Do you cringe at a dog toilet drinking? I’m going to bet you’ve never sipped from your porcelain king. Yet, there are many dog toilet bowl drinkers.
Dogs seem to love some of the grossest things. Even some of their food smells like it could peel the paint off the walls. But then they want to give us a kiss with that tongue we know it’s been in the most questionable places. Ugh!
Why does a dog love to drink toilet water? Is it dangerous or simply gross? What can dog parents do to prevent their canines from partaking in this icky behavior? We’ll clean up and answer all these questions and more.
Budget tip:
It doesn’t take much effort to ensure that your dog doesn’t drink from your loo. But when you do your dog can avoid being sick and you receiving a pricey emergency vet bill. That can be a major win-win for you and your dog!
Why does a dog toilet drink?
There can be a few reasons why a dog would lap up toilet water. These include:
- It’s cold
- Regular water is too warm
- Other water sources are empty
- Their main source of water is dirty
- Watched other dogs do it
Is it dangerous for a dog to drink toilet water?
I always like to say that I would never let my dog or allow him to do anything I wouldn’t do. As such, I can say without hesitation that I would never drink from the toilet. Thus, I would never allow my dog, Henry, to do it either. Why you ask?
Of course, there’s the simple gross factor. But besides that, there are a few other issues you may not think about including:
Germs and bacteria
Yes, toilets have germs and harmful bacteria. According to WebMD, a toilet bowl, especially public restrooms (although any porcelain throne) could contain E coli, staph, hepatic A, common cold, and even various STDs.
Chemicals
Any type of toilet bowl cleaner you use will be lapped up when your dog drinks the water. However, if you use a cleaning product that turns your toilet tank and toilet bowl blue, it’s extremely toxic. If your dog drinks that toilet water, rush to the vet.
Medications
If you are one of those “if it’s yellow, let it mellow” type people, then your dog will be exposed to any medications you are taking such as high blood pressure, thyroid, diabetes, cholesterol, antibiotics, and other medications. Moreover, if you indulge in any illicit drugs or alcohol your dog will drink it as well. This could be extremely hazardous.
Note: You can always call the Pet Poison Hotline at ASPCA 24/7 Poison Control Hotline at 888-426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661. There may be a fee for both, but well it if you need assistance immediately. Or you can try an online vet.
How do I keep my pup from being a dog toilet water drinker?
You’ll be pleased to know that you most likely won’t need to spend a cent to change this behavior. Rather, you will need to change your behavior. Easy solutions to stop your dog from lapping up toilet bowl water include:
- Putting the seat and toilet lid down
- Shutting the bathroom door
- Giving your dog fresh water in their designated dog bowl
- Using filtered water for pups with more discerning taste
- Giving your fur kid larger water bowls and more water bowls with clean water
- Trying a pet water fountain to encourage proper water drinking
Note: If you have a communal water bowl for several dogs, you will need to clean it more often. Especially if one is a backwash drinker.
However, if you feel these aren’t sufficient solutions for your clever toilet water-drinking pup, then you can also attach a child-proof toilet lid lock to the toilet cover. It is cheap. Additionally, you can purchase these locks at your local hardware store. However, make sure all your family members know how to unlock the toilet or you may have more issues.
Note: Feng Shui promotes putting the throne’s seat and covers down as well as shutting bathroom doors to keep money from going down the toilet bowl. That’s a great image to keep in mind to motivate you to keep your seats, covers, and doors shut.
How do I save money by stopping dog toilet bowl drinking?
You may not think that simply putting the toilet seat down and shutting the door to the king’s or queen’s throne could save you money, but consider the following possible expenses.
| Issue | Possible Expense |
| Poisoned dog | $250 – 5,000 |
| Dehydration | $380+ |
| Emergency vet visit | $150 – 5,000 |
| Healthy, hydrated dog | HEART UPLIFTING!!! |
Related articles:
- 8 Awesome Reasons Your Dog Needs Water
- How Do Dogs Learn Weird Behaviors?
- Quick Help: Benefits of Online Vet Advice
- How Can Dog Feng Shui Help My Dog?
Keep those tongues in around the loo!
While you may only have thought your dog lapping up toilet water was gross, it’s much more. It’s a health issue. Actually, it can lead to an emergency vet bill and a very sick pup. It only takes a few steps to make sure that the seat, cover, and door are shut. Also, a clean dog water bowl can ensure your pup doesn’t dive into your porcelain bowl. It can save you money and keep your pup healthy!
An important article for those that seem to think it’s okay to allow their animals to drink from the toilet…as shocking as that is! I once read they like it because the water is cold. Putting aside how unsavoury a behaviour it may seem to us, with all the chemicals we use to keep our toilets clean, it’s certainly a hazard not worth allowing our dogs to take and prevention couldn’t be simpler.
It could certainly be the cold water that some dogs like. I think adding an ice cube or two into their water bowl is a much better idea. I agree that prevention is super simple and free. But the possible vet bills you can avoid are fairly massive. It’s one of those behavior changes that some hu-mans need to make for their fur kids.
I have never had a dog that was interested in doing so but this is such an important post for those that do and I agree it is a disaster health wise waiting to happen and should be stopped as soon as they start.
You know, I’ve never given my dogs an opportunity to partake from the King’s/Queen’s bowl. I just never thought it was a great idea to give them that chance. Kind of like don’t leave the pan of freshly baked brownies on the counter and tell your kid not to eat any until after dinner. That’s too much of an enticement. 😀
Hugs to you and Nili!
Fortunately, this isn’t something my dog does, but I don’t give her the option. I always shut the toilet seat – I can’t stand the idea of it being open. Besides, inevitably, I’ll drop something in it.
Yeah, I can’t stand the cover being up either. But I’m always surprised at the number of folks who don’t put the cover down or shut the door. You are right, having the cover down does prevent things from accidentally falling in the bowl. Good bonus!
Oh, what a good topic! I never did allow my FiveSibes, or any of my dogs, drink from the bowl. Yup, I’m with “gross.” All I could think about is germs, germs, germs, chemicals (cleaners), and chemicals! Which of course, could translate to vet bills for sick pups. Great post, Terri! I think sometimes folks don’t think about the germfest and cleaning chemicals that are swishing around in that porcelain throne! (🤮) I always think that your adage of if you wouldn’t do it, your dog shouldn’t either is a great one to live by. And, aside from the ick factor, your point of them ingesting any human medications or alcohol, whoa, there’s a dangerous situation for the pups! All our dogs need is a constant fresh supply of water in their own clean dishes. Sharing this with my followers for sure!
Yeah, I would never dream of letting any of my critters drink from the Queen’s throne. But I’m always amazed at how many people do allow it and don’t think twice about it. While it’s an easy win or fix, it can be extremely impactful for a dog and his human’s budget. You are correct! I do fall back on the simple test of, “Would I do it?” That really is a good piece of advice that can never steer a pet parent wrong.
Thank you for your kind word and continued support! I really appreciate it!