Having a Husky as your pet is all fun, however, it can become messy if you find out that he digs in his water bowl. While this behavior might not be a big issue for you, you might want to know what causes him to do that and what you should do to stop him if it’s becoming an issue.
There could be multiple reasons your dog is digging in her water bowl. There are quite a number of possible theories explaining why Huskies dig in their water bowls.
In today’s post, we are going to first look at the possible motivations for your husky’s water dish digging and the possible solutions to help her stop this behavior. Let’s take a look!
6 Reasons Why Huskies Dig in Their Water Bowls & How to Stop Them
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Boredom
The first reason why Huskies dig in their water bowls is boredom. If your husky is constantly digging in the water bowl, it could be a sign that he is bored. Many people get Husky thinking that they will just put them to live in the back yard, so they don’t have to deal with issues related to toileting, chewing and destruction, and dog hair in the house.
You should know that keeping Huskies in a confined place hardly works. Huskies are well known to have a lot of energy, a trait that makes them want to dig up anywhere including water bowls to relieve that energy.
Your husky digging in a water bowl shows that he not only lacks mental but also physical exercise. This shows you that you need to engage him in activities that keep him active both physically and mentally.
Solution: Take your husky out for a walk in the park once in a while and if you don’t have time for that, put him in daycare. You can also engage him in activities that stimulate him both mentally and physically. Such activities could be playing hide-and-go-seek or simply taking him along during those mornings or evening walks.
Food puzzles are another way to move your dog’s attention to a proper outlet. Huskies don’t like to stay in confined places and taking them out does them a lot of good.
You should also get your husky-specific dog toys that will keep him busy and entertained when you are not around. Dog daycare and dog park are other outlets where dogs can expend their energy.
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High Temperatures
The other reason why Huskies dig in their water bowls is that they are hot. Most Huskies love to play with water with the desire to cool down their body temperatures. When it is hot outside, you will want to make sure that your dog has a lot of water to calm his thirst as well as cool down his body temperature.
Solution: Once you realize that your dog is always digging in the water bowl to keep his body cool, he will highly appreciate a kiddie pool. Huskies and Labradors both love to dig in water and will love a kiddie pool.
Once you provide the husky with a kiddie pool, you will realize that digging in the bowl stops. On the other hand, if you live in a place where it is difficult for you to own a kiddie pool, always make an effort and take your dog to a doggy beach or something similar where he can go into the water.
You can also opt to give him a water dish with a couple of inches of water, which minimizes the amount of time he tries to dig in the bowl.
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Playing with the Bowls Reflection
If you see your husky digging in the water bowl, he might be trying to catch his reflection. Stainless steel water bowls reflect light and your dog may be trying to catch the reflection by pawing and digging at the dish.
Solution: Make the dish digging less fun by getting a bowl that’s solid and non-reflective. You can also opt to put the water in a different container with a couple of inches of water, which minimizes the amount of time he tries to dig in the bowl.
Other pet owners elevate the dog dish, but this comes with a risk of bloating in certain bigger dog breeds. Before you opt to elevate the bowl as a measure to prevent your husky from digging, ask your veterinarian to make sure that it doesn’t cause bloating in your dog.
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Your Husky Prefers Moving Water
Another reason why Huskies dig in their water bowls is that they prefer moving water. Digging in the bowl creates water movement. Huskies that opt for moving water may also like to drink out of the toilet because of the water movement and cool temperatures found in the bowl.
Solution: Just because your husky prefers moving water, the last thing that you would want is him drinking water from the toilet bowl. The best way to satisfy his preference for moving water, you can use a pet water fountain that creates a continual fresh stream of water which reduces his need to create his waves. The downside about the use of a water fountain is that it makes the husky want to play more.
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She Wants Attention
Just like humans, dogs are attention seekers as well. If your husky has a successful history of grabbing your attention by repeatedly digging in his water bowl and you feel for it, he is likely to repeat it in the future. Dogs repeat certain behaviors that have a successful history of grabbing their owner’s attention.
Solution: To get your dog to stop digging in his bowl as he tries to seek your attention, ignore him and walk away. Instead of making a fuss when she is digging in her bowl, use treats and praise to reward him for alternative behaviors that are incompatible with the dish digging. Such behaviors are sitting calmly and lying at your side.
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Compulsive Behavior
In rare cases, huskies may become obsessed with objects and activities. If you notice that your husky is obsessed with digging in his water bowl, get immediate intervention from your veterinarian on how to properly address such an issue.
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Other Solutions and Considerations
There are numerous ways to train your dog to stop digging in his water bowl, but effectively putting an end to such behavior highly depends on the cause. Getting a kiddie pool is the best solution for most of the reasons that cause the dog to dig in his water bowl.
You can also opt to place your dog’s water on a newspaper. This limits fun puddles and also ensures that the bowl is non-reflective, solid and heavy enough that he can’t flip it.
You can also place the bowl in an elevated stand, so it only is reached by his snout and difficult for him to reach with his paws. You can also opt to make a loud sound or distract him if he starts to put his paws in water.
By regularly doing that, the dog will start to adapt and forget about digging in the water bowl. You husky might as well be digging in his water bowl because there is food or sediments at the bottom.
Keep the dish as clean as possible to avoid such a case. All in all, always ensure that you provide him with lots of toys, exercise and any other form of stimulation to diminish his need to find excitement in his water bowl.
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People Also Ask
Q: Why is My Husky Digging in The Water Bowl?
There are many reasons why huskies dig in their water bowls and what is causing your neighbor’s husky to dig in his bowl might not be the same reason as to why your husky is also digging in his bowl. Some huskies dig in their water bowls to cool down as a result of overheating.
With such a husky, make sure that you provide him with a kiddie pool that will help him stay cool. Another Husky that might be enticed to dig in her water bowl is if there is food or any other sediments at the bottom. Always keep the water dish clean to avoid such.
Q: What Do I Do to Stop My Husky from Digging in the Water Bowl?
Although it takes quite a while before you can fully train your dog to stop digging in his water bowl, here are some of the measures you can take. Less the amount of water in his bowl. This will make splashing less fun. If your dog continues to dig, elevate the bowl to a point that his paws can reach.
If you find the time, take him to the doggy beach or something similar where he can go into the water. Lastly, make sure that he has plenty of toys that keep him busy and entertained throughout the day. Praise and reward him if he starts showing a positive change.
Conclusion
There are multiple reasons why huskies dig in their water bowls. Providing them with lots of toys to play with, proper training and other ways to cool off their bodies help eliminate the need to dig in a water bowl. If all efforts outlined above fail, try and seek a veterinarian solution because your husky might be suffering from compulsive behavior.