Tips for Choosing Dog Raised Bowls

 The Benefits of Dog Raised Bowls

As a loving dog owner, you may be considering the purchased dog raised bowls, particularly if you have a larger dog, though I have Chihuahuas and I do use slightly raised bowls for their comfort.

Every dog can benefit from eating at the correct height.

Dog raised bowl to help promote a healthier, less stressful posture for your dogs while they're eating. They can reduce or eliminate the need for your dogs to bend down to get to their food, helping to keep the dog's spine to stay in alignment while reducing pressure on their forearms, hips, and shoulders.

In addition to the physical comfort of your dog, there is some debate over whether dog raised bowls can aid in digestion, which can help prevent your dog from developing a medical condition known as bloat.

Types of Raised Dog Bowls

When purchasing a raised dog bowl station for your pet(s) there are several things to consider, such as the type of material the bowls are made of as well as their size and height. You can choose from plastic, ceramic or stainless steel.

Benefits of Plastic - lightweight, dishwasher safe and inexpensive

Drawbacks - they're chewable, can harbor bacteria and may not be durable

Benefits of Ceramic - Harder to move around, come in attractive designs, dishwasher safe

Drawbacks - they can be too heavy, breakable, bacteria can hide in small cracks and are more expensive

Benefits of Stainless Steel - dishwasher safe, long lasting and have no place for bacteria to hide. They can also be purchased with slip-proof bottoms

Drawbacks - more expensive than plastic, not as many design choices as ceramic bowls

Long-eared dogs can benefit from bowls that are not too wide. A wider bowl may cause them to get food and water in their ears, which could lead to ear mites.

Dogs with long snouts will benefit from a deeper bowl, while short-nosed pooches will prefer a shallower bowl.

Types of Stations for Raised Dog Bowls

When it comes to the raised unit itself there are many styles to choose from. You can choose from free-standing as well as wall mounted designs.

If your dog tends to push their bowls around you may choose a heavier unit. Some designs include food and water dispensers, which can feed your pets the right amount of food when you're away.

Raised dog bowls come in a wide variety of sizes, designs, and prices. When choosing the best unit to suit your best friend's needs you'll need to consider the size and habits of your dog.

Larger dogs need to have their bowls at a level where they do not need to bend down to eat and drink. While smaller dogs will have a problem if their bowls are too high.

If your dog is a messy eater a heavier, sturdier station with non-skid pads or a wall mounted design may be best. You can also add a mat designed for pets to help make clean up easier.

When buying a station for your puppy you'll want to plan for their size when fully grown. With that in mind raised dog bowls that can be manually adjusted for height might be the best choice.