Most dogs get incredibly excited when it comes to mealtime. More often than not, their internal clocks start telling them it’s dinner time before you’ve even lifted the dog food bag out of the cupboard.
This might not seem like a problem, but an over-enthusiastic dog might eat too fast. This can lead to health issues including poor gut health, bloating, stomach pains, and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GVD).
If you’ve noticed your dog eating too fast, you need to do something about it. Luckily for you, a quick and easy solution is to introduce a slow feeder. Slow-feeder bowls are designed to help your dog eat more slowly.
This can improve digestion, prevent overeating, and reduce the risk of various health issues. To help you find the best slow-feeder dog bowl, we’ve listed the best options the market has to offer.
If you need help finding a reliable slow-feeder bowl, keep reading!
The best slow-feeder dog bowls you can use to slow down your dog’s eating and make eating more interesting for your dog are the Outward Hound Fun Feeder, Company Of Animals Green Interactive Dog Feeder, Caishow Slow Feeder, Neater Pet Brands Slow Feeder Bowl, Pecute 3-in-1 Slow Eating Dog Bowl, and the Decycam Slow Feeder Dog Bowl. All of these bowls offer reliable performance, durability, and enrichment for your pooch.
To learn more about these slow-feeder dog bowls, make sure you check out our product reviews.
Product Reviews
In the next part of this article, we’re going to be reviewing the best slow-feeder dog bowls that the market currently has to offer. We’ll take a look at what each bowl has to offer, what makes it a good option, and any pros and cons you should be aware of.
After that, we’ll show you our useful buyer’s guide that will help you pick the best bowl and answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to this subject. Let’s get started!
1. Outward Hound Fun Feeder
The first slow-feeder dog bowl on our list is the Outward Hound Fun Feeder. Outward Hound excels when it comes to producing high-quality, well-built, and reliable products. The fun feeder is no different.
Available in 8 different colours and styles, this dog feeder bowl is designed to slow your dogs’ eating down, while also providing your dog with some daily enrichment. Each bowl comes with a different spiral or rivet design, giving you the chance to pick a bowl you think your dog will like best.
The range of designs brilliantly incorporates different depths and patterns to make it more difficult for your dog to reach some food. One thing we love about these slow-feeder bowls is how they also come in a range of different sizes.
Thanks to the three different bowl sizes, the bowls can be used by small, medium, and large size dogs. You’ll be pleased to hear that the Fun Feeder is also BPA-free and features a solid non-slip base.
Pros
- Good variety – You have 8 different styles of bowls to choose from.
- Three sizes – The Fun Feeder is designed for small, medium, and large dogs.
- BPA-free – This dog feeder doesn’t contain Bisphenol-A.
Cons
- No water bowl – You will have to buy a water bowl separately.
Also available at: Themuttyprofessor.co.uk
2. Company Of Animals Green Interactive Dog Feeder
If your dog gets anxious, you should consider buying the Green Interactive Dog Feeder from the Company of Animals. This dog feeder has a clever design that gives anxious dogs more comfort while they eat.
This makes it an ideal option for anxious dogs or rescues. The main reason this bowl works so well for anxious dogs is that it features an open design.
More like a plate than a bowl, the green feeder provides dogs with a clear view of their surroundings whilst they eat.
Your dog doesn’t have to be anxious to use this bowl though. Studies have shown that dogs prefer to eat from flatter surfaces and mats, so it’s a solid option anyway. Another well-thought-out design feature this bowl comes with is a neat grass-like design.
The bowl cleverly replicates tufts of grass at different heights. The different height levels make it more challenging for your dog to get to its food in certain places. Of course, this creates more enrichment for the dog.
Pros
- Perfect for anxious dogs – The open design will make your dog feel more relaxed.
- Flat design – Flat food bowls are better for your dog.
- Neat design – This feeder replicates grass.
Cons
- Harder for small dogs – This feeder is quite deep in places, making it harder for smaller dogs to eat.
Also available at: Vetuk.co.uk
3. Caishow Slow Feeder
If you came here looking for a simple and affordable slow-feeder dog bowl, look no further than the Caishow Slow Feeder. This dog feeder bowl is easily one of the best budget-friendly dog feeders the market has to offer.
Despite being a budget dog feeder bowl, there’s nothing to not like about it. When we tested the Caishow bowl, we found that it performed just as well as more upmarket bowls.
It has a decent 2-cup capacity, comes available in a range of different colours, and features a simple, yet effective design that will slow your dog’s eating down.
