Zachary thinks the water bowl is small pond

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

Baby puppy Zachary (8 weeks old) dipped his paw in the water dish his first night home. Four days later he has graduated to full scale playing in the bowl - paddling the water out. He also manages to get a drink out of it. I have a towel und the bowl, so the mess is not a huge issue, but he shares this bowl with 3 other dogs who do need to get a drink every now and then and would prefer to not drink from the puddles on the floor. Suggestions on how to curb this behavior, cute as it may be now, before it gets out of hand?

 

Update:

 

Thanks for everyones feedback - you are all so great!! A buddy bowl it is!! I am going to order two of them on Amazon today - one for Zac's crate and one for the kitchen for all the dogs to share. I will be sure to order through the DK link :-)

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Stuart (4 months) has done this from day one with me.  Rooney is so neat and tidy that I wasn't sure what to do.  It was funny the first time but after that I just got tired of mopping it all up.  I started out then only leaving a little bit of water in the dish and correcting him when he went paws in.  We are adding more water now and he hasn't done it now in a week!!!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Sophie did this as a puppy so I bought this food bowl and starting using it for water.  It fixed the problem for me.  I now have several water bowls and she doesn't do it any longer.

 

 

 

Skid Stop Slow Feed Bowl - Medium (Color May Vary)

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[Gem's Jewel]

Just love DK and your bowl advice...Jewel is now making a swimming pool on my hardwood floors!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

I second the suggestion of the Buddy Bowl.  Sedona started out much the same as Zachary - paw in the water, then on paddling the water out.  When she learned how to tip the bowl so all of the water came flowing out, we had to do something.  The Buddy Bowl works well.

[Sally S Miles]

It was much the same here when Elmer came home - he didn't do it constantly, but frequently.  Including the entire tushy soaking and occasional jump splash.  In just a couple of weeks he stopped - it did take a lot of redirection and a lot of puddle mopping, but he did stop and it's been months now since he even tried.   I am a 24/7 surveillance system - used an awful lot of those 'eh eh' throat noises.   I hate plastic, particularly for water, stainless or ceramic only here,  Now if only I can manage to get a 100% on Journey's beard mopping we'll be in the clear for dry socks :).

[Gem's Jewel]

LOL! I am with you on stainless or ceramic, but haven't found anything other than plastic ideas for helping with the water games. I will try to really be on top of it next week, with spring break here and a houseful of guests and their 3 pets it is rather like a circus right now. Perhaps I should give in and make a splash myself :)

[Sally S Miles]

I ended up with pulling the dish up a lot, it meant both had to ask for water. Little guy was easy - if he was thirsty he would lock on a case of 'stink eye' to the kitchen faucet, just stare at it and Journey would hover in front of where the dish was - nobody dehydrated and the puddles were controlled. He is a very neat little drinker, once he got over the splashing phase.

[Gem's Jewel]

Oh yes, and then both paws! We have 3 dogs and a cat so we have a large bowl and 2 smaller ones that all get filled twice a day. She does not do this as much with the smaller bowls so maybe I just need more of them.