A dog owner has been forced to remove the taps from his sink after his pooch learned hot to use them - and racked up an $100 water bill.

Owner Jacob James, 32, kept finding the tap running in his garage - and thought he was being forgetful.

But when he set up a CCTV camera he caught bloodhound Neyland, one, red-pawed.

The water-loving hound had watched Jacob, and learned how to use his paws to turn the taps, and was hopping up to have a drink whenever he fancied.

But unfortunately he has not learned how to turn the taps off again.

Jacob, from Elizabethton, Tennessee, took the handles off the tap after Neyland racked up a $100 bill.

The ex-military worker said: "He's such a character, and he's got a real thing for water."

"He loves to sit and watch when there's water going down the drain., It's very sweet."

"He's very observant. I guess he just watched me getting his water and copied."

"I knew he was smart but I never imagined he'd be able to do that."

"I thought I was going crazy, but then he left the tap on all night, and I knew I hadn't done that so I put the camera in."

"I reckon it cost over $10 a night - he's probably cost me $100 overall."

"He's pretty mad at me for taking a screwdriver to the tap handles."

"From that video you'd think I don't give him any water, but he's always drinking and playing in it."

"He's great!"

He sticks his whole face in his water bowls.

"We have to be careful he doesn't get his long floppy ears wet because then he can get infections."