Teddy's Tidbits: Dog Feeders - Matching The Right Bowl To the Breed [INFO HUB]

Well, it appears that just like everything else these days, there are differing opinions on whether or not elevated food bowls are beneficial or a danger for your pet.

For all their praise, it seems that now elevated feeders are NOT ideal for large or tall dogs. Once thought to help reduce the problem with bloat, it may in fact, increase the chance. Also if you have a pet who inhales his/her food, then this is another reason against using an elevated feeder.

The thought being that with the positioning of the large/tall dog, as well as the chow hound, it will enable them to ingest more air without being able to dispel it which causes the stomach to distend, bloat, twist and if untreated within hours of onset of symptoms can lead to death.

Now in the case of smaller and senior dogs, the opposite is the case. Taking into account good body ergonomics, having the bowl at a natural level with the head is less strain on the joints and muscles.

Talk about having come a long way from the days of just filing a bowl and putting it down for Fido/Fluffy. Here are a few things to consider depending on the breed of your pet:

- Short-nosed and puppies: a shallow bowl works best. Easier for both to reach the food. It eliminates straining and placing pressure against their throat to retrieve food from a deep bowl. This is especially important for puppies.

- Long-nosed dogs: deep bowl will work just fine.

- Long-eared dogs: steep sided narrow bowl to keep their ears from ending up in their food. Same with the water bowl.

Ok, so you have decided on the right type of bowl for your breed. Now, what material would you like Fido/Fluffy's bowl made of? Unless you want them to eat off the fine china every day (and I don't even use it every day for myself, no offense), you have options here, as well.

- Stainless Steel: easy to clean/sanitize, long lasting and virtually indestructible. I had one dog who loved to pick up the bowl after he was done. Can we say it was like nails on a chalkboard - [shudder]. But he did his part to clean up his dishes after he was finished.

If your four-legged companion loves to tip over their bowl, you can always get one with a wider bottom or one that is weighted. Long and the short of it, if they really want to turn their bowl over, they will find a way.

- Ceramic: due to the sheer weight of the ceramic, it is not as easy to tip over. Due to the porous nature of the material, this bowl definitely needs to be washed and sanitized on a regular basis. If the bowl ends up cracked or chipped, it will need to be replaced since these spots are the ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

- Plastic: ideal since they do not break and lightweight. If your pet likes to play and chew on his/her bowl, then this is may not be the best choice.

- Self-feeders: also known as "free feeding" that allows your pet to eat any time since it continually dispenses their kibble. Recommended if Fido/Fluffy only eat when they are hungry and then stop when they are full.

- Automatic feeders: this feeder is programmable so it will dispense food at the times you set. Ideal for pets' humans who do not have a regular schedule as to when they will arrive home.

Hopefully your current pet's bowl works well for him/her. If not, you now have options when the two of you head out to purchase a new setup. Either way, here is to enjoyable mealtimes for your canine and peace of mind that what you are using is safe and healthy for him/her.

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