Digging in Water Bowl

by Anne Cole
(Brisbane, Qld, Australia)

We have a 3yr old ex show dog (desexed female) and she has started occasionally in effect digging in her water bowl, so water goes everywhere.

We wondered whether she just wanted fresh water, but someone has suggested that it maybe connected to the fact that Cockers love swimming.

Any ideas?
Anne

Reply from Pauline (Web Owner)

Hello Anne, I deliberately left this question for our visitors to answer as I've never experienced a dog digging in his water bowl!

However, I've done a little research and have come up with the following:

• Your dog may be able to see his reflection and think it's another dog;


• He may be cooling off;


• Your day may simply find it fun;


• It could be a throw-back from the wild where, in winter, wolves would jump onto the ice using stiffened front legs and then dig a bigger hole to allow them to drink freely.

I don't really have any solid answer to help stop your dog digging in his water bowl, however, you might like to consider placing a children's paddling pool in the yard for him. If he's warm and wants to cool down, that would do the trick and it might stop him digging in his bowl indoors.

Alternatively, you could try raising his water bowl off the floor to make it harder for him to dig in the bowl. Elevated dog food bowls can be bought online and in good pet stores.

What do our visitors think?

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