Most puppies just like to explore! One day your puppy probably thought “This is cool!” and decided to play in its dish.

First, stay calm. Don’t react with heightened voices because all your dog hears is the cheerleading squad that is screaming their name – this reinforces the behavior.

No spill water bowls do exist, which is one option to get them from spilling water everywhere.

Likewise, when filling your dog’s bowl, only put a little water in the bowl. Monitor it so it isn’t empty, but if it does empty, add a little more, and so on. Less water in the bowl makes splashing less fun.

If your pup starts to dig in the bowl, a gentle “nope” and then picking up the bowl for 5 minutes, this disrupts their behavior.

Lastly, make sure they have plenty of proper toys to keep them entertained – fun toys make the water bowl look less fun!