Best Slow Feeder Dog Bowls
Does your dog eat their food like it will be their last meal on earth? If your dog chokes and hacks through their food, they are at risk for bloat, obesity, and uncomfortable digestive issues.
After researching 20+ dog food bowls inside and out, I have found the Best Slow Feeder Dog Bowls that will help your dog improve their digestion and health.
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Table Of Contents
Are Slow Feeder Bowls Good For Dogs?
Slow feeder dog bowls help your pup slow down at meal time, which promotes healthy digestion. Some dogs eat their dog food so fast they start to choke or vomit immediately after eating.
Other dogs engorge themselves until they are too full, causing excessive gas, a stomach ache or digestive issues. If your dog continues to eat too much food too fast, they could get a terrible disease called Bloat. Read more on Bloat from PetMD.com.
Why Use A Slow Feeder Bowl?
Slow feeder dog bowls not only help promote better digestion, they also add in a fun challenge to help mentally stimulate your dog every time they eat.
Working through the bowl to find their food allows your dog to use their brainpower and problem-solving skills to reduce boredom and Separation Anxiety Issues.
Tip: It isn’t healthy to allow your dog to graze all day long. Only put your dog’s food down for about 20-30 minutes at meal time. Learn some more dog nutrition tips from the ASPCA.
What To Look For In A Dog Food Bowl:
When you shop for a slow feeder dog bowl, make sure to check the following important features:
- What material is the bowl made of?
- Does it have a non-slip base?
- Is it easy to clean?
Ceramic:
Make sure the ceramic dog food bowl is certified for food use and is coated with a lead-free glaze.
Plastic:
If your dog food bowl is plastic, make sure it is BPA Free. PVC and phthalate free are a bonus. If you use a plastic dog bowl, occasionally check the color of your dog’s nose. If your dog’s nose starts to turn gray or brownish, and it used to be black, the plastic could be the culprit. Make sure to rotate different types of bowls to keep this from happening or stop using plastic bowls.
Silicone:
Silicone tends to be a safe choice for a dog bowl and is slip resistant too. The down side is if you have a dog that loves to chew, it can easily be chewed up.
Aluminum:
If your dog is prone to seizures, avoid using aluminum-based dog food bowls. This material can make the seizures worse.
Top 3 Slow Feeder Dog Food Bowls:
Slow feeder dog bowls are highly recommended by veterinarians to help improve digestion naturally by slowing down meals. Lets take a look at our top choices.
#1 Choice: Neater Feeder
This slow feeder dog bowl gets my vote for number 1 choice. The Neater Feeder Bowl is made of stainless steel, a material trusted by veterinarians and dog trainers everywhere. It helps reduce dog food gulping, bloat, and rapid eating habits. It is dishwasher safe – Yay!
Pros: Stainless Steel, Dishwasher Safe.
Cons: No Non-slip Base, but is compatible with the elevated bowl holder.
2. Outward Hound Dog Bowl
This bowl slows your dog down during meal time and promotes fun, healthy eating habits. It is a reasonable price on Amazon, it’s dishwasher safe, and has a non-slip base. It is made of hard plastic and is BPA, PVC, & Phthalate free.
Pros: Dishwasher Safe, Non-Slip Base.
Cons: Plastic
3. Flyingcolors Dog Bowl
This is pretty neat. It is made of durable Food-Grade and BPA-Free Silicone and the dog feeder is built right into the mat itself. It includes a stainless steel water bowl. Comes in multiple colors.
Pros: Non-Slip Base, dishwasher safe, BPA Free Silicone
Cons: None
Slow Feeder Bowls For Dry Food:
Raw Paws Dog Bowl
Raw paws slow feeder dog bowl promotes mental stimulation with it’s unique puzzle-like design. This interactive slow feeder bowl will exercise your dog’s brain while they are eating.
Pros: Dishwasher safe, BPA Free
Cons: No Non-Slip Base
Vannon Slow Feeder
This Slow Feeder Dog Bowl has a fun puzzle design to help your pup slow down at meal time. It is dishwasher safe, and BPA free.
Pros: Non-Slip Base, dishwasher safe, BPA, PVC free.
