If I have a water line behind my frig that is not being used, can I use it for something else like the water bowl for my dogs? Is there something in the attachment at the end of the water line that stops it from overflowing or is that fitting inside the refrigerator so that it shuts the water off when not dispensing? If I have a dog water bowl that attaches to an outside garden hose faucet, is there a fitting that would allow me to connect the 1/4 OD tube to a garden hose size fitting?

Thanks for your help!

Yes, there is a valve inside the frigerator/freezer.

Normally there is a saddle valve where the plastic pipe attaches to the copper in the house.

Yes, you can use it. Yes, you can get from 1/4" tubing to a hose fitting although not directly.

I forsee two possible problems:

Dog chews through 1/4" hose and you have flood. (concerned about this one)
You might have to go with 1/4" copper tubing to the dish.

The water bowl design depends on a large hose size. Reduce flow outside to a trickle and see if the dish works.

Thanks for the info. I don't foresee the dog chewing the line as a problem, it's not something my dogs really do and the bowl would sit right against the side of the frig and the line would be behind it (the frig) where they couldn't really get to it. I have plastic line running from under the house up through the floor right behind the frig. The shut off valve under the house is a nice one, not tapped into an existing line (don't know the proper lingo, but not one of the pierced hole ones) and I could change it out to copper without much problem probably, I just worry about kinking the line when feeding it up through the floor. Are there certain fittings I should ask for when connecting the 1/4 OD line to the garden hose fitting or just take the line and the bowl and let the plumbing supply people guide me?

Thanks again!

I'm a dog lover also and I found something you're going to love, (see image).
I was wondering how you planned to meter the water into the dish without overfilling and spilling out on the floor. For 15 bucks the problem's solved.
Click on;Auto Wata Aqua Dish Automatic Self-Watering Bowl : The Pampered Pet Mart - Dog Supplies, Cat Supplies and Small Animal Supplies
To check it out. Meet Bandit, my best friend!! Regards, Tom

Here is a male garden hose fitting to 1/2 NPT female.

West Marine: SHURflo Garden Hose Adapter 1/2" Male NPT Product Display

If you just said I want to go from a 1/4" OD plastic tubing to a Garden hose male connector, they should point the way.

If you already have a fitting on your hose and you want to keep or use it, it probably is a 1/4" compression fitting or a push fitting.

If a compression fitting is used on the tubing, you'll need an insert. If any of the fittings required are tapered (NPT) you'll need some teflon tape. You might wish to put an inline valve inside as well. Lowe's has a good selection of parts.