Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 4 years, you know of the horrible drought my beautiful state of California has been in. Hopefully, if predictions are right an El Nino could be headed our way this winter, lets keep our fingers crossed. And though one El Nino system season is not enough to get us out of this drought, it will definitely give us some much-needed rain and moisture to the dry land.
Since many cities have now imposed water restrictions on usage, changes need to be made in many households to conserve as much water as possible.
5 Tips to Survive the California Drought with Pets
Water Bowls
There are 5 water bowls throughout the house and 2 outside. Of the 5 that are in the house 3 stay relatively clean at all times. These bowls are located in my office and bedrooms, so I normally change those bowls out every 2 -3 days. The main water bowl is located between the dining and family room, and this bowl is changed 2x daily. The main water bowl is used for what I believe to be a chin cleaning station after breakfast and dinner, rather than a water bowl! In the past this dirty water was just poured down the sink, but this is no longer the case. We now have a “grey” water bucket in the garage for all that water that is still useable for things like watering the grass and plants.
Got Fish?
I have to say we are bad fish parents and usually clean the tank out once a month. Thank goodness guppies are hardy little fish. But if you have fish and are cleaning out the tank, don’t throw out the water down the drain! That stinky old tank water is actually very nutrient dense for your plants so fill up the plant watering can!
Bath Time for Little Dogs
We are conserving water by how often they are given and how they are given. While Katie requires a weekly bath (or more) due to her allergies, Riley, Trixie & Chicky are getting baths every other week. To conserve water the girls also take baths with me. They get all lathered and bathed while I am conditioning my hair. It’s actually a great little system and they have become more relaxed knowing that I have to have a bath too! To conserve water a bit more, we have also installed a low flow shower head so the water can be paused while the girls or I are getting lathered up.
Bath Time for Big Dogs
Do you have a dry patch of grass on your lawn? If you do, then take your big dog outside and give them a bath on the grass! Make sure you use a natural biodegradable soap like the Sparkle Bars from The Honest Kitchen. And be sure you are giving a bath on your scheduled watering day.
Groomer
Make sure your groomer is water smart and has water saving measures in place. Don’t be afraid to ask!
Hopefully this drought will come to an end this winter, but we can’t count on it. For more than 100+ tips to conserve water, be sure to check out Water Use It Wisely !
Photo Credits:
Flickr – Nicole Kasper
Unsplash.com By Elizabeth lies
Flickr – Landon
Awesome tips! TN has had some pretty nasty dry spells and we have even seen water restrictions in several cities near us, but thankfully we were never affected (we get our water from a separate watershed than the cities affected).
Having grown up in Southern California (El Centro) and my grandmother still living in Southern California, this prolonged drought is rather worrisome for me and my family. I really do hope that you get some rain soon, and not one of those downpours either that will just run off and cause flooding, what you need is consistent steady light to moderate rain so it will actually soak in!
Here’s hoping that your weather turns around soon!
Victoria Carter recently posted…Who The Hell Travels With Four Dogs And A Baby?
We’re lucky we’ve never experienced a major drought. These are some excellent ideas for conserving and using water.
Sweet Purrfections recently posted…Sunday Selfie with Truffle
We have had quite a bit of rain, but I am very conscious of water conservation as I grew up in Australia where we had frequent droughts and bush fires. I have updated all our showers and toilets etc to most efficient. Kilo only has baths once a month with me or another family member. We water garden early or late in the day. My husband always used our fish tank and dirty pond water in our old garden (a bit smelly occasionally).
Hope things improve soon for you. Sending pug hugs X Susie and kilo
Talent Hounds recently posted…8 Incredible Videos of Dogs Surfing
I pray for the safety of firefighters and residents impacted by all the terrible wildfires on the West coast. These are excellent tips for conserving water, thanks for sharing these creative ideas. Could you also use pet wipes to bathe your dogs some of the time, saving even more water? I use them a lot since my Husky is a therapy dog, bathing her one or two times a week isn’t feasible so our Only Natural Pet pet wipes really help.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Lots of good tips to conserve water! While we don’t have a problem with that in Chicago, I still practice conservation. My dog gets a bath once a month, but every two weeks in the Spring, also due to allergies. We have low-flow shower heads and use rainwater for the grass and garden. And nice link for tons more tips, thanks!
Mary E Haight recently posted…Pet Safety: How Safe Are Pet Products?
We had a bad drought here a few years ago, so we’re very familiar with water saving measures. We also used to recycle water from showers (add an empty bucket when you’re in there), and from the washing machine (as long as you use eco-friendly soaps you can use this for the garden too.) Hope the drought ends soon.
It is so crazy that California is having such a drought. Here in Michigan, it rains all the time. We have experienced quite a surplus of water – to the point where farmers are worried their crops will drown. It is amazing how different each part of this country can be! I’m glad to see that Californians are pulling together to conserve their water in this shortage. Hopefully, El Nino will do a lot of good out there!
Robin recently posted…Homemade Style & Hill’s Ideal Balance Crafted #InspiredByCrafted
These are wonderful tips. We don’t have problems with our water supply, but these are great tips to implement to save water.
Dogvills recently posted…The Pros and Cons of Owning Multiple Dogs
It’s smart that you have lots of a water bowls, I should get more than one – sometimes I water my plants with old dog water, too, I think the dogginess adds extra nutrients!
Lindsay Pevny recently posted…5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Hydrated This Summer
We’re not under water restrictions yet but we’re also going through a drought so your tips were helpful!
Tenacious Little Terrier recently posted…Canoeing with a Dog
I can’t really even imagine such a drought. Last fall we had really wet; this summer is on the dry side, I even feel bad when the ground starts cracking from being too dry.
Jana Rade recently posted…Living with an Incontinent Dog
These are some excellent tips. So happy to hear you are doing your part…scary how bad this drought is. Though I’m in AZ now, CA is my home state. Hoping El Nino comes!
Kristen–well minded recently posted…whisker fatigue in cats: how you can help
Great tips! Even though I live in an area where we have a lot of rainfall, I try to be careful with water. I love the idea of watering plants with the aquarium water.
Beth recently posted…Living With A Red Footed Tortoise #Reptilecare
My uncle lives in California, and I’ve been over to visit him in the summer before (it was before I had my dogs) and I was boiling! Living in the UK, I’m used to sometimes cooler weathers! It was a shock, but made a somewhat nice change!
Earl Lover recently posted…Weaving Through The Poles Of Success
Good tips. We need to save all the water we can
Lily & Edward