Bowls for dogs: how to choose and where to place?

Any dog ​​breeder tries to make sure that his pet has all the best. This applies not only to sun loungers and equipment for walking, but also utensils. Despite the fact that the choice of a bowl seems simple, it has a number of features. Let's look at what dog bowls should be, what are the key criteria for their selection and placement.

The opinion that the only important selection criterion is size is wrong. Despite the fact that dimensions are important, there are other nuances that a dog owner needs to know before buying dishes for his pet. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to such moments as the appearance, the height of the sides, the material of manufacture, the shape of the product, type of operation, the degree of convenience and reliability. And in each case, you have to choose a product based on the characteristics of a particular dog.

For instance, options for large dogs will be appropriate to accommodate the required portioned amount of food. If the pet is fed a granular product, the bowl may be smaller, since the granular food is concentrated food. Compared to natural food, its volume is less, although saturation is the same. As for water containers, it has its own requirements.

Such bowls should not be too small, since the liquid from them should not spill out. You can’t make a dog feeder out of a regular plate or saucer, just like buying a dog for ordinary dishes. Much depends on the age of the animal. For example, to feed puppies, you have to take smaller dishes, because it is physically difficult for kids to eat from bowls for adult dogs. For individuals of large breeds, the container sizes will be separate. They have higher sides, they are large and designed for pets of specific breeds. Given the fact that the dog can easily not calculate its strength and turn the plate over, these dogs should not take double options, in which containers for feed and liquid are connected on the same platform.

Regardless of the size of the dog, the product must be stable, and therefore the breeder needs to pay attention to the material of manufacture. If this is a hiking option for a decorative dog, the container for feeding or drinking should be closed, or even automated, which is most valued on the road.

Their owners often pay special attention to colors and packaging design. Someone is trying to pick up a bowl with such a condition that it even fits into the interior of the room where the pet is being fed. So the dishes do not stand out against the general background of the interior, and therefore do not create a visual mess. But when choosing a color scheme, the breeder always pays attention to the degree of convenience of the dishes for the dog.

Also when buying a dog feeder it is necessary to take into account such a factor as the number of containers, because the dishes can be used not only at home. Often, dog breeders have to purchase camping bowls that help a lot when feeding pets in unusual situations. For example, such situations include exhibition events, hiking, traveling, trips to the sea or elsewhere. At the same time, such products have their own requirements. For example, camping-type options should be convenient on the road, compact and mobile. They should prevent spillage or spilling of granular feed. In fact, they can be compared in some ways with baby dummies, which are convenient on the road, modern, distinguished by their convenience and aesthetic appeal.

Today, dog dishes can be classified by type of construction. On this basis, containers for feeding can include typical products and automatic feeders, without and with supports, interactive, conventional and suspended, wall-mounted, with a structural link and a wide bottom, with a dispenser (limiter), a timer and folding, portable. Many options have been invented today, which significantly increases the ability of buyers to purchase the best product for their pet.

For example, some breeders like the usual type of wide-bottom type that does not roll over, as well as options for eating slowly. Others prefer to purchase analogues on a stand, which often come in two bowls. Depending on the design features, it can be height adjustable, which is important for large dogs.

A double bowl is found in any pet store, but products of this type are suitable only for small dogs because of their size. Analogs from holders are designed specifically for cells. Owners of exhibition animals buy this dishes, attach it to the wall of the cage, and therefore the bowls do not turn over and do not tip over, no matter how the dog handles them. Shedding is used for water, they are bought for inaccurate pets in food. In addition, this product is well suited for trips where the pet needs to be fed in traffic. Interactive models with a timer are good for puppies, each compartment closes after a set time.Foldable options are good on the go, they instantly allow a flat plate to give high sides.

Sombrero is suitable for puppies who step right into food or sleep in it. This is an option for feeding a large litter, allowing you to feed all puppies at once. Automated products work on time and are good for diet dogs. They are used when you need to train a puppy to eat at certain hours of the day.

To date, various raw materials are used in the production of dogs bowls, which affects the operational characteristics of the finished product, its quality and cost. For example, on the shelves of pet stores today you can see bowls:

• ceramic;
• metal;
• wooden;
• silicone;
• plastic.

Worst of all, plastic containers for feeding animals. In addition to low cost, it has no other advantages. It is short-lived, quickly loses aesthetic appeal, is unstable to teeth and mechanical damage. In addition, it not only absorbs odors, but also releases harmful toxins if there is hot food inside it and is waiting for cooling.

