Choosing Dog Bowls
My young sister really loves feeding my pet dog Rey. He is now a year old. When I got him, he was five months
old. I had a hard time choosing feeding bowls for him.
If you are a dog owner or are planning to own a dog or puppy this article will be of great help for you in
choosing the right feeding bowl.
The market is flooded with all sort of feeding bowls. They are made from different materials which include:
plastic, stainless steel and ceramic.
Before considering any of the above bowls, you need to consider the size of your dog and your dog’s feeding
habit. A good feeding bowl should be one that is sanitary and cannot harbor germs or bacteria that might
cause severe infection to your dog. Different dogs have different feeding habits; it is therefore advisable to know
his feeding habits prior to buying a bowl for him.
Plastic feeding bowls for dogs are the cheapest in the market. However, I do not find them to be the best. They
are light and could cause spilling of food to your dog. This issue is usually prevalent in larger dogs that need a
heavier feeding bowl. Also, if not properly cleaned, plastic bowls could harbor germs and bacteria.
Ceramic bowls look just fine because they come in different colors and sizes. The point to note is that the
design decoration on the ceramic feeding bowls could be a health hazard to your dog. Some of these glazing
decorations are made of toxic materials. It is advisable to choose a ceramic feeding bowl that has no decoration
and yet heavy enough for your large dog to comfortably feed without spilling.
The stainless steel bowls are the best of them all. They are the perfect sanitary feeding dish for your canine.
They are more durable and are not really heavy but yet sturdy enough for the large sized dogs. On this note,
iron bowls were used some years back and this is NOT recommended for your pet. Iron based bowls are prone to
rusting and become a health hazard to your dog.
Now that we had gone through some of the tips for choosing the best dog bowls for your pet, do you know that
purchasing quality feeding bowls for your dog is just one of the steps of ensuring a healthy eating process?
Another way of ensuring that your dog avoid feeding related health problems is by elevating his/her feeding
bowls. Bad feeding position could cause future problems to your dog. On a personal note, I also did not know this
until Rey started developing some shoulder and hip problems.
Typically, small puppies do not need you to elevate their feeding bowls, but as they advance in age and gain
more weight you need to elevate the bowls. Bear in mind that feeding should be an enjoyable thing for your dog to
do. It should not cause strain to your dog. The digestion of food is also affected by the feeding position of the
dog.
Always ensure you clean your dog’s dishes well after feeding. This will prevent bacteria build up and maintain
good hygiene for your pet.
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