Simple Trick to Keeping Your Dog Hydrated When Hunting

Conditioning and hunting dogs in the hot months of summer and early season requires that we are careful about hydration. No doubt about it, my dogs will drink from the nastiest mud puddle in the field, but I'd rather they didn't. Stagnant water in the field could carry germs and disease that I'd prefer my dogs not be exposed to. I also don't like a bunch of jugs of filtered water rattling around the tray of my ute. So, I knew I needed a solution, but didn’t want to break the bank. After a few prototypes I found the perfect solution for me and my dogs, and if you have even minimal carpentry skills, you can do the same.

Me creation looks pretty cool, but it's just a simple PVC pipe with an end cap that's got a tap on one end, and a plug with a removable threaded plug on the other. The threaded plug's so you can clean it—you'll need to chuck some plumbing tape on the threads. I've got a self-tapping screw on the top of the pipe that's screwed into the water tube while travelling so the water doesn't spill out, and I take out the little screw to let air into the system so the water will flow from the tap. You could also use a different tap that lets air into the tube as well as letting water out, I'm told. My water tube hangs from a ladder rack that supports me rooftop tent, but you could easily mount it in the tray and above the wheel arch by attaching it to the tray side rails.

A six foot length of pipe that's four inches in diameter holds almost four gallons. Filling your water tube will need a bit of cleverness. The tap on your house is a male end, same as the one on the water tube. I made a small adaptor that's just a short piece of hose with two female ends. One end connects to the water tube and the other to the hose. I keep it in the ute and can fill the water tube anywhere there's a hose. I don't plan to leave water in the water tube during winter, as freezing would crack the pipe.

This has been a great solution for me and my pups and we reckon it'll work well for you. Keep your dogs cool and healthy!

Happy Hunting!