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 Smith]

Lucy did this too, pouncing in her bowl with both feet, so I only kept about an inch of water in her dish at a time.  Because your dogs share, I have no ideas for you.  It is so stinking cute though.

[Michael Gurley]

Sunny learned from other dogs at the dog park that buckets are fun to put her paws (and elbows, and shoulders) in. She brought this behavior home since I keep a bucket of water on the back porch for her to drink from while she's outside. I correct her with "Leave it" or "PAW" which she knows and obeys, but when I'm not looking she does it anyway (I can tell... her whole front legs are soaking wet).

 

There are bowls that are "spill-proof" that have rubber on the tops... lemme find one.

[Michael Gurley]

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.valleyvet.com/swatch...

 

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

Thanks Michael - I read some of the testimonials - it seems like it does what it is supposed to do. If he keeps it up this might be the way to go. I must admit it is pretty cute to watch him play in the water. The last few times I've been stopping him mid paw and praising him for just drinking and he just went and had a drink without playing so we'll see....

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Sounds exactly like my Hunter!  She thinks the world is her swimming pool.  This is the bowl that I use, it works great and it does come apart easy for cleaning.  It totally stopped her from swimming in her bowl. I thought it was way cute at first to, but after a month of cleaning water up off the kitchen floor and sliding across it and falling it wasn't so much cute anymore.  It's called the Road Refresher No Spill Water Bowl.....

 

http://www.amazon.com/Jolly-Pets-Refresher-Non-Spill-Ounces/dp/B002...

 

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

That is the same bowl I use only mine is gray and black.  I wonder if I order a new one if I would get that pretty green since it is one of my kitchen colors!  ha ha  Gracie Doodle has lived in her water bowl her entire life and she is 4 years old.  This is the only one that has worked.  Outside she stands in her water bowl when she drinks and she also lays down and tips it towards her so she can cool down her chest.  If there is a bucket of water around she will dunk her entire head into the water.  There is just no stopping some of these Doodles who absolutely love water!!!!  lol

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I think Vern has found his soul mate :)

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Wow! This IS cute. Is it a stainless steel bowl where he can see reflection? Maybe that why the double paw pouce? Maybe get a water that's full so the other dogs can drink and he only has a little bowl area to play with??

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

Jennifer it is pretty cute and it is a stainless bowl although I think he is too busy playing to notice his reflection. This last time he sat in it so he was wet front and back. He is determined to get a good swim in! I should probably put him in the bathtub and just let him play! My 3 frenchies think that they will melt if they get wet so they are now walking up to the bowl shaking their paws because the floor is wet. A new puppy sure is a bit of a circus!!

[Melissa & Porter]

Cute!  If you let him play in the tub, the water bowl might be less interesting :-) 

Porter used to jump in the tub when my kids were bathing until I started to bathe him in that same tub.  Now he avoids it but still loves streams, puddles, pools, lakes...etc.  He immerses much of his face in his water dish to drink and I have a carpet doormat under the food and water bowl, plus a runner leading from the bowls and across the kitchen.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Guinness is such a neat little "drinker"....never plays in it, and doesn't even get his face wet.  Murph is a slob.  He sticks his whole face in the bowl and comes out dripping and then leaving puddles all across the hardwood floor.  We've given up...just follow along behind with the paper towels.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Yep that is exactly what I do with Gracie Doodle.  Even with the "special" bowl she still comes out dripping.  Gracie is my giant "Tom Boy" all the way!  Loves water and will get in it any way she can!