# Dogs are afraid of water dispenser bowl



## Scott4589 (Mar 19, 2010)

We have a 12 year old pit bull mix and 1 year old lab and we were exhausted of filling the dog bowl 3-4 times a day. So we bought an automatic water bowl... the ones with the big jug upside down. Its been 6 months, the pit bull will only use it as last resort and does so sparingly. The 1 year old lab will stare at it all day and cautiously step up to it and take 1 small lick, then move away. We were stubborn and said, well they will eventually get thirsty enough to drink and overcome their fear of the "Gurgle" noise when air moves into the tank.
But 6 months later and the dogs are staying dehydrated, and i saw them this morning outside trying to lick dew off the grass. I know that they don't get water from anywhere else in the house. they stay in the laundry room and all bathrooms are shut.

What can I do??


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## MegaMuttMom (Sep 15, 2007)

Hmmmm, filling the bowl 3 or 4 times a day would be a lot less work than trying to solve the problem any other way.


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

Get a larger bowl so that you don't have to fill it so many times a day. The last time I had two dogs, we had a regular dog bowl filled with water in the house, but we also had a garden bucket filled with water in the back yard. The indoor bowl was changed a couple times a day, the outdoor bucket a couple times a week.


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## chrisn6104 (Jun 8, 2009)

I rescued a pit from the shelter last year and he was afraid of this thing as well although not as bad as your guys. He would drink from it but jump and run when it bubbled. It took a while for him to get over it but now it doesn't bother him.

First thing I thought of in your case was maybe filling both sides and leaving the bottle off for a while. Get them to trust and drink from the bowl then start to add the bottle. Leave the bottle empty for a while then slowly add a little bit of water so the bubble action isn't so big. Over time as they get accustomed to little bubbles add more water.

The other way is to try and train the fear out with rewards. Get them to touch it and be closer to it rewarding them as they go. The hard part will be working with bubble action.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

MegaMuttMom said:


> Hmmmm, filling the bowl 3 or 4 times a day would be a lot less work than trying to solve the problem any other way.


I agree.. why let human lazyness stricken your dogs with fear? Get a bigger bowl... for your dog's sanity.


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## chrisn6104 (Jun 8, 2009)

MegaMuttMom said:


> Hmmmm, filling the bowl 3 or 4 times a day would be a lot less work than trying to solve the problem any other way.





Dog_Shrink said:


> I agree.. why let human lazyness stricken your dogs with fear? Get a bigger bowl... for your dog's sanity.



That's weird. You're saying the OP and myself are lazy for using a water dispenser bowl. While Mega said it would be "MORE" work to train them not to be afraid of the bowl. 

Your lazy human theory is interesting.


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## Scott4589 (Mar 19, 2010)

ok i took the jug off and filled it with water. The older went nuts and drank for about 3 minutes... i think the younger dog is still considering it. will see what happens


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## cavaliermom (May 28, 2008)

I have to concur with the last poster - you simply cannot withhold water from animals or people - dehydration can be very serious - and ruin their kidneys. You have some good advice above - bigger bowl, bowl inside and out, filling water dispenser on both sides, etc.

I have a small dog and two cats - there is a large water bowl for all of them and the dog has another in her crate - they are kept full.

I work in an athletic dept of a univ - the medical staff always mentions hydration to athletes - of utmost importance.

You love your pooches - so now just make sure they have lots to drink


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## FaithFurMom09 (Oct 24, 2009)

Personally I HATE filling up the water bowl for all 3 of them, but its either fill it up and be annoyed or they sneak and drink from the toilet and be grossed out!


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

chrisn6104 said:


> That's weird. You're saying the OP and myself are lazy for using a water dispenser bowl. While Mega said it would be "MORE" work to train them not to be afraid of the bowl.
> 
> Your lazy human theory is interesting.


I'm not saying using automatic watering systems are lazy... I'm saying using and FORCING a dog to use an automatic watering system, when they are afraid of it to the point of phobia and dehydration IS lazy, and ignorent to the dog IMO. And it would be more work... a TON of work to get a dog that phobic accepting of an automatic water bowl that makes that noise.


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## LynnInTenn (Oct 9, 2009)

Scott4589 said:


> ok i took the jug off and filled it with water. The older went nuts and drank for about 3 minutes... i think the younger dog is still considering it. will see what happens


Seems they are more afraid of the jug than the sound?????


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## Scott4589 (Mar 19, 2010)

the funniest thing, our cat could care less about the jug, and easily drinks water out of it. and right in front of the dogs. lol


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## pyralis (Mar 18, 2010)

Scott4589 said:


> the funniest thing, our cat could care less about the jug, and easily drinks water out of it. and right in front of the dogs. lol


That made me laugh. Our border collie, always a healthy drinker, very often "stalks" the water bowl. She'll creep ninja-style across the length of the kitchen as if the dispenser will run away if she's not sneaky. She'll be tip-toeing across the room, the cat will come over, rub on her (dog will freeze) and then go on to drink from the bowl while Kayla stands amazed by her brazenness.

Of course, she doesn't do this every time, but it's pretty amusing when she does.


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## infiniti (Mar 19, 2010)

I have one of those dispensers too. Bella's not afraid of it, but I have hardwood floors, and when we walk past it, it will gurgle every time. So, every time she walks past it, it will gurgle. It will startle her when it does and she will kind of jump and look at it like "WTF?" But when she's drinking out of it and it gurgles, it doesn't bother her at all.


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