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Dog Water

Short answer: Dogs can't seal their cheeks to suck, so they curl the tongue tip backward into a ladle, plunge it into the water and pull it out fast, drawing up a column of water by inertia. They close their jaws on the column before it falls, lapping several times per second.

High-speed video studies, such as a 2015 PNAS paper, showed this. The footage, credited to eurekahnb, shows a dog drinking in slow motion.

VideoWrite-up1 sources
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What should you know about Dog Water?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Curled backward.

    DD-551-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Tongue)

  2. Inertia.

    DD-551-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (Lift)

Video transcript: Dog Water: Dogs Curl Their Tongues Backward to Lap Water

Did you know? Dogs drink water by curling their tongues backward to rapidly scoop liquid into their mouths. Unlike humans who use suction, dogs plunge their tongues into the water and quickly retract them, creating a column of water that rises due to inertia. They then snap their jaws shut around that column before gravity pulls it back down. This motion happens incredibly fast, up to four times per second, and relies on precise timing and coordination. High-speed video analysis has shown that the curved, ladle-like tongue shape is key to capturing enough water with each lap. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 27.6s Reel ·

Video coming soonDog Water · Instagram Reel
Dog Water: Dogs Curl Their Tongues Backward to Lap Water Instagram Reel · · 27.6s

The write-up

Dogs curl their tongues backward to lap water. They bite the rising column before it falls.

  1. Exhibit A

    Tongue

    Curled backward.

  2. Exhibit B

    Lift

    Inertia.

  3. Exhibit C

    Catch

    Jaws snap shut.

  4. Exhibit D

    Rate

    Several laps per second.

  5. Exhibit E

    Evidence

    High-speed video.

Questions people ask about Dog Water

Tongue curls?

Ladle.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Tongue) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

Column rises by?

Speed.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Lift) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

Then they?

Catch.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Catch) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

Laps per second?

Fast.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Rate) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

Studied with?

Slow motion.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Evidence) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Tongue curls?

    1. Backward
    2. Forward
    3. Sideways
    4. Not at all
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Backward Ladle. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Tongue) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

  2. Column rises by?

    1. Inertia
    2. Suction
    3. Magnetism
    4. Heat
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Inertia Speed. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Lift) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

  3. Then they?

    1. Bite the column
    2. Spit
    3. Breathe
    4. Bark
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Bite the column Catch. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Catch) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

  4. Laps per second?

    1. Up to about 4
    2. 100
    3. Once a minute
    4. Zero
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Up to about 4 Fast. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Rate) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

  5. Studied with?

    1. High-speed video
    2. X-ray
    3. Sonar
    4. Radar
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. High-speed video Slow motion. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Evidence) · PNAS: Dogs lap using acceleration-driven open pumping (2015)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Dog Water." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-551, last updated Apr 22, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/dog-water/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/dog-water/ · Last updated

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