Yeah, yeah... eight glasses minimum of water a day. We read it every time we read something for health and wellness or go to the doctor. Which makes me think - My dog should probably drink a bit more water but how do I get him to do that? I can't just say drink 4oz more water before dinner. So I researched some tips on how to encourage the furry ones to drink more water. Some days my dog is so active that he drinks more water. Other days he drinks more water because it is hot. But in the winter, more sedentary at times, he prefers sleeping over water intake. Some tips I've found are below.

• Cue the cubes - Add some ice cubes to your dog's water bowl. Sure, cool water, but he just might see it as a game or challenge to keep drinking until he can get the ice cubes. 

• Add flavor - Just like us, dogs can get bored with plain water. Chicken, anyone? Consider adding a splash of low-sodium chicken broth or bone brother to their water. Your dog may prioritize the water when it smells and tastes like a smidge of chicken. (As with everything, read the ingredients to be sure there are no onions, garlic, or other things that may be harmful to your babe.)

• New serveware - You can change his water dish to a new one. While that alone won't necessarily grab my dog's interest, he may find a pet fountain with continuous flow of water more interesting. I guess it's a dog's form of a waterfall faucet for us. 

• Chewable water - Some fruits and veggies have higher water content. If your dog is able to have any of these, some ideas are cucumber slices, watermelon, or celery. Variety to keep it interesting and hydration. 

• Portable water - For outside adventures, bring collapsible water bowls or portable water bottles to keep your dog hydrated. 

• Habit - If you are able to get your dog to form a habit by encouraging water after meals, playtime, and walks. 

• Tricky tactic - Personally, I drop a portion of my dog's food in his water dish throughout the day so he has to drink some amount of water to get his food. He clearly doesn't mind dripping water on me after from his dunk session! 

• Association - Positive reinforcement is great. When your dog empties his water bowl (and not by flipping it over like my dog!), celebrate! Instant rah rah! But more importantly for him, instant treat. He may come to associate the two. Just be ready to quickly give a treat immediately after. 

So let's work on getting that water bowl closer to empty. Sip sip, away! Then sip, sip hooray!