Better suited to small and medium-sized dogs, this slow feeder has an anti-gulping design that helps prevent overeating, choking and other issues associated with fast eaters. When it comes to this bowl puzzle, you’ll be pleased with what you find.
The bowl features multiple puzzles in one. It has bone shapes, deep crevices, and obstructions that are designed to make eating safer and more enjoyable.
Pros
- Anti-gulping design – This bowl will stop your dog from gulping its food.
- Budget-friendly – The Caishow Slow Feeder is very affordable.
- Good size – This feeder can hold 2 cups of dry food.
Cons
- One design – Other designs would be appreciated.
4. Neater Pet Brands Slow Feeder Bowl
The next slow-feeder dog bowl on this list is the Neater Pet Brands Slow Feeder Bowl. This dog food bowl is a great option for any dog that struggles with complicated and intricate puzzles.
If your dog gets frustrated with slow-feeder bowls, we strongly recommend you check this option out. It features a solid stainless steel design and a basic slow-feeder feature. It may not be as intricate as other dog bowls but it will still slow your dog down.
Super simple, Neater Pet Brands has equipped the bowl with a raised platform in the middle of the bowl. This creates deeper crevices around the outside that make it more difficult for the dog to get its food, without overwhelming it.
Aside from being easier for your dog to use, this is easily the most durable bowl on our list. Its stainless steel design was made to last.
As if that wasn’t enough, this also makes it incredibly easy to clean. Simply rinse the bowl or throw it in the dishwasher.
Pros
- Simple design – The basic design is better for dogs that struggle with intricate puzzles.
- Durable – This bowl is made from stainless steel.
- Good capacity – Easily fill this bowl with 3 cups of dry food.
Cons
- Not as enriching – The Neater Pets bowl doesn’t offer much enrichment.
Also available At: Storkz.com
5. Pecute 3-In-1 Slow Eating Dog Bowl
The Pecute 3-in-1 Slow Eating Dog Bowl is an interesting, multipurpose dog bowl that comes with a number of neat features. Of course, the product’s most important feature is its slow feeder bowl.
When we took a closer look at this dog feeder bowl, we were pleased with how it performed. It features a low design that makes it easier for smaller dogs to eat and a straightforward puzzle that makes it more challenging but not too difficult.
In addition to the food bowl, you also get a water bowl and a bone-shaped mat.
Conveniently, all three features are connected. The two bowls sit nicely on the mat. Not only does this give your dog its own food and drink space, but it also prevents any spillages or movement.
If there are any spillages, the silicone mat will catch everything, keeping your floors nice and clean. Every component of this dog feeder station can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Pros
- 3-in-1 food station – This option gives your dog everything it needs in one place.
- Perfect for messy eaters – The food matt will catch any spillages.
- Ideal for small dogs – Small dogs can easily access their food.
Cons
- Not suited to large dogs – Large dogs will struggle to use this bowl.
Also available at: Pecute.net
6. Decycam Slow Feeder Dog Bowl
The final slow-feeder dog bowl on this list is the Decycam Slow Feeder Dog Bowl.
This is arguably the most intricately designed dog feeder on this list. It features a challenging puzzle that will dramatically increase the time it takes your dog to eat its food.
As a result, it is one of the best slow-feeder bowls on the market for speedy eaters. If you have a fast-eating pooch, this food maze will slow them down. As you can imagine, the bowl’s swirly design also makes eating more fun.
The bowl will excite your dog, whilst also offering mental stimulation. The bowl is designed to introduce healthy eating habits to your dog’s lifestyle. We found that it did this perfectly.
We must also mention that this bowl has a solid design that makes it extremely durable. It also features a non-skid rubber base that prevents any sliding.
Like most of the slow-feeder dog bowls on our list, this bowl can also be washed in a dishwasher.
Pros
- Super enriching – This feeder will make eating more enjoyable for your dog.
- Perfect for speedy eaters – This bowl is designed for the fastest of eaters.
- Ideal for large dogs – This bowl is better suited to larger dogs.
Cons
- Not great for small dogs – Small dogs will struggle to eat out of this bowl.
Also available at: Dogly.co.uk
Buyer’s Guide
Now you know what the market has to offer, it’s time to start thinking about the slow-feeder dog bowl you need to buy for your dog.
Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple as choosing the first bowl we see. Instead, there are a number of important things we need to take into consideration first.
To make the purchasing process easier for you, we’ve put together a simple buyer’s guide that details all the most important factors you need to take into account.
