Another ? for pet owners-water bowls....

[muskiesusan]

Where do you keep the water bowl? Nick is obsessed with water, and the minute I put the bowl down for the dogs, he is right there with them, spilling it everywhere. Our dogs are each 100lbs, so anywhere I put the bowl for them, Nick will be able to get to as well. I am afraid as a result that they aren't getting enough to drink during the day.

Thanks for your help.

Susan (mom to two thirsty dogs!)
WAHM to Nicholas 10/01/01

[flagger]

Are they inside or outside dogs. Ours are inside and the bowl is out all the time. However they only seem to drink at night after dinner or after a long walk.

Perhaps you could train them to ask for water. Mine are bell trained to go outside. They ring a bell hung from the door when they want to go out. Perhaps it would work with water as well.

I have thought about this quite a bit in anticipation of DD's arrival.

[Momof3Labs]

I'm pretty sure that's what we will do - put the water dish outside and just let them out for a drink. In the winter, we'll probably put the water dish in the laundry room and keep the door closed. The dogs will just have to ask to get to their water!

[egoldber]

For my cats, I keep a small water bowl on the counter. But they prefer to drink from the dog's bowl. Weird cats.

I find that with the dog's water, Sarah goes through phases. Sometimes she is totally fascinated with it and tries to play in it and tip it. When she gets in one of those "moods" I just put the water up for awhile until she forgets about it. Our dog sleeps in our bedroom at night and I keep a water bowl in there for the dog, but the dog never really drinks much over night. Also when Sarah gets in one of these moods, I give her a plastic bowl with just a smidgen of water in the bottom, a sponge, a spoon and some small bowls and ask her to "do the dishes". She ADORES this game and it seems to satisfy some drive she has for water play (with VERY little mess).

But the vast majority of the time I just leave it down and Sarah doesn't bother it. If your babe has learned that this is one of your triggers that drives you batty, then that is probably why he is persistent about it. Sarah playing in the dog's water doesn't really bother me, so it has never really been an issue (although I definitely have OTHER triggers, and she knows what those are!).

HTH,

[flagger]

>Sarah playing in the dog's water doesn't really bother me, so it has >never really been an issue (although I definitely have OTHER >triggers, and she knows what those are!).

So what you are saying is Sarah knows how to push your buttons? :)

[muskiesusan]

Thanks for the replies. We have inside dogs, but they do have a water bowl outside, but for some reason, rarely drink from it. It didn't bother me when Nick played with the water at first, he was just putting his hands in it. Now, however, he has to sit and stand in it which soaks him and everything around it!

I guess I have to assume that the dogs are getting enough water. They are trained to tell us when they need to go out, and are quick to remind us when it is time to feed them, so they would probably do the same if they were thristy, right?

[COElizabeth]

When I was working FT, my dog was crated during the day for several hours between the time I left and DH got home (I also went home at lunch when he - the dog, not DH, was a puppy). He didn't usually have water in his crate because he knocked it over and destroyed the bottle thing we got to attach to the crate. Anyway, he would drink tons when DH got home. Even when I started staying home all the time and my dog had access to water all day, he usually drank most at his old drinking times. So I think you could fairly easily set some drinking times just like feeding times. And again, they could ask to go out and get to the bowl there if they really need water at other times. Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[egoldber]

Ah, EVERY toddler knows how to push mommy and daddy's buttons! My goals had been to have as few buttons as possible to push!