Water issues - need ideas for water bowl area - Page 1

OK, might be a strange question, but I'm at my wits end.  One of my dogs is the sloppiest drinker I've ever seen.  I'm amazed she actually takes any water in when drinking, because what she slings or drips on the floor is surely more than she drinks, and it's infinitely worse if she drinks after playing.  I've got regular towels under the bowl and if she keeps her head over (or at least close to) it, they work OK...but she doesn't.  She'll fling her head around and even drips water while walking away.  I'm constantly mopping, changing my socks, or slipping if I'm wearing shoes.  And it's all over the floor around the water bowl and a few feet out.

I'm thinking of a jumbo microfiber towel (or two), but thought I'd see if anyone else has this issue and if so, what (product/s) has/have worked for you.  Are there any actual super-jumbo mats for such a thing that I just haven't been able to find?  The dog bowl mats I've found are all too small to help with this problem.  Thanks in advance.

Put a water bucket outside. When your dog needs a drink, she goes out side and can slop water where it's not a problem. Surely she can be indoors without needing to drink water. Sometimes the water on the muzzle is to cool off....let her refresh outside.

Mine is the same way.
I haven't found a solution yet, but here's an interesting concept.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I6_FmT5PgU
 

I have the exact same problem, except worse; usually the towel underneath is their invitation to play tug of war.  I considered checking there pedigree to see if there are a couple of elephants hiding somewhere. They certainly seem to have "trunks" when it comes to carrying water all through the house. The water bucket outside only works while I'm home /during the day. Since I have switched to Orijen, my dogs HAVE TO HAVE Water. no sleeping through the night if water is not available. Thought about starting a thread about that to see if any one else has experienced that. What has helped for me is multiple 2-quart buckets; they seem to be a little less messy.  Hopefully someone else has a solution....

I just watched the link above, that would probably work for one or two of mine, but I bet at least a couple of mine would get frustrated and carry/dump/ chew the bowl

Thanks for the replies.

joanro - I keep water bowls outside and they do drink out there, but it never fails that when they come in they want to drink too.  With 100+ degree days lately, they're spending most of the day inside.

Searackal - that water bowl is a neat idea, but I'm wondering if the cost is outrageous as you have to email them to get pricing info, LOL.  I emailed (after I called and then realized they're in Canada), so we'll see.

Spruell - LOL, sooo glad mine don't play with the towels.  I think you may have it worse .  I'm thinking of this http://www.amazon.com/NEW-RatTowels-Microfiber-Sport-Towels/dp/B005HQ84TG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1372778728&sr=8-9&keywords=microfiber+towels in the beach size, but that won't help you with the tug-o-war issue, lol.  Ideally, I'd like something thicker than a towel that was more like an actual mat, but haven't found anything like that yet.

Try using a really wide bowl or pan, like these Fortiflex pans, which are about 16" diameter--the water that gets splashed around as the dog drinks stays contained in the bowl instead of landing outside of it, and even the dogs that like to hold a mouthful of water that they let drain back out as they finish drinking tend to have it drain back into the bowl because of it's width. Switched over to wide pans like this 20 years ago, and haven't had wet floors or feet [I hate wearing shoes in the house!] since. 

My water is all outside. My dogs are out plenty. 

It seems odd for a big dog, but what I used to do for my little Pekingese was a water bottle. They always had water available, but didn't get it all over themselves and become mops running all over my floors. If the dog has to have water in the house, why not suspend a water bottle somewhere in the kitchen or utility room? 

Here is an example of what I was referring to...
http://www.boscovs.com/StoreFrontWeb/Bundle.bos?itemNumber=138963
 

Kimberlysm - something like that is exactly what I was thinking of, but waaay larger than the 20x31in....I'm thinking 4x6 ft, LOL.  She really does fling the water pretty far ;)

Hexe - I like those wide bowls, but she doesn't always keep her head over the bowl or even near it.  I've taken to being very quiet if she's drinking hoping that maybe if she doesn't get distracted, she won't fling her head to see what she's missing...it's not working, lol.  Now, if I could find or fashion a stabilizer that she'd have to stick her head in to drink, I might be on to something....oh, and maybe a drip cloth that would catch the drips and wipe her mouth as she backs out of it...LOL.