If you want to find the best feeder bowl for your dog, we recommend you take each point we make onboard.
Your Dog’s Needs
The most important thing you have to think about first is your dog’s needs. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what we think of a dog bowl. What matters is finding the right bowl for our dogs.
To choose the right bowl, you need to know what your dog needs, what it likes, and what it doesn’t like. For example, if your dog gets frustrated with puzzles, you don’t want to buy a confusing slow feeder.
On the other hand, if your dog needs more enrichment, you might want to choose a more intricate puzzle.
Other things you need to consider include how much food your dog eats, what type of food your dog eats, how fast he or she eats, and whether or not a slow feeder will make your dog feel anxious.
Design
Once you’ve taken your dog’s needs into consideration, you should start thinking about the slow feeders design. Some slow feeders have intricate and challenging designs, whilst others are a little simpler.
Most slow feeders come with troughs and ridges that make it harder for your dog to wolf down their food.
We recommend looking for a bowl that suits your dog best. If your dog eats incredibly fast, opt for a more challenging puzzle that will slow them down.
You should also think about the type of food you feed your dog. Depending on the type of food you feed your pooch, a bowl’s design may or may not be the right choice. A great way to learn more about a slow feeder is to read reviews and product descriptions.
Size
Of course, you’re also going to have to think about the size of the dog feeder you need to buy. The last thing you want is to buy a feeder that doesn’t hold all your dog’s food or makes it too difficult for your dog to eat.
A small Dachshund and a large Labrador are going to need two very different feeders. For obvious reasons, a smaller dog will benefit more from a small feeder and a big dog will benefit from a bigger feeder.
You should take the quantity of food you give your dog and their height into consideration when choosing the right feeder.
2-In-1 Design
This next consideration isn’t a must but it can be beneficial. While a 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 feeder isn’t always necessary, you might want to consider buying one for your dog if you want to make everything much easier.
A multipurpose feeder provides your dog with everything it needs in one place. You can keep their food and water together and catch any spillages on the mat. As you can imagine, this makes your life much easier as well as giving your dog a designated space.
We like the 3-in-1 slow-feeders that come with a food bowl, water bowl, and mat. These bowls are just so convenient.
Base
One thing some people forget to take into consideration when purchasing a slow-feeder dog bowl is the base of the bowl. This may not seem too important at the time, but you’ll quickly come to realise that the base is key to everything.
Without an effective base, your dog will simply tip the bowl up or knock it over. Aside from spoiling the whole point of the feeder, this will make one hell of a mess in your kitchen.
To avoid this situation, you should purchase a slow feeder that comes with a non-slip base.
A non-slip base will keep the feeder firmly in place while your dog eats. Most of the feeders on our list offer this feature.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, the best slow-feeder dog bowls you’ll find on the market right now.
There are more slow-feeder dog bowls out there but the ones on our list are the best of the bunch. All the bowls on our list slow your dog’s eating down, offer enrichment, and reduce the risks of any health issues.
On our list, we’ve been sure to include a range of different slow-feeder dog bowls so that you can find the bowl that suits your dog best.
We’ve looked at bowls for small, medium, and big dogs, bowls for messy eaters, bowls for anxious dogs, and bowls for the fastest of eaters.
Now you have our list of the best slow-feeder dog bowls and buyer’s guide at your disposal, you should be able to narrow down the options and choose the right feeder for your dog. We’re sure you’ll be more than happy with the bowl you decide to purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Slow feeders are important when it comes to slowing down the speed at which a dog eats.
Dogs that eat too fast increase the risks of experiencing unpleasant health issues such as bloating, stomach aches, and nausea. Fast eating can also lead to potentially life-threatening health issues like gastric dilatation-volvulus (GVD).
A slow-feeder dog bowl reduces and eliminates these potential health issues, while also making eating more enjoyable for your dog. They are also a great enrichment tool.
The easiest way to spot if your dog needs a slow feeder is to watch them eat. If you notice your dog eating their food at an incredibly fast pace, this is a clear sign they may benefit from a slow-feeder bowl.
Yes, there is absolutely nothing wrong with putting wet food in a slow feeder. In fact, you’ll probably find that most slow feeders are specifically designed for wet food. The same can be said when it comes to dry food.
Most dogs eat fast because they have a competitive nature. As a result of their wolf-like habits, they tend to rush their food in order to prevent other dogs from eating it. They will even do this if they are the only dog in the house.
Last update on 2024-04-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