Ceramic dishes are safe and stable, and therefore for such a bowl you do not need to select any weighting agents. It does not slip on the floor, easy to clean and does not absorb odors. However, this material is fragile, which, coupled with the high cost of the finished product, is its significant drawback. As for wooden products, it is impossible to call them convenient for daily use. Wood is more often used as supports and mounts of the bowls themselves.

Silicone or nylon options are great for feeding the animal when moving or when visiting. However, you can use these bowls only for dry food, and therefore it is pointless to take them for everyday use. Metal dishes, including iron, aluminum and steel options, today, by contrast, are gaining popularity among dog owners.

Having gone to a specialized store for a dog bowl, the breeder will be faced with the fact that the seller will offer him to take not one, but several products. This is not an attempt to impose as much product as possible, but a necessity. For example, few people thought that one bowl would not be enough for an animal. Ideally, the dog should have three vessels: for dry food, liquid food, dairy products. In addition, it is preferable to take care of the purchase of a spare bowl.

If the owners often leave the dog alone, she should buy a car drink. So the animal will have constant access to water. At the same time, the product should not slide on the floor, which is why it is better to buy weighted containers. So the dog will not be able to turn it over, and therefore all the contents will not scatter or splash onto the floor. It is impossible not to take into account the degree of convenience of washing dishes. It is important that it is smooth both inside and out. In addition to the ease of washing, it is convenient for the pet, because he will not have to lick food in hard to reach places.

The shape can be different: round, oval, rectangular, square. You need to choose a product with rounded edges so that the animal does not cling to them neither in the body, nor in the face, nor in the tongue. Breeders with experience note that the trapezoidal shape is considered the best: it is both more stable and more convenient for the dog itself. As for the double options, which inexperienced breeders seem comfortable in everyday life, then it is impractical to take them. Although it’s easier to wash, they are uncomfortable for the dog itself. During meals, the contents of one compartment may fall into another. If this is dry food, then not every pet takes it out of the water when it is swollen.In addition, food in such containers spoils faster, because in order to wash the containers, they must be empty in two compartments.

The puppy will have to buy several bowls, but it is better to do this gradually, focusing on the type of particular breed. The fact is that all dogs grow in different ways, and therefore for one pet the difference between the sizes of the plates will be small, and for another it may seem huge (for example, if you compare the mini-spitz and the Tibetan mastiff). It’s difficult for a huge dog to eat from a flat plate, while a small dog cannot reach a large dog’s trough.

You can focus on the amount of feed when buying: as a rule, the portion size should not exceed half the total volume of the bowl. So the owner will be able to prevent the spread of pet food during meals, which is typical of many impatient animals. Also, a water tank is selected with a margin so that it is convenient for the dog to drink it.

As for the material of manufacture, there are also some nuances here. Dogs have an excellent instinct, and therefore smells are of particular importance to them. Among the canine family, animals are often found who refuse food due to the unpleasant smell of the bowl itself.

When buying, you can take into account the following nuances:

• flat bowls are not suitable for everyday use;
• short-haired pets need shallow bowls (options with low sides);
• representatives of rocks with elongated faces need dishes with high edges;
• bearded animals that have hanging ears need tall but narrow bowls made in the shape of a cut cone.

Round dishes are more convenient than others to wash, in addition, it is more practical due to the lack of corners. These items are good for dogs who like to clean out the corners of their bowls from leftover food. As for electronics, large dogs often disagree with the dosage of food, and therefore can gnaw such products.

The placement of the bowl matters to the animal itself. It should be placed in a clean place where it will be easy to remove the effects of feeding. Household clothes or shoes should not be located nearby. Ideally, the room should be well lit. Therefore, the kitchen will be the best place to place dog dishes.

If the kitchenette is small and there is simply not enough space for dog dishes, you should choose another place. Depending on the characteristics of a particular home, this can be a room or another room where the owner can easily clean up the leftover food or splashed liquid from the dog. However, under no circumstances should food be placed in the nursery, bathroom, toilet or corridor.

Few people thought that a feeding bowl can be supplemented with a rug or a diaper. These accessories are necessary for small puppies and sloppy dogs. They help maintain a clean feeding area. Besides, separate mats ensure that the dog will not carry the bowl throughout the room. And this allows you to protect the flooring from premature abrasion. Another accessory may be a tripod under a bowl. Such devices are needed when feeding dogs of large breeds. You can buy dogs and edible toys. They will become a catalyst for attracting a dog to a specific bowl.

When buying them, you need to pay attention to size so that the toy fits completely inside the container. Animals can tinker with such objects for a long time. Moreover, the taste, texture and shape of the subject can be very different. If the pet is given such toys, the correct bite is formed, and the teeth become strong and healthy.

See how to choose the right bowl for your dog in the next video.