Water in crate?

I didn't want to steal time in Peawinkle's thread about crate training, so I'll ask it here instead.

When we got our little Tommy and started crate training, all the books I read said not to leave water in the crate because that would encourage him to pee in there. He's in there for about 3-4 hours at a time, I put him in when I go to work and I come home for lunch to let him out and feed him and walk him and have some play time, then he goes back in until I get home.

Now I'm reading people say that he should have water in his crate, and I feel like an awful mommy! I know he'd knock over a bowl because sometimes he just goes a bit crazy in there (not separation anxiety, just playing I think, he doesn't seem to bark or anything just sleep and play and eat out of his puppy kong). I don't mind getting him a water bottle, is it hard to teach him to use it?

Gosh I'm always long winded... this is a long post to ask if I should get him a water bottle!

LOL, I just posted about this in the other thread. I've used the Lixit water bottle since my dog was a pup. I love it. he loves it. he figured out how to use it in less than 5 min. My dog knocked over bowls too - or he'd "go swimming" in them... this totally solved the problem, and provided the much needed water for him.

Here's a pic:

He is fine in his crate without water. So long as he has plenty of opportunities to hydrate otherwise.

You could use a water bottle - he can teach himself to use it. But why mess with something that works. You could be causing him to fill his bladder and then be stressed because innately he doesn't want to soil his den.

Cider never got water in her crate. This summer I got a large water bottle. Didn't take long for her to learn to use it. She likes that it stays cleaner than the water bowl also in my bedroom. Dust, her fur no matter how often I change it.

I start work again this weekend, and I'm considering taking it out so she doesn't decide to drink a bunch and need to pee before I'm home from work.

Not having one isn't being a mean mom as long as the pup is getting a lot of water the rest of the time.