Drool Fighter!

There is never a shortage of drool in our house. Between our overpanting Saint Bernard and our dribbling English bulldog, we're practically swimming in it. Something that helps to combat the gooey gunk is a little apple cider vinegar added to their giant 16 quart water bowl. We use about 1 Tbsp. for every 2 quarts (most standard food and water bowls are 2 quarts). Of course, we only use stainless steel in our house. Stainless steel is about the only material for bowls that won't make a bulldog's face break out, and is the easiest, durablest stuff to keep clean and in a regular rotation. We have a gigantic water bowl that the boys share, so we use a lot more vinegar per bowl, but we only fill the bowl once a day, which is highly convenient if you consider how many times we'd have to reload a 2-quart bowl. We also keep their bowl in a giant low-walled Rubbermaid container, so that it catches the overspray and dribble.

The vinegar also helps Angus (the bulldog) to breathe properly when he exercises, as it doesn't make his throat all phlegmy and gross. Neither minds the flavor now, but it is something you have to let them get used to. Gently introduce it a 1/4 tsp. at a time per 2 quarts. We tried to just do the whole dose from the start, but they weren't interested. Eventually they would have drank it, but it wasn't hard to just ease them into it slowly. Sort of like food changes, water changes can upset their tummies and their disposition, so slower is better for an easy transition.

Unlike our food bowls, we do not put kongs in their water bowls. In their food bowls, we place a few kongs (three for Angus, but just one for Gordie--Gordie is a much slower eater) to make them work around them when eating and thus take their time chewing and swallowing before gobbling food down. Between all the bulldog barf and digestive issues and bloat for the saint, we do whatever we can to head things off before they become problems.