You’re getting sick of your dog chewing up their water bowl and it’s just plain strange too. Why does your dog bite his water bowl? Is it safe for your dog to chew on their water bowl? Is this a behavior thing or is it because of their age? Will my puppy grow out of chewing on their water bowl?

Worry and wonder no longer, because today we’ll answer all of these questions. Obviously, we’ll also tell you how to stop your dog from chewing on their water bowl. Very soon, you won’t have to stress about this anymore. Continue reading below for our article “Dog Keeps Chewing Water Bowl? Here’s How to Stop It!”

How to Stop Dog Chewing on Water Bowl

To stop dog chewing on water bowl

1. Use a water bowl that suctions the ground. They may still be able to bite on the top lip of the bowl, however.
2. Ensure your dog is never without an acceptable outlet for biting such as a toy they have fun chewing on.
3. Give a firm but calm “stop” or “no” the second when you see that your dog is once again biting the water bowl.
4. Don’t scream or get angry, because if they’re doing so out of anxiety (which is very likely), this will only make their problems worse.
5. Put them into a brief time-out in their crate or a closed-off room for about 10 minutes.
6. If you catch them beginning to go for their water bowl, point them to a favorite toy.
7. Give them praise, pets, and a small treat when they select their toy instead of chewing on the water bowl.
8. Make sure that everybody who lives in your house is also following these procedures.
9. Be patient and consistent.

This will get your dog to stop chewing on their water bowl, but you can’t forget that the issue which was causing all of this in the first place (anxiety) will still be present. And you absolutely must address those, because not doing so means that your dog will continue suffering and misbehaving in different (possibly worse) ways.

And for us to properly go over that, we must first discuss what makes dogs function deep down. I’m sure you’ve heard before that dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader.

But when your dog chews on the water bowl, they are clearly showing you that they don’t respect you in this leadership role.

If they did, they wouldn’t bite on the water bowl and continue even when told to stop. They wouldn’t engage in any other types of anxiety-related disrespect. And they would obey your commands at all times — immediately — and they would do so happily.

Make it clear to your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but a capable, deserving one who must be respected, and you’ll make all of these terrific things a reality.

Obviously, you’ll be better off. But your dog will be too because they’ll no longer have to deal with all of the confusion and worry that their anxiety problems are currently burdening them with every single second of every single day.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

“Yes, definitely, but how do I do this?”

You should watch an excellent free video series by a renowned trainer named Dan which is on this exact subject: how to be your dog’s pack leader. In Dan’s series, he explains absolutely everything in ways that are very easy to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets immediately to the point so that you can start seeing these crucial changes in your dog before things get any worse.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t stress, because no, you’re not going to have to yell or be mean to your dog. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving teaching techniques at all times. Not just because they’re the right thing to do, but also because they’re the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

Why Does My Dog Bite His Water Bowl?

Your dog bites his water bowl because they’re stressed and chewing releases endorphins that soothe them. Their water bowl also smells like you since you handle it, which also helps your dog to relax. Remember that dogs have very acute senses of smell, so even a freshly cleaned bowl is going to carry your scent.

The real problem, however, is if your dog is biting his water bowl and continuing to ignore you when you tell them to stop. When this is happening, your dog is not just experiencing anxiety, but is also having trust and respect issues with you.

Think about it: your dog doesn’t fully trust in your leadership, so what happens? They ignore commands. They get nervous because they don’t know who will handle things that pop up. And then they seek to self-treat this stress by chewing on their water bowl. They’re likely chewing on other things as well.

I’d imagine your dog is also chewing up your purse, chewing up water bottles, chewing up your doormat, or chewing up your water hose. These are just a few random examples, but the point is that if your dog is feeling anxious due to trust problems (or for any other reason), they’re going to seek out whatever they can to ease that. And then your things get destroyed.

You, of course, don’t want your stuff getting ruined constantly. To learn how to stop your dog from chewing their water bowl while addressing their root problem at the same time, go back to the first section now.

Is It Safe for My Dog to Chew On Their Water Bowl?

It is not safe for your dog to chew on their water bowl. Metal bowls could cause damage to their teeth, while plastic bowls could easily be broken apart into little slivers. These could become stuck in your dog’s digestive tract, leading to painful, expensive surgeries or even death.

Do not allow your dog to chew on their water bowl under any circumstances. Redirect them to one of their toys, then give them pets, praise, and a treat when they choose that instead. If your dog’s chewing issues continue, or they seek other inappropriate objects, they may be doing so out of anxiety. Go back to the first section now where we’ll teach you how to work through that.

Will My Puppy Grow Out of Chewing on Their Water Bowl?

Your puppy will grow out of chewing on their water bowl only if they’re still teething and under six months old. Still, you should not allow them to do so as they can be dangerous regardless of whether the bowl is made out of plastic or metal. Plastic could become lodged in their digestive tract, while metal could damage their mouth.

Even if the possible health problems weren’t present, you do not want to allow your puppy to chew on their water bowl because it could become a learned habit. If your puppy transitions to an adult dog and has found this to be something they do regularly and enjoy, the habit will be even harder to break.

When you find your puppy chewing on the water bowl, give a calm but firm “no” or “stop.” You should then redirect them to an acceptable outlet, like a chew toy. When they take it instead, immediately give them excited praise, pets, and a small treat. They’ll soon form positive associations with chewing on that rather than their bowl.

I’m sure you’re looking forward to your dog not biting their water bowl anymore, so I’ll let you get started now. Best wishes with all of this, and thank you for reading our article “Dog Keeps Chewing Water Bowl? Here’s How to Stop It!”