Cons: Plastic
Jasgood Dog Feeder Slow Bowl
The Jasgood Slow Eating Bowl is dishwasher safe, free of BPA & Phthalate materials. This is a great solution to help encourage your dog to eat at a slower pace. This does not have a non-slip base to it. So, I suggest getting a non-slip mat or tray to go with it: Waterproof Dog Food Mat
Pros: BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe.
Cons: No Non-slip Base, Plastic
Slow Feeder Bowls For Wet Food:
Cosmo Dog Lick Bowl
This lick bowl is for wet dog food and can also be used for a peanut butter treat. Its unique pattern helps promote healthy teeth and gums and promotes fresh breath while helping calm and relieve anxiety.
You can use this lick bowl at meal time or stick it to the wall for a special treat while clipping your dog’s nails.
Pros: Reduces Boredom, dishwasher safe, non-slip base, BPA Free.
Cons: None
Pet State Lick Mat
This is a 3 piece lick mat set/ This lick mat is Non-Toxic / BPA Free and made with Food-Grade Silicone. Each mat is highly durable, freeze free, and dishwasher safe. There are suction cups on the bottom of each mat to help hold it in place during meal time or a snack while grooming your pup.
Pros: BPA free, dishwasher safe, non-slip base
Cons: None
Neater Feeder Lick Mat and Tray
The Neater Lick Mat is made of food-safe and non-toxic TPE that is also recyclable. The tray prevents your pet from spreading food outside of the mat and onto the floor.
It also stops them from chewing the mat or carrying it around the house. Spreading your pet’s favorite wet food or treats across the large surface area and numerous nooks and crannies of the Neat-Lik Mat encourages your pet to slow down and take their time.
Licking mats are also good for dental health as they promote saliva production which helps to protect your pet’s teeth and gums.
Pros: Top-rack dishwasher safe, non skid base
Cons: Says non-toxic, doesn’t specify BPA free
Interactive Dog Food Dispensers:
Dog food dispensers are a great alternative to slow feeder bowls. They are more like a slow feeder dog toy that dispenses their food or treats a little at a time.
This not only slows down meal time, but it also helps keep your pup busy and working on their doggie brain training.
Dog Food Scoops:
Using a measuring cup or a dog food scoop can help your dog maintain a healthier weight. Estimating a dog’s food amount can lead to overeating or not getting enough food.
Collapsible Pet Scoops: These dog food scoopers will help you measure out the correct amount of food for your dog. They are made of food-grade plastic and are BPA Free.
What Dog Food Bowl do you recommend? Leave a comment for me below.
These are some great choices for slow feeders. We use three different patterns from Outward Hound’s selections for Lizzie, but I’m really liking the stainless steel Neater Slow Feeder Bowl. We also have a few Hyper Pet Lickimats for summer snacks like yogurt or peanut butter. I’ll freeze the mats and use them as enrichment activities on days when it’s too hot to go outside.
Hello Irene, Oh, very cool. Yeah, the Outward Hound Slow Feeder bowls have some really fun designs. Great to keep the pups occupied and rotate in a new design for them to work through. I love the idea of the frozen lickimats for summer treats. Thanks so much for sharing that cool idea.
Layla free feeds so I do not worry about her gulping her food, she eats when she wants to at a slow pace. I have a raised bowl for her which is slanted at one side as with age she seems to find it easier plus I am using aluminium as I do not like the ceramic ones.
That’s nice that Layla doesn’t gulp her food down fast.
Thanks for this, this is a good roundup of what’s available. I have a beagle and have tried a couple of these plastic bowls. The first one I bought was actually too difficult for him – the walls of the pattern were too high. I went with a plastic ‘fan pattern’ design bowl in the end, which worked well. The actual design I purchased is this the same as this one … Chow Slow Slow Feeder Bowl from chowslow.com.au
Hi Harvey, I’m glad that you have found a slow feeder dog bowl that works for your Beagle. Yeah, I can see if the walls of the dog bowl were too high, it could be frustrating for the dog to eat. Thanks for letting us know your experience with slow feeder dog bowls.