Strange new habit

[MikeC]

With finally getting some nice Spring weather in the SF Bay Area, Duffy and Mickey have started spending more time in the backyard. I bought a nice large water bowl for them but Duffy rather than drinking from it will put both front paws in it and start digging, spilling all the water out of the bowl. Even when the water is out he still continues to dig in it. He won't however do this with the water bowl that we have in the house for them. I have no idea why he is doing this and wondered if any of your Cairns have done, or do the same thing. Thanks!

MikeC

[kayharley]

Elliott does that only he does it inside. Someone on this forum said maybe he was seeing his reflection in the bowl (stainless steel) so I got a different one...he still does it.

[abe's dad]

I can't remember where I saw it but someone (Might have been on this board) had posted a link to a video of their Cairn doing this it was cute but most certianly make a mess inside.

[hallswel]

Rebel will dig and turn his over outside then begin digging around it. I think he know water and grond mean easy digging, or maybe muddy digging. Of course the red clay in ga matches his coat!

[Kathryn]

At our local dog park, one of the dog owners brought in a large bowl (of the kind used for draining your car's oil, I think) and dog owners bring jars of water to fill it so the dogs don't go thirsy. Allie loves drinking out of that bowl and also washes her rubber ball in it (what's that about?). In the summer heat, though, she also steps in and LIES DOWN in it -- I think I've posted before about how much she likes water and likes to swim....Then she gets possessive and doesn't want other dogs to actually drink from it.

I don't take her to the park in the summer much any more. She DOES have to be bathed if she decides to take a "dunk" in that bowl of dog drool...

[Toto times 2]

I had forgotten about that but Ghillie did that when he was a puppy. I guess it was fun for him if not for me cleaning it up.

[Scully'sMom]

Yep Scully did that as a puppy! One of us would always be yelling "Drink the water, don't swim in it!"

[Mama Kim]

Our neighbors Eskie does that. They have to keep her water bowl elevated now in the house because otherwise she'll splash it all over!! Luckily, Piper has not learned this habit from her.

[Bekah]

When we're playing outside I fill an upside down Frisbee with water so Liddy doesn't have to keep running into the house for a drink. She hasn't swam or dug in it, but sometimes she sticks her whole head in the water. The other day when we were playing, we both stopped for a water break and I sat down next to Lids and her Frisbee water dish. She took a few good gulps and then stuck her nose just beneath the Frisbee lid and tipped it over spilling water on me! Of couse she gave me that Cairn "I didn't do it" look.

[Guest Alan]

My three month old Cairn, Dubh, started doing the same thing and in any container, but has not done it in the house. We put a bucket out last week and he and his brother Donnan both dug in it, however, Dubh enjoys sticking his entire face down into the water.

[Herdman90]

My three month old Cairn, Dubh, started doing the same thing and in any container, but has not done it in the house. We put a bucket out last week and he and his brother Donnan both dug in it, however, Dubh enjoys sticking his entire face down into the water.

[MikeC]

Well, I'm glad to see that I am not the only one with a "water bowl swimmer"! My condolences to those of you whose "terrorists" like to water bowl swim in the house.

MikeC

[fancypants]

My Emma used to do the very same thing all the time, but not recently. I got her a little kids wading pool last summer and she had a lot of fun jumping in and out of that!!!

[Eliz222]

Scout LOVES water, and she used to do that with her water bowl too. I filled the kiddie pool with water this weekend and she "swam" in the water. I also had a bowl of water outside for drinking. When the water was drained out of the pool, I found Scout over at the bowl of water trying to swim in that too!

[peanut's parents2]

Peanut is a 1.5 years and she digs in her water bowl outside, but not inside. She has even taught our "big" dog Lucy how to dig in the bowl. Its quite entertaining, but aggrevating because you have to continue to refill the water bowl.

[we-love-izzy]

Oh my gosh, Izzy does this too! I thought she was just being silly.. She does it inside and out.. She digs and digs and digs at her water bowl and finally gets it turned over then digs some more in it and then just lies there in it.. I thought it was because of this heat.. I'm going to have to go and get her one of those baby pools!

That's too funny that they all do that!

kasey

[toomanypaws]

Hi Mike, I always look forward to your posts and don't know how I missed this one. Only my youngest, Hannah digs in the water dish. She is now two and still fascinated w/ a water bowl. She doesn't bother her little bowl inside, only the larger ones outside. Also, if I fill their kiddie pool, she will jump in and search the water like she does the bowl. She'll also bite at the water. I like to toss ice cubes into the kiddie pool for her to bob for. She is so easy and fun to entertain. She's also my only one who will play ice cube hockey. I started that game w/ her as a young pup, and she started batting the ice cube all over.

Here's our recent trip to N.C. Hannah is teaching our Lab, Thor ice cube hockey. I think Thor joined in because he thought she was having more fun than him.

Didn't mean to cut her off, but she moves too fast. She learned real quick, once the ice cube went over the porch, it was gone. She then comes to me asking for another one.

[tena]

Sophie digs in her bowl sometimes. It repulses the cats. I at first thought she did it because her nails were to long, since she did it alot when she first came and needed trimmed. Now she does it once a week or so and her nails are kept trimmed, so who knows.

I was pleased to see that others did it since I thought Sophie was the only odd ball that dug in her bowl.

[Scully'sMom]

What worked for us to stop the "swimming in the water bowl" was to buy the type of bowl that's on a stand. Instantly stopped the swimming! Of course, now every summer we have to get our plastic pool to "swim" in...LOL!

[tlwtheq]

Well, I'm glad to see that I am not the only one with a "water bowl swimmer"! My condolences to those of you whose "terrorists" like to water bowl swim in the house.

MikeC

None of my current children do this...but my dear Shadow used to enjoy it. You're right, it's a mess...but a very cute and funny mess.

[Aurora5000]

Gus does it nearly every day til we got him a very small wading pool.

[alaskpat]

We use a self water kinda of like the Water cooler in an office. As the water drains into the bowl it creates a little stream. When Sasha saw this she just had to attack the stream. When the bowled filled the stream would stop so she decided if she pawed all the water out she could play with the stream again. After two gallons of water all over the kitchen floor it was taken away and both dogs were watched closely when given water for the rest of the day. She only did this one day, since then the water bottle is filled and tiped into the bowl when they both are occupied elsewhere.

They also have a wading pool we fill on hot days. They are both three months old but love to jump in and out of the pool. They also try to paw any shadow they see in the pool.

I would post pictures but all of them are over 500k and this site has a 300 limit. Any sugestions?