Charlotte Foster
Eating is one of the highlights of the day for most dogs. There is a wide range of feeding bowls so that your darling can eat well and you can keep the bowl and feeding place clean. Find out which dog bowl is suitable for your fur nose.
Dog bowl: How to choose the ideal feeding bowl
The right dog bowl is one of the basic pieces of equipment for your four-legged friend. Various factors need to be taken into account. The size of the bowl is important. Other aspects are the level, what type of food your darling eats, and how much food you feed per meal. For very special “skins”, bowls specially tailored to the feeding habits are available.
What size for the food bowl?
Your dog’s food bowl should be larger than the meal that fits in it – otherwise, you risk ending up some chunks on the floor instead of in the dog’s stomach. A good guideline is that the dog bowl should be about four times the volume of the meal.
Dogs with long muzzles prefer deeper bowls, for broad-snouted types like boxers you should choose a generous, wide bowl with a small rim so that the dog does not get on the sidewalls when eating. Dogs with long floppy ears are given a narrower bowl so that their ears do not hang down when eating.
Also note: Your dog should always have fresh water available. So buy a water bowl of the same size.
Should the dog bowl be high or low?
In addition to the dog bowl size, it is essential whether you place the bowl on the floor or in a bowl stand. Such a feeding bar makes eating easier, especially for large dogs and those with a handicap, since the animal does not have to bend over the bowl. A height-adjustable bowl stand is useful if dogs of different sizes live in the household or if your dog is still growing. Noble bowl sets, which consist of a wooden dog bar and ceramic bowls, are a visual adornment for the dog household.
Which material is best for the dog bowl?
In order to always keep the feeding bowl hygienically clean, it is important that it can be easily cleaned or even cleaned in the dishwasher.
These materials are suitable for this:
- Stainless steel: bowls made of stainless steel are robust and durable and can be cleaned very easily. Choose one with a plastic ring if you want the bowl to stand on the floor – this way it won’t slip around so easily.
- Porcelain: This material also scores with its long service life and can be cleaned very quickly. Porcelain bowls with pretty prints are also an eye-catcher for the “dog table”.
- Plastic: Plastic bowls are extremely light. Feel free to order a piece with a rubber ring that doesn’t slip. Plastic bowls are available in cheerful colors.
- Melamine: This is a plastic that is particularly break-resistant and durable, but looks quite competitive with bowls made of ceramic and porcelain.
Where should the food bowl be placed?
The bowl should stand on a surface that you can clean easily and quickly. Tiled floors are ideal, but also PVC or linoleum. So that a splash can go wrong, sensitive laminate or carpets are not recommended as a location for the dog bowl. You can also protect the floor with a bowl pad.
These special bowls exist
Dogs are as individual as all living beings. Therefore, dog bowls adapted to special needs were developed:
- An anti-sling bowl prevents your furry friend from eating the food too quickly. Such a bowl prevents stomach problems.
- Puppy bowls are designed for feeding your offspring at the same time and are kept particularly flat.
- Travel bowls are useful if you often travel with your dog. They can be folded up to save space or placed one inside the other and stowed away in your luggage.