Dog Community

Can you teach a dog how to drink water?

Posted : 7/26/2013 4:01:35 PM

Sill question, I know. But when Freida drinks and walks away from the bowl there is more water on the floor and her face then anywhere. And if she comes by me right afterward, I get a wet lap.

Do you think she never learned to drink from a bowl? Or, is her bowl too small? Has anyone tried a water bottle with a spout that they lick to get water?

I have never had a dog that makes a lake on the floor whenever they walk away from the water bowl. I guess is it coming out of her mouth or dripping off her face.

JackieG

Posted : 7/26/2013 4:22:15 PM

ROFL! Sorry, but I have to laugh and I feel your pain because all my dogs do this and so have many of my past dogs. They like to come up to me when I have on shorts and drip all over me. The floor around the water bowl must have a large rug under it to catch the water they spread as they walk away.

Mydogs

Posted : 7/26/2013 4:50:47 PM

Thanks Jackie, at least you didn't post that this was a known trait of a New Foundland!

JackieG

Posted : 7/26/2013 5:03:26 PM

Mydogs
at least you didn't post that this was a known trait of a New Foundland

But I wanted to! Wink

Jewlieee

Posted : 7/26/2013 9:01:51 PM

Lol @ newfoundland comment

I am so glad I don't have sloppy drinkers. My dogs drip here and there but they don't leave lakes behind lol. you could try a no spill water dish that way the opening only allows for the tongue in the water rather than the entire face. I don't know if that would really work but it's a thought.

kpwlee

Posted : 7/26/2013 9:11:02 PM

Bugsy has 10 gallon jowls and LOVES to take a drink then turn away from the bowl, letting the water out into the floor, repeat until he's done drinking at which point he comes over to a human and uses them as a drip towel lol

We have a towel in the kitchen to wipe his face after he drinks. He knows to come get his face dried now :)

calliecritturs

Posted : 7/26/2013 10:28:49 PM

re: lick bottle -- they DO work (altho some of THEM leak mightily!!)

Put up lick bottle "filled"

Take the tiniest bit of butter and dab it on the 'spout'.

Dog will immediately follow the smell and lick the spout. "Hmmm I get water this way!!"

If you always "prime" it with a tiny dab of butter for the first few times of leaving him with the water .... they WILL learn to check it every time he comes by.

Taught Muffin this ... and LONG after I stopped "reinforcing it" with butter occasionally -- he was STILL going straight to the lick bottle for a drink every single time he went in his crate.

LOL -- yep he did

marty_ga

Posted : 7/31/2013 6:02:08 AM

I have a plastic mat with a lip around it, under the water bowl (from PetsMart). It keeps the water contained, although I doubt we talking about the same amount of leakage.

cakana

Posted : 7/31/2013 1:51:43 PM

Shane's a sloppy drinker too. I have his water bowl on a mat but he still dribbles several feet around it. As for the lick bottle, we use something similar for outside and Shane prefers to drink out of that than anywhere else. It seems less messy when he's done but it may be that it's outside and I just don't notice all the dribbling.

the_gopher

Posted : 7/31/2013 2:37:26 PM

I had to giggle at this. My mom's shih tzu always got her face soaked (being long haired it was understandable) and then she'd go over to the nearest human and use their legs as a napkin! I once knew a Lhasa apso who would dunk her head UNDER water, in her bowl, to drink. She was "special" lol.

I count my blessings that Ari is a neat drinker and doesn't make a mess.

lakalakadaka16

Posted : 8/1/2013 3:39:51 PM

I know a dog who will take a drink, and more water will land on the floor than in her mouth also! And she's a German Shepard! I guess she just has a really big tongue and doesn't close her mouth in time, haha.

DirtDog7988

Posted : 8/6/2013 10:23:53 AM

Best options I know of are the area rug/ mat under the bowl or I water mine (Rott about the same size as a Newfie) in the mud room and give him a 5 gallon bucket I keep 3/4 full. You'll never get around the wet face. Just keep a rag handy.