Go Back
bowl of spa water with tennis ball

Super Simple Fancy Dog Spa Water

THE Carol Mudra
It's a fancy water recipe for your fancy dog.
Prep Time 6 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Decantation Time 1 day 3 hours 38 minutes
Total Time 1 day 3 hours 44 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 dogs
Calories 7 kcal
Equipment
  • 1 Porcelain Bowl
Ingredients
  
  • 12 oz filtered Italian Alpine Spring tap water
  • 1 fresh cucumber
  • 2-3 drops aged toilet water
To Garnish
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 roasted duck chew stick
  • 1 slightly dusty tennis ball
Instructions
 
  • Take a clean porcelain bowl (as stainless steel can leave an unpleasant metallic aftertaste) and decant about 12 oz. of crisp, Italian Alpine Spring tap water. I like to fill the bowl and let it rest in a cool, dry place for several hours or even as early as the night before, to let some of the brisk mountain air release a bit as it tends to have an overpowering flavor.
  • Next, add a few dashes of infused toilet water.Right before a good bowl cleaning, I snag a few drops in a small, hand-blown glass bottle to keep on hand. It’s a great way to add a drop of flavor to any boring kibble meal, or add some extra enticement to an old toy they’ve lost interest in.
  • Gently swirl the mixture together until it’s completely emulsified. This may take a few minutes, so be patient and go slow.You will know it’s ready, when it looks clear and water-like.
  • Depending on your dog’s tastes, a full cucumber may be left in the bowl. However, my dogs prefer them to be cut in half, or even better,bite-size pieces. They prefer not to stress their jaw muscles unless it’s on a good stick or after-dinner peanut butter Kong snack, and large food items confuse them.
To Garnish:
  • This is where you have my blessing to experiment according to your dog’s tastes. The simple and balanced umami of flavors in this water recipe lends itself to any savory addition. Here’s what I’ve found works best with my pups:
  • lemon zest rim – Slice a lemon hamburger-length and run one of the sides around about a quarter of the bowl. This will add a pleasant nose to the drink for the dog, without the risk of heartburn from too much acidity.
  • rosemary spring – Take a fresh branch of rosemary and lie it next to the bowl. We must always remember dogs rely a lot on their sense of smell and if our dishes don’t appeal to all senses, why even bother?!- chew stick – My favorite addition to this enriching beverage is a roasted duck chew stick. The ever-so-slight gaminess of the duck works well with the toilet water and balances out the freshness of the cucumber.
  • dusty tennis ball – The cherry on top, but it’s a tennis ball. Take a slightly used tennis ball and plop ‘er in there. If you only have new tennis balls on hand, that will work too. Just bat it around on the floor of that closet you tend to avoid because of certain avalanche doom,thus never vacuuming. That should do it! Note: don’t go too grimy with the tennis ball. You wouldn’t want to waste the prep time spent on this treat by tainting it with dog park mystery sludge.
Notes
If you don’t live in Italy with access to crisp, Italian tap water, like I do, a bottle of San Pellegrino will do just fine but will require an extra day or two of decantation to release all the CO2.  We don’t want any more gas in our dogs than they already have. Also, try not to serve this to your dogs on a rainy day. The fresh rain air smell will combat the crispness of your Italian Alpine Spring tap water. Che schifo!