal is to attain a positive conditioned emotional response: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/conditioned-emotional-response-cer/

Basically, one would need to condition the puppy to respond to a smacking sound: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/the-airplane-game/the-smacking-sound/  or a leave it cue, and practice this with the pup away from the other dogs in an area free of distractions to the level of high proficiency. 

 Once this training is pat down you would make the smacking sound/say leave it and feed a handful of treats, one by one, every time another dog goes to drink/shows an intent to drink.

It's important to intervene *before* your puppy has a chance to rehearse the problematic guarding behavior. In other words, he needs to be stopped in his tracks. 

You may need to start this with your pup on leash at a distance from the bowl initially, then once you have a reliable response, practice off leash.

Repeat several times so that the positive association between other dogs drinking and your pup getting a treat, becomes strong and clear.

With several repetitions, your pup may start looking at you in anticipation for the treat, rather than feeling stressed and threatened by the other dog. 

-Teach Impulse Control

These exercises won't stop the behavior directly, but will teach your pup/pups that that being calm and patient is rewarding. Here are several impulse control games: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/10-impulse-control-games-for-dogs/

 About the potty training, again, we need to rule out medical conditions. If your pup/pups drinks so much, it is more difficult to hold accidents and this can put a dent in potty training.

It doesn't hurt though to take them out as much as possible, praise and reward for going outside, clean up messes with an odor neutralizer and it may also help to train them to go potty on cue.

 https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/potty-on-command/

I hope this helps, of course if things start getting out of hand, there are fights etc, please see a professional using force-free methods for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification. 

I hope this helps! Keep us posted on how things go.

Best,

Adrienne 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.

[JMFS]

Oh man, you're singing my tune!  Esther had 13 accidents the day she came home with us, and 21 the day I took her out by the pool.  She incessantly drank from the pool and was springing leaks as she was walking.  It was a literal mess!

We ran Every test there was - all the tests Adrienne mentioned, and then some along with imaging.  All came back negative.  Turns out she has a pelvic bladder, which was found via ultrasound.  Great, we had the cause, but no remedy.  She was prescribed Incurin and Proin, both which help with incontinence, though Incurin is for females as it is an estrogen balancer.  Our in-person trainer recommended Rescue Remedy, which is a Bach's flowers concoction that we add to Esther's water.  It has several botanical ingredients that address excitement incontinence, fear incontinence, and anxiety.  Esther was approximately 7-8 months old when we got her.

I would avoid using anything until you've gone through all the tests as adding things now could throw tests off.  However, I wanted to let you know about those items so you can bring them up with the veterinarian.

I bought rewashable pee pads for Esther on Chewy.  Those saved our bank account!  I bought an egg timer that I set to 15 minutes, and I took her out every time that went off, rather than waiting for her to tell me.  Like Ed, she paces frantically instead of giving us a clear indication.  The pacing can be Anything - wanting to play, needing to pee, extra energy . . . so I get how difficult it can be to determine what they need.

Esther is far better now and is off the Incurin and Proin.  I use only the Rescue Remedy, and seem to have found a good dosage for her.  Once we discovered it was a physical issue we narrowed down the amount of water she can have without having accidents, and the veterinarian approved a restriction schedule.

For the water test I was asked to do it for longer than 24 hours.  Maybe 72?  I found an app on Google Play that let me record instances.  It was originally intended for babies to get their feeding and potty schedule down, but it worked for water and accidents.  I eventually created a spreadsheet to track it, so if you do end up doing a water test I can share that, if you're interested.

Hang in there!