The 10 Best Raised Dog Bowls

The cause of bloat could include any variety of environmental or biological factors that have nothing to do with the type or height of a bowl from which a dog eats.

Elevated dog bowls offer many benefits, particularly for big and aging canines. Firstly, they promote a more natural posture, which can help Fido eat a bit more slowly instead of "wolfing" his food down. This ultimately serves to support his entire digestive tract. A natural standing posture can also aid elderly dogs by minimizing strain to their necks and joints, making the bowls a great option for those pets suffering from arthritis and hip dysplasia. Raised dog bowls promote cleanliness and hygiene, as a pooch is less likely to drip water or pieces of food onto the floor. By contrast, bowls placed directly on the ground can accumulate a greater buildup of moisture underneath them, causing them to be a potential harbinger of harmful bacteria. Many elevated pet bowl stands will allow the bottom of the feeding vessels to breathe, preventing dirt and grime from forming on the bottom. Regardless, your pet's bowls should still be washed on a regular basis. Some stand designs even feature integrated storage compartments for accommodating extra food, making it easy to scoop and serve kibble in the same place. Elevated dog bowls can also represent a combination of both form and function, meaning that you can easily find designs that serve a practical purpose for your pooch without sacrificing style.

Next, I'd like to touch on the topic of gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV), commonly known as bloat. One theory suggests that the use of a raised bowl prevents bloat, while another proposes that the bowl is actually a contributing factor to the disorder. While some studies have been conducted, neither claim can be substantiated with absolute certainty. The cause of bloat could include any variety of environmental or biological factors that have nothing to do with the type or height of a bowl from which a dog eats. As an example, I own standard poodles, a breed known for its deep chest and propensity for bloating during its lifetime. Two of my pets have bloated in the past, one of whom was ten years old at the time and had already been suffering from irritable bowel disease. He would eat his dinners out of an elevated food bowl, while the other pet who bloated did not. But I couldn't attribute the main cause of the first pet's bloating incident to a raised dog bowl alone. If bloat is a major concern, you could consider the possibility of an elective prophylactic gastropexy procedure, which involves tacking the stomach to the abdominal wall to prevent the stomach from twisting. When performed on young and healthy canines by a reputable veterinarian, it typically has very positive results. You can also have the surgery performed at the same time as a neutering or spaying procedure. At the end of the day, however, one can assume that the raised dog bowl provides more benefits than it does health-related drawbacks.

Like humans, dogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes with very individual personalities. That said, the way in which canines grow accustomed to doing certain things can depend largely on their instincts, individual preferences, and their physical characteristics. In the wild, for example, wolves eat their kills directly off the ground. Although wolves don't have the luxury of a dedicated container from which to enjoy a meal in their natural habitats, the domestic dog does have this option, classifying him as a close companion to his human owner. Understanding that there is a wide variation in terms of breed size, some dogs will do fine simply eating out of bowls at floor level, whereas others will benefit from eating their food out of bowls that are elevated several inches off the ground at a more comfortable height, minimizing strain to the neck and spine.