There are many sources of water safe for a dog to drink from and bottled water is just one of them. However, the only time I give my dog bottled water is if we go hiking for more than 15 minutes or if we’re on a long walk and the weather is very hot. He’s partial to Evian so I go easy on giving him too much of that water else he ruin my food budget.

Clean, fresh water is a vital part of a dog’s diet. In addition to moist food, fresh water is the primary source of hydration for a dog. Bottled water is safe and so is water from your tap or refrigerator dispenser.

There are water sources unsafe for any dog to drink from. For example, you shouldn’t let your dog drink water from a swimming pool. Swimming pool water contains a high level of chemicals like chlorine. If a dog drinks water from your pool it will consume too much chlorine in addition to the other chemicals used to sanitize and restore the proper PH level to pools. There could also be algae or bacterial growth in the pool.

You shouldn’t let your dog drink water from puddles and ponds either because the water can easily contain bacteria, parasites, and viruses that could be deadly to a dog. An organism called Pythium insidiosum thrives and reproduces in stagnant water and can cause a relatively uncommon, but serious illness in dogs.

Ice water or snow may seem like a good source of water for your dog if you live where cold weather and snowfall are common in the winter, but these are not really suitable water sources for a dog. Giving your dog cool water in the summer and room temperature water in the winter is good, whereas snow or ice from the outdoors can have an unpleasant effect on a dog and may cause an upset stomach.

Salt water should definitely be avoided by dogs. The salt content in the water is unsafe for a dog’s system. Salt water doesn’t provide the proper hydration for a dog and can actually lead to increased thirst.

Water from your faucet is generally a good source of water for dogs. However, if your water is unusually hard you may want to have the water tested for high levels of iron, magnesium or nitrates, both for your sake and your dog’s. Concentrations above the recommended level for these minerals is dangerous for anyone drinking your water.

I still give my dog bottled water on certain occasions like a road trip lasting more than an hour. Don’t make the mistake of pouring the bottled water in a dirty dog dish. Unwashed water bowls can contain harmful organisms and bacteria, and for that reason, I bought a stainless steel water bowl for my dog and clean it daily and disinfect it once a month.

And last but not the least important – don’t let your dog drink out of your toilet. A toilet bowl can contain trace chemicals left over from cleaning and even a small amount can prove harmful to a dog.

If your dog is very particular, you can feel safe giving it bottled water as long as it doesn’t break your budget.