[alaskayorkie]

Has your dog every shown reluctance to drink out of its water bowl? I'm not talking about not seeming thirsty -- I'm talking about backing away, barking at his water dish and needing reassurance or coaxing to get him to drink.

Eddie, 7, has been doing just that lately, and I've never noticed it before the last month or so. There have been no changes in his water dish or water quality or even where he drinks.

I've wracked my brain to try to figure out what it is. I've tried changing dishes. I've tried changing sources of the water (we use bottled, but I tried tap). Nothing seems to help. After taking a few sips, he backs away, barks if I'm not there and only tenuously returns to the bowl.

My wife came up with the best guess -- she wonders if he's getting water in his nose when he drinks. Yorkie snouts are so short, maybe there's something to it.

The only change I can think of is that I recently let him drink out of my hands while on a therapy visit to the hospital and forgot his bowl. He was real thirsty and lapped it up, no hesitation. Maybe he's decided that's his preferred method of drinking?

Thought I'd put it out there in case it's not just an isolated incident.