I agree with you, buying a bowl for a dog is not an easy task.
You have to check hundreds of product and filter out anyone product from the crowd.
…and after getting the right dog bowl, I know the happiness.
But, in most of the case, you regret after buying a dog bowl.
So, that’s why I’m sharing some points to help you while buying a dog bowl.
In this “dog bowl buying guide” I’ll be sharing with you key points to check while buying a dog bowl.
So, let’s get started.
Dog bowl buying guide
Types of the dog bowl
On the internet, different types of dog bow available. You can choose anyone according to your budget as well as preference.
Plastic bowl:
The bowl is made from plastic material and it comes at cheap price.
But, some dogs are allergic to plastic. If the quality of plastic weak, your dog will get many health problems in the longer run.
If you’re really on a tight budget then you can go with a plastic bowl otherwise, you have many other better option.
Stainless steel bowl:
The bowl is made from stainless steel material. It is rust-resistant and you can use it indoor as well as outdoor.
Stainless steel bowl is easy to keep clean and dishwasher safe. It is durable.
You can get stainless steel bowl at an affordable price point.
Related: Best stainless steel dog bowl
Slow feeder bowl:
Slow feeder bowl has ridges inside it, where food get stuck and it makes a little bit hard for the dog to eat his food fast.
The slow feeder is specially designed for the fast-eater dogs who love to finish their food within a couple of seconds.
Slow feeder helps to slow down dog eating speed and save your dog from digestion and other health problems.
Related: Best slow feeder dog bowl
Elevated bowl:
The elevated bowl is a little bit elevated from the ground surface. It is more useful for a large dog breed or older dogs.
The elevated bowl is expensive than the normal bowl.
Related: Best elevated dog bowl
Ceramic bowl:
The ceramic bowl is made from stoneware or ceramic material. It is a premium looking bowl.
Ceramic material is delicate, if your dog is aggressive eater then you must avoid this bowl.
The ceramic bowl is easy to keep clean. It is dishwasher and microwave safe.
Related: Best ceramic dog bowl
Automatic feeder:
The automatic feeder has a set programme. So, you can operate feeder from your smartphone even if you not in the home.
The automatic feeder is the best option for you, if you stay more time outside of your home for the job, business or travel purpose.
Related: Best automatic feeder
Travel bowl:
Travel bowl is made from a silicon material. It is specially designed for the travel person.
Travel bowl is easy to keep clean and has light-weight.
If you love to travel with your dog, you will love this travel dog bowl.
Most of the travel dog bowl comes with a set of two bowls: one for food and other for water.
Size of dog
According to AKC, 195 numbers of dog breeds registered in the USA.
..and every dog owner has a different breed, from small to large dog breed.
You can’t feed German shepherd with a dachshund’s bowl.
Make sense?
The German shepherd is a large kind of breed, and depending on his age he wants more cups of food then dachshund’s meal intake proportion.
So, while buying a dog bowl always look for the bowl size and ask yourself questions,
What kind of my dog’s breed size? Small, medium or large.
How many cups my dog needs in a single meal?
Let us understand by example:
If I want to purchase a dog bowl for my English bulldog.
..so I will be asking me these questions,
Que: What kind of my dog’s breed size?
Ans: Medium
Que: How many cups my dog needs in a single meal?
Ans: 3-4 cups.
Simple? You will get your Answers easily 🙂
This will help you to find perfect bowl according to your dog breed.
Nature of Dog
Some dogs are calm and some are aggressive. Some dogs eat very politely and some are aggressive eaters.
For calmer eater, you can buy almost any kind of bowl.
BUT,
For aggressive eater, you need to do more research and find an appropriate dog bowl.
If your dog is an aggressive eater, Never purchase a ceramic bowl.
The ceramic bowl is easy to get broken. Stainless steel or plastic bowl will be a great option.
If your dog love to tip over his bowl while eating, then no-spill dog bowl will be a great choice.
No-spill dog bowl has a sturdy base, so your dog can’t tip it over easily.
Dog eating habits
I saw the dogs, who eat like a vacuum cleaner. I mean within 5 seconds they almost clean their food bowl.
Faster then JET maybe!
Jokes apart, but this will be a serious issue.
If your dog eats his food fast without chewing well then he will be more prone to get BLOAT.
..and if primary medical treatment does not get before the time, your dog should be dead in some cases.
Slow feeder dog bowl will be a life saviour for your dog if he is fast-eater.
The slow feeder has ridges or mazes inside it, so the food gets stuck inside the ridges or mazes and it takes time for your dog to complete his meal.
Face structure of the dog
Did you notice, German shepherd and bulldog have different face structure?
The German shepherd has pointed face and bulldog has flat-faced structure.
The German shepherd can easily eat his food from almost every kind of bowl. But, for bulldog sometimes hard to eat his food from the normal bowl.
So, if you have a flat-faced dog like bulldogs, Frenchie, pugs etc then you should look for the tilted bowl.
The tilted bowl has incline design, so it’s made it easy for the flat-faced dog to eat their food easily.
Dog allergy
Some dog breeds are allergic to plastic or ceramic bowls. If your dog has an allergic problem in the past, better to choose another option.
In this case, the stainless steel bowl will be a great choice.
Indoor or outdoor dog
What is your dog type, indoor or outdoor?
If your dog is staying indoors, you can buy almost any bowl.
But, if your dog is staying outdoors you can buy stainless steel or plastic bowl.
..because stainless steel or plastic bowl are more durable and you want a durable bowl for outdoor purpose.
Final word
I know, Dog is your family member.
..and you want to see him happy.
You can buy any bowl according to your budget and preference.
I hope this “dog bowl buying guide” will help you to find a better dog bowl for your dog.