How to Keep Birds Away From a Dog's Food & Water

Dog food is high-quality sustenance for birds, and water bowls basically look like birdbaths. Unfortunately, some birds carry diseases that can be harmful to your dog. According to Margaret A. Wissman, DVM, some birds carry salmonella bacteria that can be passed through bird droppings that are accidentally eaten by dogs. In an effort to keep your pet healthy, it is important to protect his food and water from birds.

Things You'll Need

  • Fake owl
  • Ultrasonic bird repellent
  • Pet cage with a dog door
  • Mesh netting
  • Pulsating strobe light
  • Predator balloon
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a fake owl near the dog bowl. You can either hang the owl or position it next to the bowls. This will scare aware most birds, or at least deter them from eating and drinking from the dog's bowls.

    • 2

      Place a humane ultrasonic bird repellent next to the bowls. Such devices use sound waves to scare off the birds, along with other animals such as possums, raccoons and skunks. These devices cause mild discomfort to the birds that makes them steer clear of the dog's feeding area, but they do not cause them trauma or injury.

    • 3

      Move the bowls into a dog pen or crate that is enclosed or covered with a mesh netting that protects the feeding area. If your dog roams freely in your yard, make sure the pen is accessible to the dog without human assistance.

    • 4

      Place a pulsating strobe light next to the bowls. The intense light is intimidating to birds and will scare them away. You can purchase a strobe light at any garden store.

    • 5

      Hang a predator balloon from a tree or porch overhang that's close to the feeding area. The movement and bright colors of the balloon, which are painted with eyes and other shapes associated with predators, are often enough to scare away the birds.