Many dog owners know the risk they face whenever they leave a drink within their pup's reach: before long, they'll hear the familiar sound of the pet lapping up the fresh water as if it was just for them.
However, when Hannah Bowman, 30, of Sydney, Australia, poured herself a glass of soda water, she thought it would be safe from her rescue greyhound Whizz. As the drink was left on the coffee table, Whizz didn't think twice about giving it a taste, and unfortunately for his owner, he actually seemed to enjoy it.
Whizz's latest craving was completely unexpected, but his owner said that he does often push his luck. Bowman told Newsweek: "He is very cheeky and loves food, so I was surprised when I looked up and saw him enjoying a few sips of soda water."
Most dogs love to guzzle down the still water in their bowl, or those who are less fussy might even horrify their owner by drinking out of the toilet or lapping up puddle water. But drinking sparkling or soda water is simply unthinkable for dogs who hate the fizzy taste.
Whether your drink of choice is a coffee, soda, or a hot chocolate, your dog won't get jealous of what you're having. Hill's Pet Nutrition experts say that dogs love nothing more than a bowl of fresh, cold water, so they aren't interested in deviating away from that. It's also vital that dogs don't have any sugary drinks because they simply don't need the calories, and caffeine can be highly toxic. If a dog does have too much caffeine, Hill's Pet Nutrition adds that it can lead to hyperactivity, vomiting, and an elevated heart rate.
This means that, thankfully for Bowman, she won't have to share all her beverages with Whizz in the future. She said: "I was worried that the gas wouldn't be good for his tummy, so he is sticking to fresh water from now on. Just because you like something, doesn't mean it's good for you."
As a former racing greyhound, Whizz is now living the life of luxury in his home and loves keeping his owner firmly on her toes. Bowman regularly shares videos of the mischievous pup on his dedicated TikTok account (@whizzthehound), much to the delight on his many followers. The hilarious clip of Whizz enjoying the "spicy water" has amused many since it was posted on November 24, receiving over 3,800 views and almost 400 likes.
By showing social-media users how much fun Whizz's life is since he was adopted, Bowman hopes to encourage more people to rescue dogs in need of a second chance at life. "People should try to adopt when getting a pet, and definitely look into greyhounds as they make fantastic pets," she said.
Many social-media users were shocked to see Whizz happily enjoying the soda water, as plenty of fellow owners shared how their own dogs reacted to the unexpected taste. One comment reads: "My hound looked like she got electrocuted when she tried my soda water."
Another person responded: "Nooo not the TV static water."
A third TikTok user posted that "my greyhound nicked my ginger nut whilst I opened door to postman and washed it down with my soya milk."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alyce Collins is a Newsweek Life and Trends reporter based in Birmingham, U.K. with a focus on trending topics that ... Read more
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