So, my son moved to a new place that doesn’t accept dogs, so I’m taking care of his dog until he finds a pet-friendly place. I had her in the house at first, but I can’t keep her inside anymore. Now she’s in a fenced yard with a cozy dog house and a kibble dispenser. But for some reason, she’s scared of the water dispenser. She used to drink fine, but now she sneaks up, takes a couple of licks, and runs away. I don’t know if it’s the sound it makes or the way it moves in the wind. I read online that someone put chicken soup in the bowl to help their dog, but I don’t know if that’ll work for mine. Any ideas or suggestions?
I had a similar problem with my dog. She was scared of the water dispenser too. What helped her was placing a regular bowl next to it so she could drink from that, and slowly she got used to the dispenser.
Ronald1 said:
@Chris
Oh, that’s a good idea. I might try that! Did it take long for her to get comfortable?
It took about a week, but she slowly started drinking from the dispenser once she realized it wasn’t going to hurt her. It’s all about making her feel safe!
That’s strange! My dog was nervous about the noise at first too. I just started turning it on while I was outside with her, and she got used to the sound eventually.
TrainYourTail said:
That’s strange! My dog was nervous about the noise at first too. I just started turning it on while I was outside with her, and she got used to the sound eventually.
Did you just leave it running while you were out there? I’m worried about leaving it on too long when I’m not around.
@MissNicklaus
Yeah, I’d just stay outside with her while it refilled, but I wouldn’t leave it on unattended. Just long enough for her to get comfortable.
If the dispenser rocks in the wind, maybe that’s what’s causing the fear. Have you tried securing it somehow to stop it from moving?
sirigwen said:
If the dispenser rocks in the wind, maybe that’s what’s causing the fear. Have you tried securing it somehow to stop it from moving?
I haven’t tried securing it yet. That’s a good point though. I’ll give that a shot and see if it helps!
I read about people using chicken broth in the water to help with the fear, but you could also try switching to a different type of water dispenser, like a faucet one. They tend to be quieter.
CoachKate said:
I read about people using chicken broth in the water to help with the fear, but you could also try switching to a different type of water dispenser, like a faucet one. They tend to be quieter.
Oh, I’ve seen those faucet ones online! Do they work well? I might try that if it’s quieter.
@MissNicklaus
Yeah, they’re pretty great! They’re quieter and the water flow is smoother. You can find them on Amazon or Chewy.
Thanks so much for all the advice! I’m definitely going to try the regular bowl next to the dispenser and look into those faucet options. I’ll let you know how it goes!