When dogs drink, they make a lot of noise and often leave the surrounding area wet. American fluid dynamicists have now discovered why this is the case. The shape of a dog’s snout is perfect for catching and biting prey, but it is not ideal for drinking water. Dogs cannot create a vacuum in their mouths to drink water like humans do because of their split cheeks. Sunghwan Jung and his colleagues from the Virginia Institute of Technology have studied how dogs drink water and found that they use a different method than cats. While cats use their tongues to create a column of water, dogs use their tongues to create a splash that they then catch in their mouths.
The researchers filmed dogs drinking water with special cameras and found that dogs do not place their tongues on the surface of the water like cats do. Instead, they roll their tongues back and create a splash that they catch in their mouths. This creates an acceleration that is equivalent to five times the force of gravity on the water. The researchers analyzed the physical parameters of this process in a model simulation using a glass rod to imitate the dog’s tongue. They found that the water column collapses due to its own weight, but dogs are smart enough to close their mouths before the water falls back into the bowl.
This study sheds light on how dogs drink water and how their snouts are adapted to their natural way of life. It also highlights the importance of studying animal behavior and physiology to better understand the world around us. As Sunghwan Jung said, “We can learn a lot from animals, and their adaptations can inspire new technologies and innovations.”
