Special bowls can help slow down fast-drinking dogs

Dear Cathy: My Chihuahua/Jack Russell mix drinks his water much too quickly. He starts coughing and wheezing as the water goes down the wrong pipe. I put him on my lap, hold his chest and slap his back. It helps but only after much coughing.

Any suggestions that might help the little guy? He drinks from a raised water bowl alongside his food bowl. Water is changed a few times daily.

Dear Larry: There are special bowls designed to slow down fast-drinking dogs.

Slowdown bowls have something in the middle of the water dish, so the dog has to nudge around it to drink. Floater bowls have a floating disk in the water bowl. When the dog’s tongue nudges the disk, it sinks a bit and the water rises up for the dog to drink, which keeps the dog from gulping water.

There is also a bowl called a StayDry Dog Water Dish. While it’s designed for dogs that splash water all over the place, it could be useful for dogs who like to gulp water, too. It’s a closed water dish that brings water to the surface via a grooved spinning wheel that’s activated when a dog licks it.

Let me know if one of these works for your dog.

Dear Cathy: We have a 3-year-old healthy, active black lab/shepherd mix named Tex. He absolutely loves ice cubes. Anytime I go into the freezer, he is there waiting for his treat. He gets one or two, which he promptly chews and enjoys. Any particular reason or concern regarding Tex eating ice cubes?

Dear Grace: Many dogs love ice cubes. They are a great no-calorie treat that satisfies their need to chew.

My only caution is to make sure the ice cubes aren’t too thick, like the ones that might be created from an overfilled ice tray. Only give Tex ice from half-filled trays or from an ice maker as they tend to produce more slender ice. We don’t want him cracking a tooth.

You also can drop the ice into Tex’s water bowl, so the ice melts and softens a little before he chews it. Other than that, ice is a perfectly acceptable treat that makes many dogs very happy.