Hello…my dog has somehow been Pavlov’d into drinking from his water bowl every single time a door opens. I’m not sure how this behavior started, but it’s getting out of hand. It used to be just when my door would open and one of my roommates would come in, but now, it’s every time he hears any door open or even walks through a doorway.
For example, he hears my roommates open their bedroom door or come in from outside, and he immediately beelines for his bowl. Even when we walk into my room from the hallway or go into the kitchen, he heads straight to drink. It’s become so frequent that he’s drinking way too much water, and I have to shoo him away from his bowl because he ends up needing to go out to relieve himself every 2-3 hours. There have even been accidents by the back door when I’ve been gone for just an hour.
I’ve already spoken to my vet, and they’ve ruled out any medical issues since this behavior seems to be directly linked to doors opening. The problem is, he doesn’t drink water at other times, so I’m pretty sure he’s just conditioned himself to do this.
How can I start to undo this behavior? I’m concerned about restricting his water too much, especially since I work remotely from my bedroom with the door closed. If I take his bowl out, I worry he might be standing by the back door needing to go out without me realizing it.
Any advice on how to break this habit without impacting his water intake or causing accidents would be greatly appreciated
One of my pups does the same thing, leaving the floor wet by the water bowl like a messy child. Sometimes, things that annoy us are moments we’ll miss one day. After my dad passed, my mom once said she used to get angry about how he’d hang his suit jacket on a dining room chair instead of in the closet. But then she said, “I’d give anything to see that jacket on the chair again.” One of my past dogs used to leave nose prints on the sliding door, which I called “nose art.” Instead of getting annoyed, I’d remind myself how much I’d miss that art one day. I do miss it. So, if your pups have little habits that bug you, remember they’re part of what makes them special, and one day, you’ll long for those moments back.
It sounds like your dog has developed a strong Pavlovian response to door openings, which has become quite inconvenient. Since the vet has ruled out medical issues, the focus should be on breaking this conditioned behavior. One approach is to gradually desensitize him to the sound of doors opening by associating it with something other than drinking water. Start by creating a new routine where doors opening is followed by a different cue, like a brief play session or a different type of treat. This can help shift his focus away from the water bowl. You might also try using puzzle toys or slow feeders to make water intake less frequent but still engaging. Additionally, you could experiment with a timed feeding schedule, so he has set times for water and bathroom breaks, rather than having free access all day. It’s important to remain consistent and patient, as breaking a habit can take time.
