Dog Community

Playing with the hose -- safe or no? (tacran)

Posted : 6/10/2012 4:24:04 PM

It's finally a warm, sunny day here. To take a break from my strenuous activity of relaxing on the patio, I decided to water my dahlias.

Last summer (Ruby's first with us) she didn't bother with the hose, other than to get a quick drink when we watered plants. This year she started trying to jump and "bite" the spray, fairly close to the nozzle. When we had a few really warm days several weeks ago, we discovered that if you move the hose around quickly, she'll chase the stream from the nozzle, sometimes leaping quite high. She seems to really enjoy it, but sometimes she's got her mouth wide open and the stream makes her cough.

I'm admittedly a paranoid dog-mom, but should we discourage this? I'm afraid she'll aspirate some water, or maybe really hurt herself in her leaping and spinning frenzy as she chases it. We thought about getting an old-fashioned sprinkler to put on in the middle of the lawn to see if she'd chase it, but we think she'd just stand right where the water comes out and "bite" it there, rather than chase the spray further away from the sprinkler itself.

She likes water -- she loves the kiddie pool at playgroup, so we bought her one, but she doesn't use it at home. She only likes pools if other dogs are romping in and out with her. If they're all playing with toys near the pool, she'll put her head fully under the water to pull out the kong, or whatever it is. She's spluttering when she lifts her head, but otherwise unphased.

micksmom

Posted : 6/10/2012 5:03:01 PM

Caleb plays with the hose the same way. We usually have the hsoe set on "shower", or a similar setting, so most of the water sprayed at him isn't going in his mouth. And, we only let him play that way for short periods. Another fun thing is to set it more on a stream setting, and "lunge" him like you would a horse. I am concerned about him slipping on the wet ground. It's easy enough to fix, tho- we don't aim the water too high. Caleb wasn't too crazy about going into his pool the first summer, either. I tossed pieces of hotdogs into it. I used the pool to "proof" some of his obedience training, too, and had him sit or lay down in it. Now, forget it- he goes nuts when he hears the hose go on, and runs from his pool to the faucet. Another idea- if Ruby likes playing with the hose, try putting it in the pool. She might play with it while it fills the pool.

tacran

Posted : 6/10/2012 6:35:14 PM

Thanks for the suggestions, Sue. Tonka was not a water dog at all, so water fun is new to us!

We haven't had warm enough weather to pull out the kiddie pool yet, but when we do, we'll see how Ruby likes it if we combine the hose-spraying and pool-filling process. We haven't tried to toss treats in the pool -- that's a good idea. She likes the "Find It" game when we hide treats, so that could be another finding/fetching type of game, as long as we don't overdo it if she swallows water when eating them.

I try to remember to aim the hose nozzle lower when I'm "teasing" her with it, but then she just chomps right down on it. My instinct to protect my hand and the nozzle was how I discovered her leaping thing. I wish she'd chase the END of the spray stream itself, instead of aiming for the nozzle end.

What do you mean by "lunge?" I have no horse experience, so I'm not familiar with that.

micksmom

Posted : 6/10/2012 7:03:32 PM

tacran
...What do you mean by "lunge?" I have no horse experience, so I'm not familiar with that.

The easiest way to describe it is to put a horse on a long line and have it move in circles around you. I'm looking for a video so you can see what I mean.

ETA link to video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXkU25Xn-KQ

tacran

Posted : 6/10/2012 7:37:14 PM

Thanks! I've seen that -- I just didn't know what it was called. That's exactly what I would like Ruby to do with the water stream, but she insists on coming for the nozzle instead of the end of the stream. Actually, the nozzle is always set to the shower spray, so maybe we'd have better luck if I switch it to a straighter stream of water. We'll give it a try!

Liesje

Posted : 6/10/2012 9:16:54 PM

Oh I can relate to this! Pan will chase the end of the spray (and leap) but Nikon just wants to kill the nozzle. I kind of wish I'd never got my dogs interested in it but I can't go back now! In our yard we have one of those dogloo dog houses that my dogs never use, but when I'm allowing them to play hose I stand behind it so it keeps them back and not attacking the nozzle (if they jump up at me they'd hit the dogloo and slide off which is uncomfortable for them). They also sometimes get too much water in their face and having GSDs I always worry about gas and bloat so if I shoot it directly at them I shoot it for their chest or front feet and not the face.

tacran

Posted : 6/10/2012 11:06:17 PM

Liesje
I kind of wish I'd never got my dogs interested in it but I can't go back now!

That's what I told DH today when I was struggling to water the plants in peace, while Ruby insisted on playing!

