[Basset Momma]

We live in an area with extremely hard water. Our old house had a water softner (sodium salt based) and we never had any problems, the dogs drank the water just fine... but then that's what we had when we got them. We just hooked up the water softner at our new house (yes, we had it for a year ) and it uses a potassium salt. My dogs have apparently become accustomed to the plain city water and are boycotting their water dishes. Does anyone know of a reason other than taste that they might not be drinking it? I even bought some bottled water and they turned up their noses at that! They are not dehydrating- I guess getting enough from their outside dish (which isn't softnened) and the potty but it worries me. The humans are drinking it and doing fine... I just don't want to poison the dogs by ignorance!

 

[Anonymous]

what about a brita?

 

[Basset Momma]

I actually looked at those today- but not sure if they would filter out what seems to be annoying the hounds-

 

[Miss Emmas Daddy]

My opinion is that if they get thirsty enough they will drink it. Bassets can be stubborn I know but you can wait them out.

[ January 23, 2006, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: Miss Emmas Daddy ]

 

[Anonymous]

I have wondered about this also. When we resurfaced our pool, we got the new chlorine generator, which takes salt bags every few months. It's easier on our skin and hair but it is salty water now, to a certain extent. I taste it when we swim.

Belvedere has always drank out of the pool, even before the new system. He seems oblivious but I have been worried about it. He has fresh water inside the house but he prefers the pool water. My husband says it's colder. I just want to be sure it's safe.

Any info would be great.

 

[Basset Momma]

After researching this weekend, I think part of our problem relates to the taste. Apparently with our water as hard as it is the potassium salt gives it a bitter metallic taste that the dogs don't like. Above a certain levl of hardness the sodium salt is better. We will switch back to sodium based as soon as this batch runs through. Meanwhile I called our vet... after a brief chuckle I was told there is nothing in the softened water that would harm the dogs and that is was just the taste they were boycotting. They advised mixing the water half an half (like when changing dog foods) until they tolerated it. So... I feel better that I wasn't poisoning my hounds - We will continue using the outside water that is not softened until we get the new base in, because the water does taste nasty- I am filtering for the humans