I'll secord or third the pail clipped in the crate. Many dogs like to try to bury food or water that is in their crate, when it's up in a pail they don't seem to feel that urge.

Does the clip water dish come in metal...I have a goat dog...he will try and eat anything.

Oh and Barbara...I took away the blanket...Oy! I had a day from hell, and a night from hell. The first day he actually started barking again, not just whinning. And every hour through the first night he whined. I am ignoring the barking, and the whinning. Last night there was no whinning, until around 6am, he doesn't go out until 7 am. I guess I should also mention, that we are trying to solve the pack leadership issue in our house (my mother finally will leave the dog alone). He is back in social isolation. The first day I did it he had the blanket, but burying it in his water dish was a normal thing, after I took the blanket, he is into barking. I am just thankful my son can sleep through it. He can't sleep through a cat meowing but he can sleep through the dog, it's weird. Anyway, Tobias is getting two walks a day about 45 minutes each, I can't handle anymore, being that I am 33 weeks pregnant right now. I take him out every 2 to three hours to relieve himself. We ignore all the whinning and barking, but like I said the barking didn't start until I took the blanket away. He seems to be getting better, the whinning and barking are not an all day thing anymore. I just don't know how long this is going to take. It has been about 5 days already I think.

Anyway, thanks guys for your help

Elissa,
I've only seen them come in metal.
One caution, if you are going to leave a dog with a water bucket unattended. Either make sure the pail has a "hidden" handle connector, or that the dog is NOT wearing a collar. If the metal handle is just an exposed bent wire through a hole, it is very very easy for a collar to get stuck on it.

So hard to explain in words. If it's not clear, maybe I can try to get a picture.

Tracy

Here's a picture with both styles of bucket handle. I stuck a collar on one for demonstration purposes.

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h336/zotzybriards/buckets.jpg

Tracy

Have you thought about maybe a no spill bowl. If you don't think the no spill bowl will work then I would go with the clip pail.

http://leerburg.com/playem.htm?name=flv/1207.flv

Thank you Tracey...I see what you mean about the collar. I can also see Tobias trying to knock the bucket of the crate too.

I think just removing the blanket for now...has done the trick. He has left his water bowl alone. My husband also, thinks that it was best that we removed the blanket. Our dog, previous to this blanket removal, would not lie down and sleep on any surface that wasn't a rug, pillow, or blanket....and he would always drag it towards any form of heater (forced air vent, sun shine, fire place or electric heater). He would never lie down on the hardwood floor. So this is forcing him to sleep on any surface. He does not have hip problems or anything. He just doesn't like to be cold, and it causes problems when it is raining outside (he has gotten better with snow at least).