You may be tempted to feed your dog from the first container that comes to your hand, but that shouldn’t be the practice.
People often believe that dogs don’t care about food containers as long as there is food in it. However, they neglect to think about how people serve specific food in specific dishes.
Therefore, you would never serve yourself, or someone else, soup on a flat plate, right? Truth be told, nor dog nor human would care much about the food container if the hunger is too intense.
However, in everyday situations, the right dog dish matters.
Proper dish with specific features will make your dog more comfortable during mealtimes, and it will save you money in the long run.
That being said, let’s explore further what kind of food bowl and water bowl you should provide to your dog.
How To Choose The Best Dog Bowl
Not so long ago, there was only one, maximum two, types of dogs bowls and pet owners had to use them, regardless of the dog’s size, breed, eating style, and shape.
Can you imagine Great Dane eating from the same dog bowl that you use to feed your Chihuahua? They have different food needs, different feeding styles, and they usually don’t eat the same amount of food during the day.
However, in recent years, people passionate about bringing the best to their pets discovered something.
They discovered that different dogs actually have different needs when it comes to mealtimes. Moreover, using the wrong bowl can even have some severe consequences.
Luckily, today you can choose from various food bowls. Nowadays, dog bowls are even designed with a specific purpose.
So, how to know which one is perfect and how to know if you are using the right one? There are a few things that you should take into consideration when you are buying a dog bowl for your canine. Such as:
- How tall is your dog?
- Does he have long ears?
- Does he have a short nose?
- Is he a slow eater or a fast eater?
- Does he have a deep chest in relation to his waist?
You may not take these things into consideration in the past, but you should now. These things, and much more matter!
Every dog is different. Therefore, they all will have different needs. You need to take things listed above into consideration when searching for the perfect dog bowl. Moreover, you should take into consideration the specific traits of the breed.
Again, luckily, with today’s market for pets, you can find the perfect item specially designed for your dog needs. So, let’s explore what’s available on the market.
Go Bowling
Before we list the available dog bowls and before you run off to buy them and test them, let’s provide a few more tips.
Make sure that you always look for a bowl that is easy to clean. Moreover, look for a bowl that will resist tipping over.
Make sure that you provide separate bowls for food and water. Always keep dogs eating area tidy. If you have a puppy now, make sure that you upgrade to a bigger bowl when the times come.
Could you wear now, your shoes from the first grade? Probably not. So, upgrade as your puppy grows.
It can be handy to have a standard 8-ounce measuring cup. This way, you will always feed your dog the right amount. Having the right tool can help you keep your dog on the right weight and avoid obesity.
Above all, know your dog’s eating habits. If your canine continually goes around the bowl to get his food, the bowl may be too big.
On the other hand, if he is continually tipping his dish over to get his meal, the bowl may be too small.
Once again, every dog is different, and every dog has unique needs. Now, let’s see what the most common dog bowls are.
Size Of The Bowl
A water bowl should hold at least a quart of water. A dog food dish should hold a minimum of two cups of dry food. When it comes to puppy bowl, you should buy a bowl minding your puppy’s adult size in mind.
It can’t hurt if you start with a bigger bowl, as long as you keep the recommended amount of food. However, if you want, you can buy a puppy bowl and later on upgrade.
If you don’t plan to have another dog, you can place a puppy bowl in the backyard and put water in it for birds. Or, you can set it somewhere for street dogs and cats to have water or food in, or even donate to a local shelter.
Dow Bowl Types
Now when you know the basics of dog bowls, let’s see what the types of dog bowls are and what their traits are.
1. Plastic Dog Bowls
Plastic dog bowls come in various shapes, colors, and sizes. They are usually inexpensive, and if you drop them, they won’t break frequently. Many of them are dishwasher-safe. However, think twice about washing pets bowls with your own dishes.
You might want to wash them separately and just over your sink, to avoid any chances of catching Salmonella.
When it comes to dogs and plastic bowls, they are not recommended in general. Your dog might chew this bowl easily. Moreover, bacterias might easily catch on, and some dogs may have or may develop an allergy to plastic.
