Catia
Well-Known Member
Tessa did this for the 1st couple of months.
It *seems* to have lessened recently.
Yes, it's cute--at 1st. It's a big mixing bowl, holds almost a gallon.
The 1st doggy sitter I had reinforced the behavior...because she thought it was cute. Only had that sitter for a week...
I was ignoring the behavior, although it was a total PITA. I thought it never would end.
(and i'm still not conviced it has ended lol)
So ignore ignore ignore....
Got to the point where I could not have a water bowl down on the floor.
Any waterbowl I used she'd do this, EVERY time I filled it. Inside or out, no matter how big or heavy.
I thought I was going to go mad!!!
Everytime Tessa needed to drink, I had to hold the bowl, let her drink, the put it up--she drinks a LOT of water, many times per day. She'd go after the cats water bowl too, even thought it was up high...So that had to be changed. Cats now drink from a pitcher in the sink...
Then she decided the TOILET--since it would not tip over--was a wonderful place to play & dig, she has large paws so managed to pull ALL of the water out of the toilet & onto the bathroom floor when I had her in the bathroom with me while I was taking a shower...SO then the bathroom became off limits, unless I was in there--because she learned quickly how to lift the lid of the toilet.
This then progressed to the shower/tub spigot--After she saw I could control the water--she started trying to do this too-it's the kind with just 1 handle for hot/cold with a big handle to grasp...She still mouths the spigot but leaves the handle alone now since no water comes out of it, she *knows* it's connected somehow, but has not yet figured out how to turn it on--....yet...
I started researching online for a waterbowl I could somehow anchor to the floor or wall that didn't just lift out, but locked, because that could solve the tipping problem.
Then I realized that would not solve the digging in the water issue, & i'd still have water everywhere.
I found some neat items on farm supply sites, basically I was trying to find something that could be attached to the floor & my plumbing so I could refill it & drain it--similar to a toilet, but NOT a toilet lol...(i'm still looking) that can be used *inside*
Then I found this:
A potential solution--I'm ordering mine this weekend!!!! I can't wait!!!!
It's called the "Buddy Bowl", by Great American Spillproof Prooducts
Great American Spillproof Products - Home
The ones on this site at 44oz, but I believe there is a 64oz, & that's the one I am after *if* it actually exists.
Apparently, someone else with this issue figured out a way to make a bowl that can be tipped & rolled & thrown around & still hold the water yay!!!!!
It has a mechanism inside that locks the water in as soon as it is tipped, but turned upright it is open to drink. It also is good for travel in RV's & cars.
So to answer your question:
No, it's not just a mastiff thing, it's a dog thing, per Tessa's Wisdom Panel DNA test, she is a Maltese Mix...(yeah, i had to go there).
If anyone else has the buddy bowl--I'd like to hear about it-i did a search on this site & came up with nothing.
It *seems* to have lessened recently.
Yes, it's cute--at 1st. It's a big mixing bowl, holds almost a gallon.
The 1st doggy sitter I had reinforced the behavior...because she thought it was cute. Only had that sitter for a week...
I was ignoring the behavior, although it was a total PITA. I thought it never would end.
(and i'm still not conviced it has ended lol)
So ignore ignore ignore....
Got to the point where I could not have a water bowl down on the floor.
Any waterbowl I used she'd do this, EVERY time I filled it. Inside or out, no matter how big or heavy.
I thought I was going to go mad!!!
Everytime Tessa needed to drink, I had to hold the bowl, let her drink, the put it up--she drinks a LOT of water, many times per day. She'd go after the cats water bowl too, even thought it was up high...So that had to be changed. Cats now drink from a pitcher in the sink...
Then she decided the TOILET--since it would not tip over--was a wonderful place to play & dig, she has large paws so managed to pull ALL of the water out of the toilet & onto the bathroom floor when I had her in the bathroom with me while I was taking a shower...SO then the bathroom became off limits, unless I was in there--because she learned quickly how to lift the lid of the toilet.
This then progressed to the shower/tub spigot--After she saw I could control the water--she started trying to do this too-it's the kind with just 1 handle for hot/cold with a big handle to grasp...She still mouths the spigot but leaves the handle alone now since no water comes out of it, she *knows* it's connected somehow, but has not yet figured out how to turn it on--....yet...
I started researching online for a waterbowl I could somehow anchor to the floor or wall that didn't just lift out, but locked, because that could solve the tipping problem.
Then I realized that would not solve the digging in the water issue, & i'd still have water everywhere.
I found some neat items on farm supply sites, basically I was trying to find something that could be attached to the floor & my plumbing so I could refill it & drain it--similar to a toilet, but NOT a toilet lol...(i'm still looking) that can be used *inside*
Then I found this:
A potential solution--I'm ordering mine this weekend!!!! I can't wait!!!!
It's called the "Buddy Bowl", by Great American Spillproof Prooducts
Great American Spillproof Products - Home
The ones on this site at 44oz, but I believe there is a 64oz, & that's the one I am after *if* it actually exists.
Apparently, someone else with this issue figured out a way to make a bowl that can be tipped & rolled & thrown around & still hold the water yay!!!!!
It has a mechanism inside that locks the water in as soon as it is tipped, but turned upright it is open to drink. It also is good for travel in RV's & cars.
So to answer your question:
No, it's not just a mastiff thing, it's a dog thing, per Tessa's Wisdom Panel DNA test, she is a Maltese Mix...(yeah, i had to go there).
If anyone else has the buddy bowl--I'd like to hear about it-i did a search on this site & came up with nothing.