Jump to content

Digging In Water Bowl..


kristin_e102
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

I have posted the same question in lab forum but I thought I will post it here as well to see if anyone can help..

I have a 17 week old lab who digs in his water bowl then picks it up and pushes it around like its the best toy ever!! Funny to watch but when its hot and he does it in the morning and Im out all day, he has no water for the rest of the day.... Bit of a problem!

I have tried putting a big rock in his water bowl (which is a big container) but he sees that as a challenge :eek:

I dont know what to do and summer is fast approaching....

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Cheers,

Kristin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Benson did the same, and I had the same worries.....a hot day, hot puppy, no water.

We bought a clamshell pool and filled it with water, it was too heavy to move once it was full of water and the problem was solved. We change the water every few days, more often in summer. And we have one half of the shell put away in the garden shed....we alternate as they grow algae on them, so when one has a coating, we let it dry out and give it a good scrub then leave it for a few weeks and use the other half in the meantime.

He has never managed to tip over a clamshell full of water, although not through lack of trying! He gets right in it to have a drink though.

It ended up being a very cheap solution, they clamshells are around $30 a pair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine is the same. His bowl is a big heavy ceramic one with a brick in it, but as you have found out the brick is pretty much useless :eek: I'm home all day so I don't mind going out 3 times a day to re-fill it. We would love to give him a clam shell to play in but we are yet to find a good thick sturdy one, the thin ones from BigW get demolished pretty quickly - they rip in half very easily :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest june.andnovas

the breeder i'm getting my pup from recommended the clam shells as giant schnauzers LOVE water.

her two swim in the backyard pool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a bowl with sloped sides inside which Clover was thoroughly discrouaged from digging in. She now only digs in it to tell me it's empty!

Any other bowl with straight sides she digs in, particularly if it's outside...

Along with the clam shell idea, we actually have a wheelbarrow outside that Clover jumps up in to play in... Perhaps this is a 'sturdier' solution to the clam if the clam is likely to be destroyed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone,

I have posted the same question in lab forum but I thought I will post it here as well to see if anyone can help..

I have a 17 week old lab who digs in his water bowl then picks it up and pushes it around like its the best toy ever!! Funny to watch but when its hot and he does it in the morning and Im out all day, he has no water for the rest of the day.... Bit of a problem!

I have tried putting a big rock in his water bowl (which is a big container) but he sees that as a challenge :o

I dont know what to do and summer is fast approaching....

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Cheers,

Kristin

Hi Kristin,

Seems like a comon "problem" lol... is such a laugh!! My BC did the same thing as a pup, so we got a big bucket and he went in and out of that and left the drinking water alone... once he grew out of that (which wasn't long at all) we ended up getting a second hand bath tub and setting it up in the back yard (just set it so it was off the ground and stablised it with some logs Rob had)... it was great he jumped in and out and splashed water everywhere!!! It also ended up being good for cleaning as well as it has the plug hole... so just let out the plug and clean as you would your normal bath tub! The novelty wore off after a while... he likes the real fair dinkim stuff now.... creeks and beaches!!!

I love looking back of the videos of Bailey as a pup splashing and yapping that gorgeous puppy yap... priceless...

Have fun! :eek:

Sheree

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dies used to do the same thing. We too have a clamshell pool for over summer and during the day whilst at work have 4 heavy ceramic bowls in the backyard during summer in the hope that there will be water there when he needs it.

He has slowed down now, but still does the odd dig, especially in his inside water bowl :eek: in the bathroom.....because you would!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi kristin_e102

I have a 6.5month old Golden Retriver, Bailey who does exactly the same thing I fill his huge water bowl up before I go to work, and come home to find itupside down out in the yard- Obviously it entertained him for a while I'm sure. We too use the clam shells - bought a set (2 sides) from Kmart for $24. Always have one filled for him in the case of emergency- such as empltying his water bowl. Plus he sits in the when he' hot too. The other half gets filled with sand so he has a designated digging area :eek:

Hope that helps

AJP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Benson did the same, and I had the same worries.....a hot day, hot puppy, no water.

We bought a clamshell pool and filled it with water, it was too heavy to move once it was full of water and the problem was solved. We change the water every few days, more often in summer. And we have one half of the shell put away in the garden shed....we alternate as they grow algae on them, so when one has a coating, we let it dry out and give it a good scrub then leave it for a few weeks and use the other half in the meantime.

He has never managed to tip over a clamshell full of water, although not through lack of trying! He gets right in it to have a drink though.

It ended up being a very cheap solution, they clamshells are around $30 a pair.

I wont use clamshells, not when i am not around - my bitch can drag and flip a full one, too dangerous for her to have when un supervised.

I have some water buckets that clip onto the gate to their runs - i put it up high, so she can only just reach with her head - she cant get in there to dig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

too dangerous for her to have when un supervised.

Why are they dangerous? Benson can't drag one, but not through lack of trying. Even if he could flip it though, he'd just tip the water out and it would run down the footpath and away into the gutter. The empty clamshell would then be nothing more than a toy he'd get bored with. But nothing dangerous there that I can see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

too dangerous for her to have when un supervised.

Why are they dangerous? Benson can't drag one, but not through lack of trying. Even if he could flip it though, he'd just tip the water out and it would run down the footpath and away into the gutter. The empty clamshell would then be nothing more than a toy he'd get bored with. But nothing dangerous there that I can see.

If it flips over, and lands on the dog, they may not be able to get out from under it, in the heat, not a risk i would be taking, bit different with a bigger dog, but still not one i would take.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem with dogs who dig in their water bowl is that they can empty the bowl without tipping it over. We tried big heavy ceramic pots for Benson and he'd just scoop the water out with his paws while the pot was still standing. Bloody doofus he is!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately whilst I would love one of those tap dispensers, my labbies would work that out in a flash and have it going all day! They already know how to turn the taps on if they are not extra hard and tight! Nicely flooded yard very quickly and with water restrictions!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...