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Is there a right dog dish or feeding system for your dog?
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Choose an automatic system, stainless, ceramic, double diner or a raised feeder. |
Most people don't think twice about getting a container to serve their dog's food and water in. And for the most part, any ole bowl will do. But today there are many choices and many reasons to choose the right dog feeding system. Starting with dog food - decide on the type of food to make it easier to find the right feeding system.
Here's an interesting fact: Many people make their own natural dog food or feed their dogs meals made from ingredients purchased in grocery or health-food stores. Most rely on commercially manufactured dog food and natural dog food. |
There are many different recommendations on what diet is best for dogs. Some people argue that commercial dog foods contain additives or poor-quality meat or ingredients. A few claim that certain commercial foods are not nutritionally sufficient for their dogs.
Different homemade diets are recommended by various experts, from "natural dog food" diets consisting primarily of raw meat... to vegetarian diets consisting only of nutritionally balanced vegetarian ingredients, to mixtures consisting of ingredients such as brown rice, brown pasta, meats, eggs and vegetables.
Most dogs willingly eat both meat and vegetables, particularly if the vegies are cooked. To my surprise, many dogs also enjoy a variety of fruit, although grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs.
What to consider...
Once you decide on your dog's food and water, you need to choose a dog bowl or dog dish. And it's a huge choice. Dog feeders now come in an assortment of types, styles, and colors. Even "one type" has a range of styles. Naturally, you want to consider your dog's breed and size. Eating inside or outside. Home decor. Weather. Health. Other dogs in the family. Convenience. How long the dog is alone. How often your dog eats and drinks. Clean up to avoid bacteria buildup. Ease. Location.
For example, the traditional stainless steel dog bowls are found with non-slip, non-skid bottoms. Some are fit for double diners. Some suit dogs with long ears so the ears don't get into the food and water.
There are even dog dishes that come with liners. All you do is load up the liner and then lift it out and put it in the trash when dinner is done. Now that's easy on the clean and keeps bacteria down, too. |
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Ant-proof dog diners |
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There's now a new type of dog water bowl and food feeder that prevents bugs from getting into your dogs water and food. The food hopper holds up to 10 lbs. of food... enough for two medium sized dogs for five days. There's a small size, too. These types of feeders are automatic. |
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Raised diners for tall dogs |
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A stand that holds a bowl for food and water is called a raised double diner. |
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Deep dog dish for long ears |
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Deep dishes are available for dogs with long ears to protect the ears from dipping into the food and water. Drippy ears is not good for the dog, but also prevents the floor and furniture from geting transfer from what gets stuck on the dog's ears. |
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How much water does your dog need?
There are many different factors that affect the needed intake of a dog or puppy - so many that it is always wise to provide access to water at all times so that your dog can regulate its consumption as needed. Factors such as high heat and exercise or lactation can increase the needed amount two or three times above normal. Most animals consume more than their daily requirement.
A general rule of thumb is that a dog needs to consume 2.5 times the amount of water, as its daily intake of food. If an dog eats 2 lbs. of dry food, it should consume 5 lbs. of water. (There are 8 lbs. in a gallon.) If your dog eats 4 oz. of dry food, he should drink 10 ozs of water (1¼ cup). A little extra water consumption never hurts, but too little can be catastrophic.
Vet bills drain the wallet faster than investing in good drinking water, so many pet owners give their dogs bottled water.
However, the finest water in the world will not help if it is placed in a dirty container. Unwashed water bowls can harbor all kinds of bad organisms. That's part of why disposable liners are now so popular. Water bowls should be washed daily and disinfected periodically.
Stainless steel bowls are the easiest to keep clean and resist scratches that can harbor bacteria, stoneware, ceramic or crock-style dishes are also a good option. Buy a good quality bowl and after it starts to look worn and scratched, replace it.
When deciding what to feed your dog and what water to serve your dog, a good rule of thumb is that if you would not eat or drink the water from your dog’s bowl then neither should your dog. |
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