Your dog doesn’t need a fork and spoon when he has his dinner, but well designed food and water bowls will make his meals more enjoyable, not to mention less messy for you. A good bowl is sturdy, easy to clean, won’t tip over easily, and has plenty of room for his muzzle. Be sure you keep his dishes clean, washing them out or running them through the dish-washer regularly so that encrusted food doesn’t build up and attract bacteria and bugs.
The Best Bowls:
Dog bowls can be metal, plastic or ceramic, and he’ll need one for food and one for water. Metal and plastic bowls have the advantage of being inexpensive, lightweight, easy to clean and unbreakable, but ceramic ones are often more attractive, with decorative designs. They are also heavier, so it’s not as easy for your dog to shove them around the floor or knock them over. However, ceramic dishes may require hand-washing as they aren’t always dishwasher – safe. If you choose a ceramic bowl, make sure it was made in North America. Some foreign-made ceramics contain high levels of lead, which can leach into food or water and harm your dog.
If your dog is tall or deep – chested, or you’ve got a puppy that will grow to be that way, consider buying raised feeding bowls. They are more comfortable for him to eat from, and are recommended for dogs that are prone to bloat, because a dog swallows less air as he eats if he isn’t bent over. An older dog with arthritis can find it painful if he has to bend too far for his food, so he will also appreciate raised bowls.
Other special bowls you can buy include those with moats around them that will keep to ants and other crawling insects. And there are also bowls shaped to keep floppy ears from dragging through the food and water.
Automatic Watering and Feeding Systems:
Dogs are creatures of habit and they like to eat at the same time every day. But with busy schedules and traffic jams in the average dog owner’s day, it’s not always possible to get home right when your pooch is expecting to get his evening meal. If this is a common problem for you, an automatic feeding and watering system might be the answer. You can buy dishes that work on a timer and that pop open at whatever time you set them to. They can be filled with either dry food or, if you buy a deluxe model that keeps canned food refrigerated, with moist food that won’t spoil during the day.
To ensure that your pooch always has fresh, clean water, you can buy a dish that can be attached to a reservoir, such as a two – quart plastic bottle, or to a garden hose. Just keep the reservoir filled, making sure you change the water daily, or leave the hose slightly turned on. The bowl will refill automatically as your dog empties it.
The Best Bowls:
Dog bowls can be metal, plastic or ceramic, and he’ll need one for food and one for water. Metal and plastic bowls have the advantage of being inexpensive, lightweight, easy to clean and unbreakable, but ceramic ones are often more attractive, with decorative designs. They are also heavier, so it’s not as easy for your dog to shove them around the floor or knock them over. However, ceramic dishes may require hand-washing as they aren’t always dishwasher – safe. If you choose a ceramic bowl, make sure it was made in North America. Some foreign-made ceramics contain high levels of lead, which can leach into food or water and harm your dog.
If your dog is tall or deep – chested, or you’ve got a puppy that will grow to be that way, consider buying raised feeding bowls. They are more comfortable for him to eat from, and are recommended for dogs that are prone to bloat, because a dog swallows less air as he eats if he isn’t bent over. An older dog with arthritis can find it painful if he has to bend too far for his food, so he will also appreciate raised bowls.
Other special bowls you can buy include those with moats around them that will keep to ants and other crawling insects. And there are also bowls shaped to keep floppy ears from dragging through the food and water.
Automatic Watering and Feeding Systems:
Dogs are creatures of habit and they like to eat at the same time every day. But with busy schedules and traffic jams in the average dog owner’s day, it’s not always possible to get home right when your pooch is expecting to get his evening meal. If this is a common problem for you, an automatic feeding and watering system might be the answer. You can buy dishes that work on a timer and that pop open at whatever time you set them to. They can be filled with either dry food or, if you buy a deluxe model that keeps canned food refrigerated, with moist food that won’t spoil during the day.
To ensure that your pooch always has fresh, clean water, you can buy a dish that can be attached to a reservoir, such as a two – quart plastic bottle, or to a garden hose. Just keep the reservoir filled, making sure you change the water daily, or leave the hose slightly turned on. The bowl will refill automatically as your dog empties it.
