# Tap water ok??



## nicolen412 (Jun 8, 2012)

Hi all, 

I live in Australia and we hve relatively clean tap water (I drink it all the time) but I've recently heard from a friend that if I feed little Arthur tap water he will turn yellow? 

Her Maltese dogs are yellow (they arrived that way) but Arthur's fur has remained white for the 5 weeks I've had him now. however apparently her breeder said the yellow was due to tap water ? 

I just was wondering whether someone here could please clarify.

Thanks,
Nicole


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## bailey02 (May 1, 2009)

I give our dogs bottled water and I think most of the other ppl on her use bottle water. Using bottled water is better for there tear stains.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

The only problem I have heard of is tap water causing tear stains. Distilled water is recommended here in the U.S. I use a britta water pitcher to filter the dogs water, the only issue I have with tear stains is for Tucker and I believe is is caused by the hair around his eyes growing out.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

In the early days I used bottled water, Lola has some tearstaining as a puppy. These days I use brita filtered tap and it has been just fine.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

If it is well water, it may have minerals in it - iron in particular will cause hair to yellow or even turn orange over a long period of time, especially white or gray hair.


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

I have a high iron and hard water and Hunter has been just fine. We switched to bottled water for over a year and it didn't change his tear stains. Of course, we have a filter in our basement due to the high mineral content. Neither Hunter nor my family have turned yellow from the tap water so I would think you are just fine


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Oh! and turning yellow is more likely the washing water, not the drinking. I have silver hair and have that issue. I use a filter on the shower which helps.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

My brother's family come to visit us from Arizona and they are amazed at how much cleaner their hair looks and feel here - we have naturally soft water. Iron and minerals will dull and yellow hair when shampooing with hard water, a filter will definitely help. Rain water might be good also or expensive bottled water for baths.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Hunter's Mom said:


> I have a high iron and hard water and Hunter has been just fine. We switched to bottled water for over a year and it didn't change his tear stains. Of course, we have a filter in our basement due to the high mineral content. Neither Hunter nor my family have turned yellow from the tap water so I would think you are just fine


:HistericalSmiley:We have hard water here too. We have a water softener. Both my husband and Charlie drink filtered water from the refrigerator. They have not turned yellow yet.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

silverhaven said:


> Oh! and turning yellow is more likely the washing water, not the drinking. I have silver hair and have that issue. I use a filter on the shower which helps.


Yes this can happen. We had a huge problem with this in Houston. The water was full of rust and my white laundry never came out really white without putting bleach to it. We ended up putting a filter at the entrance of the house and had two other filters under the kitchen sink.


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

Sometimes the staining is allergies or maybe even genetics. Sassy drinks filtered water from our refrigerator and she is fine.


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## ElleB (Sep 17, 2012)

I learned so much by reading this thread. Thanks guys!


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