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The 15 Best Dog Bowls

Dogs are now considered members of the family; they reside in your home, ride in your car, and even sleep in your bed. However, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) believe they do not eat off your dishes at the meal.

This is not to say that your dog can't have something unique to eat their kibble from. Fortunately, there are numerous dog bowl options that are useful, elegant, and adapted to specific needs.

Read on for our picks for the best dog bowls on the market.

What to Look for When Buying a Dog Bowl

  • Material

Dog bowls made of stainless steel, plastic, ceramic, and other materials are available for purchase. Stainless steel bowls are the best for ease of cleaning and durability, but glazed ceramic bowls are also popular because they come in a variety of colors and patterns. Plastic bowls are the cheapest alternative, but they are more likely to store bacteria and cause chin acne. 1

If you’re concerned about your dog breaking a bowl, ceramic bowls are more likely to shatter, but stainless steel bowls can be noisy as well when they clang against something or your dog’s collar hits them while eating. Consider your alternatives and select the one that will work best for your personal needs and dog.

  • Size

You don’t want to get a dog bowl that is too big or too little for your dog. Make sure your dog’s bowl can carry a full meal and that the sides aren’t too high for your dog to eat from. Different-sized dogs may require different-sized bowls; otherwise, your dog may have difficulty reaching its food or may want its bowl to be refilled multiple times throughout mealtime.

  • Stand

If you are concerned about your dog moving its bowl around or if your dog’s shoulders are higher than the height of its bowl when it is sitting on the ground, you should choose a dog bowl that fits perfectly in a stand. Dog food bowl stands contain holes that keep the bowls from falling off the stand and give an elevated surface. Most dogs benefit from both of these characteristics, but if you use a stand, your bowl options may be more limited because not all bowls fit in all stand holes.

Reviews

Best Automatic: PetSafe Simply Feed Automatic Feeder for Healthy Pets

We understand that you are busy. We, too. That is why, when we need to go out and about during dinner time, we want to ensure that our pets do not suffer as a result of our hectic schedules.

This feeder is costly, but with all of the choices, including timed feedings, it’s well worth the money. You can not only schedule up to 12 distinct meals per day, but the automatic battery-powered dispenser has a full capacity of 24 cups, allowing you to plan more than a week’s worth of meals (depending on your pup’s diet). It can dispense from 1/8 cup to 4 cups per meal, with the option to plan meals bigger than 1/8 cup to dispense slowly over 15 minutes. This is especially useful for rapid eaters.

Best Elevated: Our Barking Bistro Dog Diner for Pets

With this adjustable bistro dog diner, you can up your dog’s dining status. It grows with your darling puppy, from three inches to a full 12 inches.

We would be negligent if we did not mention that if your dog is a more aggressive eater, this may not always survive their enthusiasm while at its tallest setting. However, assuming your pups don’t eat as if the next meal could be their last, this set should work for breeds ranging from Great Danes to Miniature Schnauzers.

Best Ceramic: Dog and Cat Bowl Waggo Dipper

This ceramic bowl appears to be something we’d like to have in our kitchen cabinet because it’s clean, classic, and complements any design. This bowl, which comes in three sizes and ten colors, is one that any dog would be proud to call their own. Is there more than one dog? Each dog’s personality can be matched to a specific hue.

It’s dishwasher and microwave safe, and it’s made entirely of hand-dipped heavyweight ceramic.

Best for Crates: Snap’y Fit MidWest Stainless Steel Dog Kennel Bowl

Feeding a crate training dog isn’t always an easy task: limited space means that there’s not a ton of room for them to eat, inevitably leading to annoying messes and spills. This stainless steel bowl can be attached to the interior or exterior mesh of your pup’s cage, effortlessly solving that problem. Simply secure it to the mesh using the included bracket and wing nuts, and it’ll stay locked into place until you need to remove it for cleaning.

Available in four sizes (0.25, 2.5, 4, and 8 cups) this bowl is suitable for all breeds and appetites.

Best for Small Dogs: Small Dog Stainless Steel Bowls by KEKS

If you have a little dog, this KEKS stainless steel dog dish set can make your life a bit easier. Even messy eaters won’t leave you with a large post-dinner clean-up thanks to bacteria-resistant, easy-to-wash stainless steel bowls and a spill-proof silicone mat. The BPA-free silicone that completes this set is also eco-friendly, so you can be confident that your dog is not being exposed to any harsh or hazardous chemicals.

