Dog Pushing Water Into Food Bowl
Although there may be a few reasons a dog may be pushing their water bowl into their food bowl, the main reason would be because they’re looking for different or more food, or perhaps the dog wants to eat from a different spot. Your dog could be moving their water bowl around because they want to bury it. Using a bowl with a nonslip bottom could help. Although your dog may still try to push it around, there’re some ways to figure out why they are doing it. There certainly isn’t one answer to why your dog is moving their water bowl around, so it may take some detective work to discover the cause of your dog’s behavior.
Behavioral Psychology And Dog Bowls
Theories on why a dog is nudging their water bowl around provide a starting point for understanding your dog’s motives. It’s possible that your dog is just being playful. If you respond to your dog by giving them more food, then you could just be reinforcing the behavior, which your dog will continue to do in order to get a reward.
Have you recently moved to a new house? Your dog could simply be experimenting by putting their bowl in a more familiar place, since dogs like consistency, and as a result, the water from the water bowl may just happen to get into their food bowl. In a household with more than one dog, one of your dogs may be moving their water bowl in search of food that smells like the other dog’s breath. Even if they eat the same food, the food mixed with the other dog’s saliva in the water bowl smells different, maybe triggering one dog to push the bowl in pursuit of getting rid of the other dogs scent.
Empty Bowl Nosing
If you see your dog pushing water with its nose when their water bowl is nearly empty, your dog might be asking for more water. Even if you’re giving your dog the correct amount of water for her size and activity level, some dogs will feel anxious if their water bowl is nearly empty.
This Water Bowl Is Mine
If you notice your dog moving their head side to side over their water bowl, then it’s possibly a sign that they want to bury their water bowl, even indoors. Some dogs instinctively want to protect their water bowl from competitors by pushing their bowl into a corner, taking water out of it or trying to cover it—some dogs will even do this even in a one-dog household where no one ever goes near their water bowl.
If your household has more than one dog, with one of the dogs being shy in nature, then you may see the “snatch and run” behavior from time to time.
Things That May Be Annoying A Dog
The sound of the bowl could be getting on their nerves; if you leaning over a soup bowl and a long necklace were clacking away on it, you’d probably get quite fed up with the noise after a while. Your dog could be feeling exactly the same way about sound while they’re drinking out of their water bowl, especially if the water bowl is metal and your dog’s tags are clanging against it. Your dog’s hearing is so highly sensitive that it must sound like a gong! A glass, ceramic, or plastic bowl might make for a quieter solution for your dog if you believe this to be the problem.
Another factor to consider is the general surroundings near the water bowl. Is it very busy or dusty? Do other dogs or cats have bowls in the same area? Consider whether your dog might be affected by any of these things and perhaps find them a calmer, cleaner environment.
Troubleshooting Water Bowl Problems
To check if your dog dislikes her water bowl, try giving them a different water bowl to see if they continue to push the bowl.
Stands for holding water bowls could be a solution for keeping their bowl in place if your dog’s bowl-moving presents a tripping hazard or other problem in your household. A stand should be low enough for your dog to lower their head when drinking and eating to avoid the risk of bloat.
Stopping Your Dog From Turning Over Its Water Bowl
It’s not uncommon for dogs to try to turn over their water bowls, even when they’re thirsty and want water. The reasons can range anything from mischievous behaviors to more serious problems. If your dog has done this more than once, then you’ll need to try to identify the problem, then solve it based on why your dog is acting this way. In many circumstances, you can solve the problem yourself. While others you may need to get a professional trainer involved or to consult your vet.
Identifying The Problem
When trying to figure out why your dog is turning over their water bowl, you need to look for patterns. Are they doing it at a certain time every day? Are they doing it right before or after you’ve fed them? Is another dog using the water bowl? If you can figure out the problem, it will be a lot easier to fix.
Possible reasons dogs turn over their water bowls:
- The water is old or has something in it
- Their bowl could be dirty
- Bowl was moved to a new location
- The dog thinks there is a threat
- The dog is bored and wants attention
If you don’t change your water once or twice daily, it can gather debris in a day, especially if the water bowl is near a dusty area of the house. If the water bowl is close to an air vent, it could attract even more dust. Other areas include a heating vent or sunny window where the water temperature could raise.
A lot of dogs like a routine and don’t like their bed, toys, or bowls being moved. So, if you’ve recently added a water filter to your faucet or sometimes empty the last of the bottled water into their water bowl, introducing new sources of water could be the problem.
Don’t Use Negative Reinforcement
Telling your dog, “No!” or, “Bad dog!” isn’t effective for correcting behavior. Never swat or fake a spank, which will only stress the dog out or cause them to bare their teeth, becoming aggressive, possibly becoming a dangerous situation. Use positive reinforcement training to condition better behavior.
This can include simple things like, “Good dog!” or rubs, treats, or hugs. Any time you see your dog has drunk from the water bowl without trying to flip it over, reinforce this behavior when possible, with a positive response. You can try adding fresh water to the bowl, then stand close by to watch them drink, following it up with a rub or praise if they drink without tipping the bowl.
Untippable Dog Water Bowl
If you want to help speed up the process of getting your dog to stop this behavior, you could consider using water bowls and accessories that will discourage water bowl spilling. For example, you could use a weighted, harder to tip dog water bowl or a splash-proof dog water bowl. You can also try putting a non-skid piece of material under the water bowl. This can help to prevent the bowl from sliding, making it more difficult to tip over.
You could consider using a rack that contains the dog’s water and food bowls next to each other. The bowls will be placed in the material or sandwiched between two pieces of hard material, making it very difficult for your dog to flip the bowls over.
