Dog with a drinking problem.

Yes, you read that right; my dog has developed a drinking problem.

He won't do it.

He's always had an odd relationship with water. He hated the kiddie pool we bought him and wouldn't go near it, no matter how hot it was last summer. He has disdained several water bowls, but always enjoys a good mud puddle. He will generally only drink water to wash down food. He hies from the hose and shies from the spigot.

Or so he used to. Something happened this weekend, and we don't know what, but Tralfaz has suddenly become terrified of his water bowl. From Sunday to now I can't say he's managed to drink from it more than a dozen times. He's survived on small slurps; also ice cubes (a longstanding favorite treat); and now he suddenly likes the garden spigot and will drink directly from it. When I turn it off he goes for the mud underneath. If he figures out how to turn it on, my water bill will skyrocket.

We've tried everything to get him back on the water dish. Different bowls. Drinking without the collar on. Adding a drop of vinegar to the bowl (he loves vinegar). Putting peanut butter on the rim. Coaxing, cajoling, ordering. Denying ice cubes, spigots, anything else. When he forces himself to drink from the bowl he complains like a death row inmate whose last meal got burned. Something is bothering him and we just cannot figure out what.

It's getting worrisome. We've scoured the Internet. We've asked our dog-owning friends. We're baffled, bewildered, and exhausted. Next stop is the vet.

Of course you know how this will end:

I'll keep you posted. If I can.