Why does my dog play in the water bowl?
Anabelle Smith
2025-07-08 16:48:22
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: 18
My dog LOVES to play in water, and when she's excited and in a playful mood, sometimes she runs straight to her water dish and dig dig digs all the water out onto the floor. Sometimes dogs will do this if they're hot as well. Does she do it after walks or after being outside. If she's getting excited or in a playful mood you could try redirecting her excitement to something else for example a frozen food stuffed toy or a favorite blanket. In the short term, I'd suggest you could get a no-spill bowl that would make it more difficult for her to dig into. We had a puppy stay with us recently who did the same thing. What worked for us was keeping an inch or less of water in the bowl. We put out several bowls, so there was still plenty to drink, but less water = less fun. Whenever she is about to dig in the water call her over to you or just simply pick the bowl up.
Christelle Wisozk
2025-07-03 19:47:04
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: 18
Your issue is a familiar one, as my own dog exhibited the same type of behavior when she was a puppy. Dogs take any action as a sign of encouragement, and you must ignore her when she turns her water bowl into a wave pool. Some dogs will dip their paws into water to cool down, so make sure your pup isn’t overheated. She also might be enticed to dig into her bowl if there’s sediment or food at the bottom, so keep the dish as clean as possible. You can also reduce the water level in the dish so she has less liquid to play with. She’ll soon grow out of her wet-and-wild stage and commit to hydrating like a mannered adult.
Gaston Daniel
2025-06-23 17:03:39
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: 13
Dogs and cats instinctively know that still, stagnant water can be a dangerous breeding ground for bacteria and parasites so that pawing at the water is basically a depth, temperature and water quality check. It also gets the water moving which immediately makes it more appealing to drink. For dogs, water play also keeps them cool. Let’s be real, the fur-kids are like human kids and therefore playing with water is ALWAYS fun. Water might be an essential part of every day life but it seems playing with water is also a big part of every day. But all that poking and prodding does actually serve a purpose.
Cory Block
2025-06-23 14:41:28
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: 12
Most puppies just like to explore. One day your puppy probably thought this is cool and decided to play in its dish. Less water in the bowl makes splashing less fun. If your pup starts to dig in the bowl, a gentle nope and then picking up the bowl for 5 minutes, this disrupts their behavior. Lastly, make sure they have plenty of proper toys to keep them entertained – fun toys make the water bowl look less fun!
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