Let’s find out the best bowls for dogs together.
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What is a dog bowl?
A dog bowl is usually a container with a flat and stable base in which to serve your dog his meals. They can contain croquettes, wet food or water.
These containers keep the food dry and fresh and prevent the dog from eating on the ground. It is also possible to opt for raised bowls if Fido doesn’t have to bend his neck too much.
The bowls are easy to clean and most models are dishwasher safe. Choose an unbreakable bowl, especially if Fido is an unruly young pup.
Why buy a dog bowl?
The dog bowl allows you to present food to your dog in one clean container. Eating is a sacred moment for Fido and putting food in a bowl contributes to his well-being.
The bowl is hygienic because it prevents food from being placed directly on the floor: this means there is no risk of contamination by bacteria. Works like a plate, adapted to the dog’s morphology.
The bowls also have raised edges and the dogs have more or less pointed snouts, this makes it easier for Fido to get his food in the bowl rather than on the floor.
It’s important to buy a real bowl for your dog and not feed him in a container that is also intended for other uses, especially human ones. If the bowl is not washed properly, there may be contamination from animal to human.
What are the different types of dog bowls?
There are many different types of bowls commercially available and finding the perfect one for your specimen won’t be difficult. The most common ones are round and available in various materials: stainless steel, ceramic, plastic, etc. You can choose a single bowl or a double bowl.
Some have a very practical built-in scale that allows you to weigh your meal in seconds. This type of container is ideal for overweight dogs.
Kibble vending machines allow you to schedule meal delivery for a specific time, perfect for people who get home from work late.
If you are going on a trip, you can opt for a specially designed bowl for carrying that can easily be placed in a backpack. There are also raised, non-slip bowls that are suitable for certain types of dogs.
Are all bowls suitable for all types of dogs?
Some bowls are specially designed to make certain dogs’ lives easier. For example, floppy-eared specimens (such as Cocker Spaniels) are at risk of touching their food and to remedy this problem, one can opt for a raised bowl.
For specimens of this type, bowls with raised edges are also ideal.
Dogs that eat too quickly can suffer from digestive problems and stomach pain, up to more serious pathologies. For this there are special bowls that prevent too greedy dogs from eating everything at once.
Which dog bowl to get?
The size of the bowl is one of the main criteria to consider when choosing. A Chihuahua won’t need the same size as a Newfoundland.
The choice should also fall on a model that is easy to clean and dishwasher safe: stainless steel is light and durable, while ceramic is very stable, but not as strong. The plastic is sturdy, but it scratches easily and even the smallest bump on the surface can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Finally, it is important that the bowl has a non-slip base otherwise, the croquettes will fly around the room as soon as the dog rushes to eat.
How to wash the dog bowl?
It is important to clean your dog’s bowl at least once a day, for example in the evening after eating. You can do this with soap and water or put it in the dishwasher, depending on the type of material.
But first of all, you have to rinse it with cold water, because if you put hot water directly on it, it will heat up to the point of “cooking” the proteins left on the walls from the animal’s meal. They will melt and form a small, solid, transparent layer in which the bacteria will be happy to thrive.
Choose a round bowl, with no hard-to-clean corners.