Buying a new dog food and water bowl for your dog is easy, right? What could there be to think about? There are a lot more choices out there than you think. But what are the best dog food bowls? We took a bit of a deep dive in the many choices you have. “As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases, which will not change your price at all.”
Bowl Size Matters
As you may already know, dog food and water bowls come in a variety of different sizes to accommodate the various appetite sizes of our dogs. If you’re not sure exactly what size bowl you will need for your best friend, check out the handy chart provided by Amazon.com. Experts say that the bowl size should be no deeper than the dog’s snout is long, so your dog is able to easily reach the bottom of the bowl. Another stat is that the water bowl should be 2 – 3 times larger than the food bowl.
Bowl Material
Dog food and water bowls are made of several different materials. Metal, usually stainless steel, is one the most popular materials used. Stainless steel is a great option as it is a non-porous material meaning it will not promote bacterial growth as easily as other materials. Insulated stainless steel bowls are also very popular due to the fact that they will keep the cold water bowl from condensating and they are more attractive. Glass is another popular choice because it is also a non-porous material and very easy to clean. The only real downside to glass is the possibility of the bowls breaking and causing potential harm to your pooch. Ceramic is another option but unfortunately some companies use a toxic glaze to coat the ceramic which could also prove to be harmful to your dog over time. Plastic is one of the worst choices for bowls due to the fact that many plastics are made of harmful chemicals that can eventually leech into your dog’s food and water. Plastic is also more prone to producing bacteria. Other materials that are used in bowl construction are bamboo and silicone, but non are as safe for your pet as our top two choices, stainless steel or glass. Here is our favorite choice which can be purchased at Amazon.
Raised Bowls
When choosing bowls, if you have a larger dog you may want to consider an elevated bowl. These have become very popular and they are now available in many different heights for many different size dogs. There appears to be a considerable amount of controversy regarding whether or not the elevated bowls help with digestion, including bloating and gas problems. Depending on your specific dog, the benefits of using a raised bowl can include a reduced mess after eating for those sloppier eaters, help can prevent bowl tipping for the more aggressive eaters and the raised bowls can even help somewhat with arthritis and joint pain issues, especially for our larger and older doggies. This is one of the more popular bowls on Amazon.
Slow Feeder Bowls
Another popular type of dog bowl is the slow feeder bowl. There are a huge number of different designs out there to choose from. These were created to slow down the eating process which can help with bloating and gas problems from eating too fast. When our dogs eat too fast, they may gulp air which can create stomach problems. Other benefits of the slow feeders are mental stimulation as they figure out just how to get to all that yummy food. This is one of our favorite slow feeders due to the material it is made from, which can be found on Amazon.
Non Skid Bottoms
One thing we have noticed as a good choice (accidentally of course) is the bowls that have a rubber or some type of grippy material fastened to the bottom. When our Lucy eats, she would push the bowl across the floor until it runs into a wall and she can get to her kibble. Since the last set of bowls we bought have a rubber, anti-skid bottom, this doesn’t happen anymore. Obviously both of us and Lucy were happy with that choice.
Final Thoughts
When we started researching this topic I thought “really?….an article about dog bowls?”, but much to my surprise there are a lot of choices out there and some very good ideas to help our fine furry friends enjoy their meals just a little bit more. As always feel free to make any comments and ask any questions.