# Playing in water bowl



## danak (Jun 17, 2007)

My Olie puts both front feet in his water bowl and splashes until all the water is gone-when I leave the house. If I'm going to be away for a few hours I hate to take away their water for a long time. 

Has anyone else seen this before?

Dana


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Dana, invest in a water bottle. There are many reasons he could be doing this, he could be hot and trying to cool down or he just loves water! He could also be anxious when you leave. A water bottle would be good because then you could leave them with water and not worry about it when you're gone.


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## Havtahava (Aug 20, 2006)

Ha ha ha ha! I haven't had any dogs do this, but I've also been using water bottles for a few years. I did have a cat that did this and it drove me crazy. I got to stand and watch him a few times and he was so calm, slow and calculating about it that I couldn't figure out how he made such a big mess, but he was facinated by playing with his water. (When I quit using reflective stainless steel bowls, it ended for him.)

I would second Carolina's suggestion and recommend that you move to water bottles. No more splashing allowed!

Now, you just have to hear Jan's story about Bandit and the water bowl... it's not the same, but funny nonetheless.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

Havtahava said:


> Now, you just have to hear Jan's story about Bandit and the water bowl... it's not the same, but funny nonetheless.


Bandit used to love to run through the mud. She'd wind up with filthy paws and the little doll had a fast fix for it. When I'd come inside with the dogs there would be a splashing sound and the next thing we'd see was Bandit with clean legs. I couldn't figure out how the dirt was falling off of her like that until I put 2 and 2 together. The poodle water bowl had been getting really muddy. She would put her feet in the bowl and splash them a mile a minute and leave the poodle bowl filthy and march off to her nice clean water bottle for a fresh drink of water. I finally caught her in action


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*havanese are too smart...*

Her own personal foot (paw) bath? LOL

At the dog park there are three bowls in a long area. Some dogs will put front paws in one bow, their belly in the next, and their back paws in the third. Riki never drank from them but did use them to cool his jets so to speak.

Now I have a senior tabby cat who stares at his water bowl for hours at a time...his full water bowl by the way. I think he has kitty alzheimers.

Do you think the dog is playing with the water or just anxious?


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## Paige (Sep 12, 2006)

danak said:


> My Olie puts both front feet in his water bowl and splashes until all the water is gone-when I leave the house. If I'm going to be away for a few hours I hate to take away their water for a long time.
> 
> Has anyone else seen this before?
> 
> Dana


I started cracking up when I read this.

I just had to go out yesterday and buy new water bowls. My new little boy Simon does this. It is so funny to watch, but then they have no water. He would empty them as soon as fast as I could fill them up. I have two water bowls outside and he would go and empty the first one and head straight over to the second one.

I went to walmart and bought stainless steel bowl that were taller. So far so good. But today should be the test. I told DH, maybe he wants a swimming pool. 

What a cute story Jan. I don't like mud in between my toes either.

I know Simon is just doing it for fun, he has a smile on the whole time.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I love those water stories. How cute and how smart are these babies. My only water story is the pool I bought for them, thinking they could have water play and all they did was think it was a *giant* drink of water.


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## isshinryu_mom (Mar 23, 2008)

Roxie, the havanese who thinks she's a portequese water dog, puts her paws in every single water bowl she finds and splashes all the water out then looks up at you with an expression that say "ain't I smart?".... every water bowl except her small, raised stainless steel bowl next to her food bowl. Try one small enough for just his muzzzle.


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## danak (Jun 17, 2007)

I love all these stories. I'm sure some of it is separation anxiety and some just getting even with me for leaving him. I just hope he doesn't teach his new sister Itsy.
Yesterday I bought a new bowl, different configuration, we'll see. Photo later, getting ready for Nationals right now.
My concern with the water bottle, which I used for my last dog, is that it will refill as fast as he empties it.
I too watched him do it one day when I was still here. It was almost a digging motion with both hands.

Loving the stories and suggestions.
Dana


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## Jane (Jun 2, 2007)

Geri, adorable photos! You can just see the thoughts spinning around in their heads!


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Geri - mine too. I bought the girls a footbath to use with their new 'giant' wading pool and the dogs drink out of that dirty water rather than the fresh clean bowl I put outside or the filtered water bowl inside. Silly dogs. My cat does it too.

Oh and I had a Keeshond puppy who loved to "dig" in her water bowl. I just trained her not to do it and kept lots of towels on the floor around the bowl until she quit. But boy was it cute to watch. I'd invest in the Lixit glass bottles and hang on the xpen or even a wall if you don't want (or aren't as clever as everyone else's DHs) to build your own stand. You can buy them, but people are charging over $60 for the stands!!!!


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

Dana, what do you mean about the water bottle refilling? If you get a large one (I have a 32oz Lixit one) it should last you at least a day or two before you have to refill it I should think. Kubrick is only one dog but I refill his water bottle every 3-4 days or so.


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## danak (Jun 17, 2007)

Didn't know you meant the Lixit type, thought it was one of those that sit on a dish and refill as the water level goes down.

Gotit! Will definitely try it if the newer smaller mouth bowl sitting up a little higher don't work.

Dana


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## Gracie's Mom (Sep 7, 2007)

Jan ~ I must say that is the cutest picture ever. . . Bandit splashing!!


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