Best for Large Dogs: Dog Bowl Yeti Boomer 8

Yeti is the gold standard for those who live active, outdoor lifestyles. It is both durable and rugged. Did you know they also have a pet line?

This robust dish has an eight-cup capacity, making it ideal for larger dogs. It’s made of rust- and puncture-resistant stainless steel that’s been coated with a Duracoat color that will never fade, peel, or fracture. The non-slip ring on the base avoids slips and spills and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Best Slow Feeder: Outward Hound Interactive Slow Feed Dog Bowl

This interactive dog bowl is a terrific way to slow down dinner, whether your dog is known for swallowing their food without chewing or they simply like a little more mental stimulation. This is the ideal slow feeder for your quick eater, with a two- or four-cup capacity and a non-slip base.

Best Water Bowl: PetSafe Platinum LED Drinkwell

Water is essential to life, yet it’s easy to forget to replace your dog’s water bowl. The PetSafe Drinkwell water bowl is an excellent choice. This water fountain is ideal for small to medium-sized dogs and will help keep any dog nearby healthy and hydrated. It can keep many pets hydrated for a long period because to its 1.3-gallon water capacity and carbon filter.

Best Travel Bowl: Outward Hound Collapsible Port-A-Bowl Bowl

While we may not all travel around the world with our dogs, most of us do take them with us when we can. There’s the Outward Hound Port A Bowl for those occasions. It can hold up to 6 cups of food or water and folds up to almost nothing. This is an excellent travel bowl made of tough nylon.

A word of caution: because this is intended for brief sips of water, it may leak somewhat if you leave water in it for too long. You should be alright if you don’t use this as your pup’s everyday vessel.

Best Design: Stoneware Bowl by Fringe Studio

We understand that dogs are members of the family, thus their dishes are included in the design. While some people prefer utility over form, if you’re buying a bowl, you can pretty much use whichever one makes you happy. So why not get one that’s trendy, on-trend, and Scandinavian-inspired?

This bowl adds a touch of sophistication to any design. This bowl, which is available for both small and medium-sized dogs, can be proudly exhibited in your kitchen, dining room, living room – anyplace you want a little additional element of style.

FAQ

What height should a dog bowl have?

A dog bowl should not be so high that your dog needs to stand on its hind legs to reach it, but it should also not force your dog to lie down to eat. A dish should be around the same height as your dog’s chest or armpits. This ensures that your dog does not have to gaze too far down or stretch their neck up merely to eat.

Why is my dog refusing to eat from their dog bowl?

Dogs may be scared of their bowl, or they may link it with medicine or food they dislike. Dog tags can sometimes touch their dish and shock them, or if they accidently kick or push their bowl over, the noise might be frightening. This may cause them to refuse to eat from the bowl. Alternatively, if the bowl’s borders are excessively high, your dog may find it difficult to eat from it.

What causes my dog to flip their dog bowl?

When your dog flips their dog bowl around, it usually means they want more food or water. Typically, this is attention-seeking behavior. If your dog does not appear to want additional food or water, it may be flipping its dish because it thinks it’s fun to play with it.

How can I keep ants (or other pests) out of the dog’s water bowl?

To reduce the possibilities of ants and other pests creating a home in your dog’s bowl, make sure to rinse it out after each feeding. If your dog does not finish all of its food at mealtime, empty the bowl and rinse it. Leaving food in a bowl all day increases the likelihood that bugs and ants will locate it, so delivering meals and cleaning the bowls on a regular basis will help keep these unpleasant guests at bay. Additionally, check around the dish to ensure that no food has fallen onto the floor and immediately pick up any crumbs or kibble you see.

What is the proper way to clean a dog bowl?

Cleaning your dog’s bowl is similar to cleaning your own dishes, however most owners do not fully wash their dog’s dishes after each meal. If your dog does not make a mess at meals, a quick rinse with water can help keep it clean in between full washings. Most dog bowls are dishwasher safe or may be cleaned with regular dish soap, but make sure to completely rinse all bowls with water before providing food or water to your dog.

Final Decision

The sleek and simple Fluff Trough (see @ Fluff Trough) is our recommendation for the best overall dog dish, allowing for a more comfortable eating position for dogs of all sizes, but notably elderly dogs and dogs with short noses. If you want something more basic and affordable, the AmazonBasics set of bowls (see on Amazon) will suffice. They’re dishwasher safe and have a rubber base to prevent sliding. 

It is a testament to the best dog bowls reviews that you picked BestForPets (bestforpets.org) out of the hundreds of others available online. For your pet, we hope you’ve found this page useful.

Author Image

Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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