I know how important it is to make sure you keep my four-legged friend well-hydrated. And since we take Oscar with us almost everywhere we go, I’ve been on a search for a good travel water bottle.

We got the Handi Drink water bottle when Oscar was a puppy and it was okay, but I recently finally gave up on it. I could never get the bottle to snap in place like in the picture and the water didn’t come out fast enough. Then, after about 6 months, the rubber nipple at the top started to disintegrate and it started leaking all the time.

So, when my father-in-law asked me what I wanted for a holiday present (I always find that whole situation a little awkward) I requested some new travel water bottles for Oscar. My presents arrived last week and I was really planning on waiting to open them, but I couldn’t take the leaky Handi Drink one more day.

So last night, I busted into one present early and discovered the Thirsty Dog portable pet water bowl. I did a test run at home and was really excited about the functionality. It was very easy to use - just open the tab and the water flows into the bowl. When you’re done, you just stand it back up and any leftover water flows right back into the bottle.

Unfortunately, the water bottle didn’t fare so well outside the test environment. I felt something wet seeping through my pants in the cab on the way to our agility class and sure enough, the tab had come open and the entire bottle emptied into our backpack. Fortunately, the backpack held most of the water so we didn’t make a big mess in the cab, but I felt a little deflated - I was sure I had found the greatest water bottle ever.

I’m not totally giving up on the Thirsty Dog yet, maybe it was a fluke that it opened up, but I’m back on the search for the best dog water bottle. I have one last Christmas present to try - the Gulpy Pet Water Dispenser, but I’m trying to hold out so that I have at least one present to open on Christmas morning!

Does anyone have a travel water bottle that they love to recommend?