When we are about to acquire or adopt a dog, one of the first things we will have to buy will be its food bowl. It is something that you will use every day and, therefore, it is essential that it is resistant, easy to clean and, above all, suitable for the furry one.
Many times we buy the one that we like, without taking into account the needs of the dog. Therefore, we are going to explain how to choose the food bowl for my dog.
The best feeders for dogs
Types of dog food bowls
Stainless steel feeders
They are the most recommended. They have enough weight so that the furry cannot overturn it (if it is a large animal we can always buy one that has the edge covered with a rubber band), they are easy to clean, and if they are of good quality, they are also anticorrosive.
Elevated
As its name suggests, it is a series of feeders that do not touch the ground like the basic ones we know. They usually have a kind of support and on it, we will put one or two bowls where you can put food or water. There are many models that you can find, with lighter or wider and more resistant supports. They will be at a medium height, as a general rule, so it is recommended for large dogs. It will be much more comfortable and they will take a better posture when eating. They are all advantages!
Antivoracity
It usually happens, especially in puppies, who eat with a voracious hunger at mealtime. So if we put a basic bowl on them, they will surely end up eating more than necessary and it is not what we want. The antivoracidad feeders are perfect for your furry to relax, take longer to eat and their digestion is better. It is an idea that usually has a kind of labyrinth or a game that slightly hides the food, precisely to make patience reach our pets.
Of wood
Another of the most natural and most liked options are the wooden dog bowls. You can even make them yourself at home with some boards or pallets. While if you decide to buy them, you will surely find the option of the double feeder that is one of our favorites. In which the support is made of wood and the bowls or plates of stainless steel or ceramic.
Small
It is true that in addition to their finishes or materials, size is also one of the characteristics of dog feeders. Therefore, when our pets are puppies, it is always preferable to opt for the smallest molds in terms of size. So we can ration food much better and of course, we will also find the most special models in them.
Automatic
As its name suggests, automatic feeders have a button that, when pressed, will add the exact and precise amount for our dogs. Without forgetting that also they usually have a timer. It has the advantage that in this way, they will not exceed their amount of food, avoiding unwanted binges. In addition, the food is also protected and this makes it keep better and longer.
Ceramic feeders
Ceramic feeders they are very pretty, but fragile. If they fall off, they break easily. They are only advisable for small dogs, such as Yorkshire Terrier, Mallorcan thief: Maltese bichon.
Plastic feeders
They are the cheapest. In addition, they do not break easily, and are easily cleaned. But they have two drawbacks: one of them is that can cause allergies the dog, and the other is that As it weighs so little, it is not advisable for medium or large furry ones.
Hopper
Is one of the most sought after types of dog feeders. Because it really is not the basics that allow food to be outdoors, quite the opposite. It will always be protected and that means that all its great properties are protected. By not being in contact with the air, it will be preserved much better, of that there is no doubt. They are also a kind of dispenser so that your furry always has the correct dose at the time you want.
Homemade
As the name suggests, they are the basic ideas that we can make at home with plastic containers and even make our imagination run a little more and create dispensers with cardboard boxes. It is also common to recycle plastic bottles to create dog feeders, but always avoiding spikes or loose pieces so they do not get hurt.
How to choose the most suitable for my dog?
Now that we have seen the types of dog food bowls there are, we can get an idea of which one we should choose. However, there are a number of things that we have to take into account before buying it, which are:
- Dog ears: if it has very long ears, we will have to choose a feeder that is high and narrow to avoid the animal having problems when eating.
- Personality: we will have to buy a feeder with a raised edge for a nervous dog; On the other hand, if it is rather quiet, we can provide you with one with the lower edge.
- Bowl size: the small dog needs a small feeder, and a large one needs a larger bowl.
However, now we can choose the food bowl for our dog. If you have unsolved doubts, do not hesitate to contact us 🙂.
Does food always have to be in the trough?
Like everything, it has its advantages but also its drawbacks. The truth is that as a general rule, it is usual that we always leave food in the feeder. Why? Because in this way we are carefree and our pets can eat when they want.
But if we are talking about a puppy or an animal that has certain health problems, then we should not leave that food all day. Since, they can binge with their indigestion problems and also, the weight of more. All this has a negative influence on your health, as we well know. Therefore, the so-called 'free feeding' is not always recommended.. Since the animal will not be as controlled as if we are giving it its daily portions.
How much should a dog eat
Before going on to talk about quantity itself, we have to think about what our dog is like. The smallest ones will need smaller amounts than a large breed. In the same way, we also have to value the physical exercise of each day, because the more spending, the more demand for food, as a general rule, although we know that sometimes this is not the case. For this reason, we always talk about basic terms or ranges:
- A mini dog breed that weighs three kilos will need between 60 and 85 grams a day.
- Small breeds that are between four and 10 kilos can be fed about 100-180 grams of feed each day.
- If your pet weighs between ten and twenty kilos, then the amount can reach up to 300 grams.
- Whereas if you exceed 30 kilos, surely your ration will be closer to 550 grams and also every day.
This can also derive based on other factors. Therefore, it is not surprising that in some feed that we buy, we get a measuring cup. Be that as it may, you should always consult with your trusted vet.
Where to buy a cheap dog feeder
- Amazon: The giant of internet sales, also has a wide range of dog feeders. From the dispensers, to the stainless steel plates or double them and with supports for greater comfort. All designs and more than affordable prices will be on Amazon.
- kiwiko: It is a specialized pet store, so in it you can find more than 8000 products related to all of them. They have physical stores where you can take a closer look at their best products and therefore the feeders could not be left behind.
- Zooplus: Always with great discounts, Zooplus is also an animal specialist. Therefore, in it we can find all kinds of options for all the animals that we have, whatever their breed or size.