Afraid of water from raised feeder?

[smithy]

We recently moved to a raised feeder and it seems to be fine with our Smithy. Yesterday however I noticed him not drinking. When we took him out to play in the garden I brought the bowl outside and he drank like mad. After our walk later on when he's hot and usually drinks he didn't. I sat near his bowl and he approached but then backed off. After lots of positive encouragement he sniffed it so I said good boy etc until he drank, then I said lots of encouraging things and our usual 'well done' stuff. Also gave him some treats.

He didn't pee this morning, and we took him out again to check, so I sat with him by the water and it was the same thing again. He had some but not a lot, and when I put it on the floor I still had to do the same thing - I'm not sure if it was the raised feeder causing the problem seeing as he was afraid of both locations.

Is there any advice for me regarding the raised feeder (which some people have said will kill him, and some said will save him). We keep him calm an hour and 15 mins before and after eating not including a small toilet break after he's finished - he does eat quick so I might put a tennis ball in his bowl (it's large, so possibly even 2 to slow him down).

[smithy]

Edit to anyone checking this out - he also hasn't eaten this morning so I'll switch to his old feeder (was a little bit raised from the floor and a smaller bowl - https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/ergo-raised-dog-feeder?size=large)

[LaFlaca]

2 hours ago, smithy said:

Edit to anyone checking this out - he also hasn't eaten this morning so I'll switch to his old feeder (was a little bit raised from the floor and a smaller bowl - https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/ergo-raised-dog-feeder?size=large)

By any chance, are his tags clattering against the sides of the bowl? Or does the bowl clatter or spin against the sides of the feeder?  That might be scaring him. 

[MerseyGrey]

If the link is to your old bowls then they should be fine to use. I’ve also read mixed studies about the pros and cons of raised feeders for deep chested dogs and they are pretty much 50-50 on what you should use re: preventing or causing bloat. The main thing about them is that a raised bowl is probably a bit more comfortable for them but if Smithy is happy with this bowl, stick with it. It won’t kill him!

Is his bowl placed in front of something reflective (like the dull reflection from the side of a fridge)? This could be putting him off if he’s drinking from it outside but not in its usual place.

[Jerilyn]

Dogs are weird! He could very likely get over it in a couple days. For now it sounds like you are doing everything right. Is he eating from the feeder? Put some water in with his food, it will keep him hydrated and slow him down.

My first greyhound stopped eating from her feeder after using it for years. Nothing traumatic happened and she drank from the feeder with no issues. Dogs are weird.

[HeyRunDog]

Grace only drinks once or twice a day from her water bowl so I put about a third of her kibble in her bowl and add hot water letting it cool down before adding the rest of the kibble giving it to her. This forms a gravy which she loves and it keeps her hydrated.

[HeyRunDog]

Is the water fresh from the tap? It could be the chlorine smell that is putting Smithy off. Put a jug of water out overnight to let the chlorine dissipate or use cold boiled water.