This allergy might result in a mild skin reaction, that can be seen on the face or chin.
2. Ceramic Dog Bowls
A ceramic or even stoneware dog bowl is the right choice when it comes to food taste. However, there is a massive downside to this bowl. If you have a unique style of you want to match your dog’s bowl with indoor decor, ceramic bowls are perfect.
Moreover, they are handy for dogs as well, and any food can be served here and taste great. No one likes that plastic taste in their mouth anyway, right?
Ceramic dog bowls come with protective glaze, which makes that easy to clean. The only downside here is that if dropped, it will break 100 percent.
Even if you are extra careful with these bowls, they can easily crack or even chip, making them unsafe for dogs.
Less visible cracks can even harbor bacteria. If you choose to serve your dog’s food in a ceramic bowl, make sure that you regularly check for any type of damage.
3. Stainless Steel Dog Bowls
When it comes to durability, nothing can beat stainless steel. Therefore, if you are looking for a long-lasting dog bowl, you should think about stainless steel dog bowls.
They are usually made with a non-skid rim on the bottom to prevent spilling. If you opt for this dog bowl, make sure that you buy that one with a non-skid rim. It will help enormously, just make sure to wash the rim often as well. These bowls are classy, and they don’t have a unique design pr colors.
However, they are durable, inexpensive, and they last. If you leave this bowl outdoors, wash frequently. Make sure that your dog doesn’t bite the rim on the bottom, because he could damage his teeth and gums easily.
Match The Dog Breed With The Right Bowl
Now that you know what the most regular dog bowls are, you should know one more thing — the depth of the bowl matters. Buying a steel dog bowl for your Pomeranian won’t do much if you buy a deep bowl. It will be useless.
So, let’s see how the dog bowl depth should be matched based on the dog’s breed.
1. Shallow Bowls
These bowls are the most used ones. However, they should be used only if you have a small or medium breed dog, such as Pomeranian, or Beagles. Since these bowls are shallow, they allow for smaller dogs to reach all the way into the bowl easily. This way, no additional pressure will be put on their sensitive throats.
2. Deep Bowls
If you have a breed with thin and long snouts, such as Collies, Greyhounds, or Dachshunds, you should search for deep bowls. These bowls will allow easy access to food.
3. Steep-Sided Bowls
These bowls are in general deep, with a narrower opening at the top. Their sides are usually inward. If you have a long-eared dog, such as Cocker Spaniels, Beagles, or Basset Hounds, you should think about this bowl type. This is a great bowl to keep your dog’s ears from their bowl.
Dog Bowls With Special Features
For extremely large dog breeds, such as Great Danes or Mastiffs, elevated bowls are the best option.
Elevated bowls are also often recommended for senior dogs, or dogs with specific physical limitations, or dogs who just had surgery and must stand.
With these bowls, dogs won’t suffer from joint pain. However, some claim that these bowls may be tricky if a dog breed is prone to a life-threatening condition known as Bloat.
If you have a German Shepherd or Boxer, or any sizeable chest-to-waist ratio breed, make sure that you talk with your veterinarian first. If your dog eats to fast, you should try introducing him to a dog bowl for slow eating.
As you probably know already, fast eating can lead to numerous problems, so slow feeding dog bowl should help.
If you spend a lot of time outside your home, you should think about an electronic feeder. It can be handy for your canine and stress-free for your dog. It opens as many times a day as you set it to.
This way, you will provide the planned amount of food and avoid overfeeding, especially if you are practicing free feeding. The most helpful thing about this feeder is that you can plan your dog meals even a few days in advance.
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The Bottom Line
Choosing the perfect dog bowl can be a big challenge if you don’t know where to start. However, with guidelines listed above, you should be ready to shop stress-free and to doing the perfect dog bowl in no time.
Don’t forget that if you have a multi-pet household, to provide a dog bowl for each pet, including bowls separate bowls for water and food. When shopping for a perfect dog bowl, buy a dish that will last.
This way, you will provide a lifetime of delicious meals to your canine.
