Knocking Water Into Food Dish Before Eating..

[Guest bernadette]

Vinnie has always done this, since the first day he was home with us but I've never thought to ask anyone about it. Before he will eat, he knocks with his nose water from his water bowl into his food bowl. It makes quite the mess, needles to say. Often times, the bowls end up floating in the raised feeder because of course the water collects under them.

 

Anyone elses hound do this or know why?

[Guest kirstenbergren]

I bet he just wants some water in his kibble to soften it up?? A lot of greys like water with their kibble and I know a lot of owners put water in with the kibble all the time. A lot of the greyhounds were use to eating a softer diet at the track. That's my guess. Otherwise, he's just being quirky?

[LaFlaca]

Try adding water to his kibble. I add a bit of water or broth and some canned food to Wendy's kibble.

[Guest ShanYu]

He was a raccoon in a previous life?

[Guest bernadette]

He has always had water or broth in his food, it's the funniest thing. He cannot help himself. I will have to video it and post his routine...

Edited August 2, 2012 by bernadette

[OwnedBySummer]

I guess he thinks you aren't putting enough?

[Guest bernadette]

LOL, then he wants SOUP!!

[GeorgeofNE]

I'd move his food away from his water I think! Problem solved.

[Guest kirstenbergren]

Vinnie sounds like such a character! I'd love to see a video of it. I hope you can post one soon.

[Guest bernadette]

We actually moved his water away from his food bowl for a long time because of this but we recently moved it back into the raised feeder because of his newly discovered cervical issue/neck pain. So we have to clean up the water everyday... at least, hopefully, he is more comfortable drinking...

I will definitely try to take video.

[Guest bernadette]

Here is video and a pic of my silly boy- who will be nine on Sunday!

 

His younger days:

 

Video:

http://s1084.photobu...VinnieWater.mp4

Edited August 2, 2012 by bernadette

[NevadasMom]

That is so cute!

[Guest bernadette]

thank you.

He can't be the only one that does this? I really wish I knew why.

What's funny is that that food bowl IS soup and if he let it sit as he usually does, in 20 minutes it would all be absorbed and his food would all be soft.

 

Whatever makes my boy happy...

[Beachbum1]

That is hilarious!!! Is he sucking the water in like an elephant? LOLOLOLOL

[Guest bernadette]

He sucks the water in from his food bowl, blows it out... He puts his whole nose in and moves all of the food and liquid around- aside from the whole water from the water bowl into the food bowl trick..!

It is noisy and very messy. If I picked those bowls up, you would see that they are floating from all of the water underneath. =)

[Guest kirstenbergren]

What a handsome boy. He looks a little like my PJ. Such a cute video! I can't believe how much he noses it all around. So funny!

[Guest Scouts_mom]

Very funny and strange! I have never heard of a dog doing that.

 

Maybe pick up his water dish while he is eating dinner? But that might be too tramatic for the handsome boy.

[FiveRoooooers]

Sunday is your birthday, Vinny? Nine is Fine, happy birthday!

 

Pal has always "rearranged" his food into a pile in his bowl, shoving it just like Vinny is doing in that terrific video. I was told that he is essentially trying to "fluff up" the odor of his meal to make it as appetizing as possible I dunno. If it were me, I would put the water bowl on a separate flower pot away from the food bowl and see what Vinny thinks about that. Does he have to have his meals watered down? Perhaps try a meal dry and include just whatever add-ins you usually use, and see what happens.

 

Good looking boy, that Vinny

Edited August 3, 2012 by FiveRoooooers

[greytpups]

He's so cute, he even mixes it up. Our just take a drink out of their bowl and I have to clean it up. At least the floor around his food bowl will always be clean from wiping it after every meal.

[Guest johnwe]

so handsome. you should teach him to work it the other way. drop some food in the water.

[LaFlaca]

Maybe use a single-bowl raised feeder? I've never really understood the purpose of having a two-bowl feeder; one with a bowl full of water and a most-of -the -time empty food bowl next to it? Wendy has a single-bowl, raised feeder that holds her water bowl most of time and I switch it out for her food bowl at meal-times. Got it on Amazon.

 

This one -

 

 

Mesh Single Bowl Dog Diner - 18" Tall - Black

Edited August 3, 2012 by LaFlaca

[OwnedBySummer]

Your video gave me my laugh for the day, thank you so much! Vinnie, you are adorable!

[Guest bernadette]

That one bowl feeder is nice, I like it! The problem is, Vinnie leaves his food all day long. He is down to one, MAYBE two meals per day so it isn't like I put out his meal and he eats right away. His food waits there until he is hungry. That's another reason I now leave his water bowl right there... I had moved it a couple of times when he started to eat but he doesn't always eat it all at once, so it's easier and more convenient for him to just have it there when he wants it.

He does this no matter if his food is wet or dry or what's in it. It's so funny, I can't believe no one is saying their hound does it too- I thought for sure this was some common instinctual thing!

My sweet boy is getting older, neck pain, cervical compression. We will be adding Tramadol to his Gabapentin and Rimadyl today. My boy can make his messes and I will gladly clean them. Someday I will only be wishing that he was there to splash around some more. =)

 

ETA: When we travel and we don't have the raised feeder (which, with his neck issues, I will bring from now on), and he eats/drinks from just his bowls, he always knocks them over onto the floor and eats that way. Quirky boy.

Edited August 3, 2012 by bernadette

[Feisty49]

The video is so cute and funny! His poor little nose gets squished every time he shoves water into his food bowl. Is there something you can put in the area so that his splatters go on it instead of the floor?

[Guest bernadette]

Interestingly, 95% of the mess stays on or in the feeder! The water collects under the bowls so much that they float. Ocassionally a piece of food or two will find its way to the floor from all of the knocking around, other than that, really nothing. He is a talented mess maker. =)