Just because a lot of people are using a product doesn’t prove the product is great for your dogs. When it comes to necessities dogs use or consume on a daily basis which have long term health implications, hellodog doesn’t take these things lightly.

Dog feeders and water dispensers are what your dog use a few times a day. The more frequently a product is used, it needs more of our attention and careful consideration to choose wisely.

【Left image】A typical water bottle or a bottle stand attached with a stainless steel tube, at the end of which a tiny ball is used to stop water running. Do you know how exactly it works? A dog’s tongue pushes against the tiny ball to let water drip so the dog can drink water drips and it takes a long time and great effort for a dog to get just a mouthful. We can easily imagine the hassle of getting water doesn’t exactly motivate dogs to drink as much the sufficient amount of water as they should. We don’t like this product design because of the potential health risk of dogs not getting enough water. Without adequate supply of water, your dog’s body is not able to function properly and if water deficiency lasts, organs such as kidneys, liver and etc will begin to shut down. Why taking the risk?

【Right image】 A bowl of fresh and clean water accessible for your dog to go to, and to be refilled when it’s empty is what we recommend. You can also monitor how much your dog drinks a day. So how much a dog should drink? Approximately 1 ounce (30ml) of water per pound your dog’s body weight is suggested by many veterinarians. Mind that canned food (70-80% moisture) and homemade diet contains a lot more water than dry kibbles (10-20% moisture).

What else we need to pay attention is the material a bowl feeder is made of. We prefer stainless steel and ceramic over plastic, because plastic bowls are prone to scratching and chewing, and if scratches do occur, bacteria can find its way in. You might not even notice the scratches before the bowl turns into a breeding ground for bacteria.

Also, we consider elevated bowls are a great choice. Imagine if we have to stoop down to get something day after day, we wouldn’t feel good and may develop joint problems in the neck and shoulders in the long run. It’s not that different for our dogs. Another advantage of using elevated bowls, as some experts suggest, is that they could help prevent gastrointestinal problems stemming from digestion. Though this is not scientifically conclusive, it sounds sensible to us.