The dogloo barrier is a good idea . . . hmmmmm, maybe I can come up with something similar. Like you said, the air/gas thing is what worries me when I hear her coughing -- I'm sure she's taking in a bunch of air as she's gulping/biting at the water. I wish she'd just enjoy the fun of having the water sprayed near her feet or chest, instead of putting her face right in front of it!

While talking about this thread to DH earlier, he reminded me how she does the same thing when we walk past people's yards where sprinkler systems are on. If there's a sprinkler head close to the sidewalk, she goes right up to it and bites at the water if we don't watch her. Goofball!

micksmom

Posted : 6/11/2012 6:47:12 AM

tacran

Liesje
I kind of wish I'd never got my dogs interested in it but I can't go back now!

That's what I told DH today when I was struggling to water the plants in peace, while Ruby insisted on playing!...

Aaa, now me, always looking for a challenge, I used the hose to "proof" Caleb's stays and "Leave It". I can go from playing with him with the hose to watering the plants with no more than a "Leave It" or "Stay" (depending on which flowerbed I'm watering).

denise m

Posted : 6/11/2012 9:04:27 AM

Ribbon not only likes to play with the water spray, she loves to grab the hose a run around with it. We have already replaced 2 hoses this summer as she has managed to chew holes in both of them. Yesterday my DH went out a bought an enclosed hose reel and spent an hour or so setting it up connecting the new hose. The entire hose except for the nozzle end was neatly inside the plastic box. This morning I went outside to find the hose pulled out of the box and full of holes. LOL!

tacran

Posted : 6/11/2012 11:46:02 PM

denise m
This morning I went outside to find the hose pulled out of the box and full of holes.

Denise, that's so funny! Our hose is wound up in one of those plastic boxes, too --- so far, Ruby hasn't bothered the exposed nozzle. I think it only interests her if water is coming out of it, so I hope she leaves it alone! But the image you described is definitely amusing (not so much for you guys, I'm sure)! Big Smile

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 6/12/2012 12:53:23 PM

Max does the same thing. His all time favorite thing to do is to jump and bite at the water coming out of the hose and try to cach it. Whenever anyone goes into the back yard he goes and sits next to the faucet "just in case" someone might be planning to turn the water on. His favorite day of the week is Monday because that's when the pool dude comes and that always means the hose gets turned on.

Joyce

shadowsgin

Posted : 6/20/2012 4:59:41 PM

Shadow was our first water dog. He loved the hose, his pool, the lake, the bath....if there was water he wanted to be in it. Rocky is ok with it would prefer a muddy creek or pond but will cool off in the summer in his pool.

A first for me was last night. NO pics unfortunately. Seffie the donkey is in our pasture. While watering I decided I should give him some fresh water. He kept grabbing for the hose, I would in a calm quiet voice say no Seffie. He would turn sideways so I sprayed him,lol he loved it and turned the other side to me so I could spray him there and then turned his backside to me too. Once all sides and legs and tail were dripping wet he walked away to eat :)

ChuckDee

Posted : 7/12/2012 2:28:16 PM

We have a pool, and Sami likes to follow the viper (underwater cleaner) and waits for the tail of the viper to come to the edge, and shoot water in the air. It's pretty funny to watch...I'll have to get a pic. I chalk it up to instinct and entertainment for Sami.

nymaureen

Posted : 8/16/2012 6:59:42 PM

shadowsgin
A first for me was last night. NO pics unfortunately. Seffie the donkey is in our pasture. While watering I decided I should give him some fresh water. He kept grabbing for the hose, I would in a calm quiet voice say no Seffie. He would turn sideways so I sprayed him,lol he loved it and turned the other side to me so I could spray him there and then turned his backside to me too. Once all sides and legs and tail were dripping wet he walked away to eat :)

Going back and checking up on some posts I hadn't read and found this. That is just such a cute story. I can just picture it. Too bad you didn't have a video...might have won some money off it Big Smile

micksmom

Posted : 8/16/2012 8:50:03 PM

shadowsgin
A first for me was last night. NO pics unfortunately. Seffie the donkey is in our pasture. While watering I decided I should give him some fresh water. He kept grabbing for the hose, I would in a calm quiet voice say no Seffie. He would turn sideways so I sprayed him,lol he loved it and turned the other side to me so I could spray him there and then turned his backside to me too. Once all sides and legs and tail were dripping wet he walked away to eat :)

That reminds me of one of the ponies we had when I was little. He loved getting baths, and would drink out of the hose while my Dad was bathing him.