The Water Bowl

It happens every litter, usually long before 9 weeks, so I guess I have something to be thankful for with these guys BUT... yesterday Puppy #2 discovered the joy of doggy paddling. I was watching when it happened and was powerless to stop it. The pups were playing, chasing each other and wrestling and #2 accidentally stepped in the almost full water bowl when in hot pursuit of Puppy #4. It was almost comical to see it dawn on 2 that wet feet were something different. He caught #4 and then just froze.
S l o w l y he turned and almost casually walked back to the bowl, then around it. Then he tentatively put a paw in and tapped the water. It barely moved so he tapped a little harder. It splashed. Next thing I... and he... knows, he's digging in the water like he's trying to uncover a skier buried by an avalanche! Water is flying everywhere. He's getting his belly wet. He's in HEAVEN! Now, ONE puppy in the water bowl isn't such a terrible thing. But #2 likes to share AND he has thoughts of becoming a teacher in his next life. So, and I kid you not, he goes over to some of the other pups... who are sitting or lying down in a nice quiet little group, getting ready for a nap... and plunks himself down in a wet mess right in the middle of them. And one of them, #6 or 7, I'm not sure which, starts to lick the water off his feet. The two of them exchange a look and I can see #6/7 thinking "His FEET are wet? "
It was all over but the shouting. 6/7 follows 2 back to the bowl... which now has only an inch or two of water left in it... and 2 starts digging in the water. He stops, stands back and I can hear him say:
"Now, YOU try it, kid." Kid tries it. Several times. Until there really isn't any water left to splash. Or drink. My feeble attempts to distract them fail miserably but I got even. I didn't fill the bowl up again for over an our. (Of course, they were all sleeping during that time....) So far this morning, I've not seen anyone IN the water bowl. Maybe they've forgotten about it or the other pups told them wet dogs are unattractive. Right.