Our giant English mastiff turns drinking water into a mini-flood. It’s a disaster on our wood floors. We tried a large rubber mat under his bowl, but some of the wood floor has lifted. I really need ideas to save the floors; whether it’s mats, towels, anything. Please help before my husband loses it.
Try a boot tray. I put one under my dog’s bowl, and the high edges keep most of the water from getting everywhere. It’s been a lifesaver for the floors.
Robbertadams said:
Try a boot tray. I put one under my dog’s bowl, and the high edges keep most of the water from getting everywhere. It’s been a lifesaver for the floors.
I use one too, they work great.
Honestly, it’s hard to keep the floors dry long-term. If he’s leaving a big trail because of his jowls, maybe consider moving the bowl to a place that’s easier to clean like the bathroom or a porch? Another idea is to use a small area with waterproof linoleum and seal it with silicone around the edges. If you’re set on keeping the bowl in the same place, a few people have had luck refinishing wood floors with Tung oil or a water-repellent finish. Maybe that’ll help a bit.
Maybe set the water bowl outside or on a covered porch if possible. You could also try putting it inside a plastic kiddie pool to contain the splashes. If you’re crafty, you could decorate it with plants so any extra water helps keep them hydrated.
I use a big water-absorbing bathroom mat with a plastic layer underneath for my dog. It catches the water and slobber, plus it’s easy to wash every week or so.
Have you tried a tall and deep bowl? I use a big mixing bowl, and it stops the worst splashes. For the drips after, I lay down a water-absorbing mat. It’s not perfect, but it helps.
Look up ‘muddy mats.’ You can find budget options too. They’re awesome for absorbing water and work great for wet dog paws.
We use a big mixing bowl and a boot tray with a lip for our Saint Bernard’s water. The tray catches most of the water, and a deeper bowl means less splashing. You could also try a dog crate tray; they’re big and can hold a lot of water overflow.
The ‘slobber stopper’ bowl saved our floors. It controls the splashing, and we have it on top of a mat for extra backup. Can’t recommend it enough.
CanineCathy said:
The ‘slobber stopper’ bowl saved our floors. It controls the splashing, and we have it on top of a mat for extra backup. Can’t recommend it enough.
Agree. Our last dog was the messiest drinker ever. The slobber stopper bowl made a huge difference for us too.
A few ideas:
- Train your dog to wipe his face (it sounds funny, but some dogs get it.)
- Only put the water bowl out at set times.
- Use a raised bowl stand on a thick absorbent mat. My dog used to leave a big water trail, but now it mostly drips onto the mat.
- Try a robotic mop to clean up around the water bowl area; it’ll keep things dry if you’re not around to mop up.
Cane Corso owner here. Layers are your friend; try bowl, rubber mat, bath mat, and then a bed pad underneath. Bath mats dry faster, and bed pads soak up water without letting it reach the floor. I’ve even seen dogs taught to ‘dab’ their faces with a towel after drinking; some people set up a raised bowl next to a towel for this. Worth a shot.
Here’s something fun to try: https://youtube.com/shorts/oIAFnqLsgGY?feature=share
Otherwise, go for something absorbent like a thick bath towel instead of waterproof. It’ll soak up water rather than letting it sit and spill.
Try using area rugs or runner rugs. My kitchen one has saved our floor from many water spills.
Sounds like our old dog AJ. He would leave trails everywhere, and we just kept a towel nearby to mop up. Sometimes a big mat helps, but with AJ, we mostly had to stay on top of it.
Costco door mats are awesome. I’ve got them for my big dogs, and I also elevate the water bowl on a stool. Keeps things a bit drier.
We ended up putting the water bowl outside on the deck. Our dogs would leave trails all over the floor otherwise, and nothing I tried worked.