When my neighbors got themselves a lab puppy (read: water dog), I gave up on trying to keep my small pond and instead transformed it into a pondless water feature with three bubbler stone columns surrounded by various sized rocks and pebble. Everyone wins - it's prettier than the open pond, the dogs still have a source for drinking water, and I'm also seeing birds using it for water/bathing. And, so far, no pond bloom to contend with. I do miss the fish a bit. In exchange, it sounds like I may get tadpoles - lots of spring peepers in/around the water feature.
