Alright, let's play a quick game, shall we? Here's the question...

What's the one nutrient a dog simply cannot live very long without?

A nutrient so important... so vital... absolutely no dog could survive lacking it for more than a few days... right before inevitably succumbing to an excruciating death.

Mull it over.

Could it be protein? Fat? Or even maybe some vitamin... or mineral?

Well, surprising enough... it's not one of these.

I'm referring to drinking water.

Water... The Forgotten about Nutrient

The thing is, water is among the most overlooked... taken-for-granted canine nutrient your dog counts upon you to give.

I know, I know... it's tough to think of water as a nutrient.

Yet it is. And when compared to the other five nutrient "families"... amino acids, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals... it's unquestionably the most important.

Canines will need constant accessibility to water. It's the one (and only) nutrient that must be provided "ad libitum". Which means, "on demand"... easily obtainable every time a dog's natural impulse to drink calls for it.

That is mainly because water is endlessly being lost through their urine and waste materials.

And since canine can't sweat to stay cool, they will lose lots of water by way of the "cooling effect of evaporation"... while they breathe... and pant... to regulate body temperature.

Understanding that brings me to my personal top dog feeding pet peeve...

Canine Water Negligence

Water negligence is the most harmful practise of failing to give sufficient, fresh (uncontaminated) drinking water for each dog.

Sad to say, this issue is much too frequent. That's because most everyone is simply uninformed they're doing something wrong.

Another problem associated with a dog's water dish is allowing a dog's dish to become dangerously polluted with germs from the dog's own mouth.

This dangerous situation is caused by using too small a water bowl... or perhaps enabling the water volume in any size container to become perilously low... thus "concentrating" the germ population to a carelessly dangerous.

By the way... this challenge can be aggravated by failing to remember to wash away that slimy, germ-laden "biofilm" in the water bowl... at least once on a daily basis.

And impure drinking water can certainly enhance the chance of intestinal sickness.

Ways to avoid Dehydration and Illness

So, stick to these suggestions to ensure your canine remains appropriately (and safely) hydrated at all times...

1. Employ an oversize container and fill it up with refreshing drinking water

2. Replace all water at least two times daily

3. Remove away any biofilm within your bowl

4. Keep dog dishes as clean as you maintain your own dishware

5. Never separate your dog from her drinking water at any time

6. Carry fresh water and serving bowls with you when travelling

Now that you have the basics of keeping your dog successfully hydrated, I recommend checking out this Organic Dog Food Guide to help your pet have a healthy and nourishing diet. Reading about Innova Dog Food is one of my personal recommendations, because my pug enjoys it's taste, and I enjoy that Harley is getting necessary and vital nutrients!