Scared of Water and Food bowl

[LakiaMoore]

So my Yorkie Poo has always been afraid to eat out of her bowl and drink ever since I got her. When I first noticed this problem I thought maybe she’d get over it but years later she’s still afraid. When I first got her I thought maybe it was just metal bowls she was afraid of because of how her collar hits the bowl (I take it off but she’s usually still scared) but when I tried with a plastic still the same thing. I tried with a paper plate but that gets annoying & it slides when she eats. She’s ok with food now but she’ll still be scared and creep over the bowl, and have this type of stance like she’s prepared to run lol. If I sit with her and watch her eat she’ll be a little bit more relaxed. She’s definitely worse with water! If the bowl isn’t filled up all the way she’ll be too scared to drink it, again I thought maybe it’s because of the sound her collar makes but even when taking that off it’s the same. The less water that is in her bowl the more she’ll be scared to put her head in drink. recently she discovered the water hose outside that drips water and she’ll try to drink from there but water will get in her nose and she’ll start making these noises but she’ll still go back to drinking from the hose. Now every time she wants water she’ll come and get me and lead me to the door and goes straight there! Sorry this was so long but really hope you can help. 

[Adrienne]

Hi Lakia Moore,

Since this has been an ongoing problem since you got her, it is more difficult to eradicate because it has established. For some reason, she doesn't trust bowls. The reasons for this may be several. I have seen this happen when, as you mention, the dog's collar or ID tags clack against them, but there can be other phenomena going on as well. For instance, some noise-sensitive dogs may dislike the sound of the kibble being dropped inside or maybe one day these dogs got frightened by the bowl accidentally being dropped or moved. 

 With metal bowls, some dogs may get frightened by their own shadows reflected in the bowl or other shadows produced by nearby lights/objects. This often leads to dogs who grasp a few pieces of kibble and then quickly withdraw to eat them in another area away from the "scary bowl." Even reflections in water can startle sensitive dogs and some are worried about placing their heads in them too low. We don't know why this happens, but it could be also because they dislike feeling their whiskers make contact with the bowl and get wet so they like to drink from the surface. 

Here's the thing, when dogs get worried about something, the fear is likely to stick around because avoidance behaviors are reinforcing. And sometimes, all it takes is one scary episode to sometimes stick with the dog for life. This is called "single event learning."

So what can be done? We surely want our dogs to not fear or dread something as simple as drinking water. While we can try to create positive associations with drinking from a water bowl, sometimes it's faster and less involved simply looking for substitutes to water bowls. For example, a dog pet fountain may likely be appealing to your dog and also removes bad tastes and odors, keeping water fresh. There is also a dripping system made by Nacoco it's called  Pet Standing Water Dispenser that your dog may enjoy as it mimics the water dripping from a hose. 

If you are looking for alternatives to food bowl, you can use food dispensers which offer the win-win option of providing mental stimulation as well. Here are some options:  https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/adriennes-picks/top-5-dog-feeding-toys/

 

Hope this helps!

Best,

Adrienne