 |
Dog Bowls
Let's start this by saying right from the beginning that your dogs need dog bowls. Forget the idea of puting the food on newspapers, on the ground or cage floor. All this does is increase parasites, draw flies and contaminate the surroundings. You're not saving time, money and energy. You'll spend that time cleaning the floors, combating insects, and cleaning your pet's food soiled coat. In a worst case scenario your pet can become very ill. 1. It is the correct size for the pet 2. It can be easily washed and dried, or thrown away after use 3. It is made from safe materials. You'd be surprised at how many bowls can be toxic to your pet. Make sure it is safe in all areas including the feeding bowl, coverings, paint, decals, and decorations. It also must be able to stand up to at least some abuse from your pet's teeth. It should be made of a substance that is non-corrosive to foods, urine or any other substance the bowl could be subject to. It must resist soaps, water, disinfectants, grease and detergents. It should not break or crack under normal wear. Also keep in mind that certain breeds with long, floppy ears such as hounds and spaniels do best with a specially tapered bowl that prevents the ears from resting in the bowl as the puppy eats or drinks. And of course, it should be reasonable priced. There are 4 materials that are generally acceptable as dog bowls. They are glass, pottery, plastic and metal. Glass containers These are probably the worst of the four because they are fragile and unstable. Definately a no no for kennels or breeders. Now if the glass dog bowl is used for one dog in one family, it's probably OK, generally not subject to breakage. Their low cost and attractive look make them more appealing to owners. Pottery containers These can be good as long as the dog is fed dry foods. But if you have to clean the dog bowl after each use, pottery dog bowls become heavy and bulky. They break and chip if handled to roughly. Plastic containers This type of dog bowl has some advantages of both glass and pottery. But there are faults also. Yes they can withstand considerable abuse, but they are more vulnerable to teeth. A determined pet can reduce a plastic dog bowl to shreds in a matter of minutes. And if eaten, they can cause serious stomach upsets. In addition, some will crack when they get too cold, or bend when they get too hot. This is a big problem in dishwashers. Metal Containers I believe these to be the safest for food and water. The biggest disadvantage is that a dog's teeth can do damage. But if it is made from seemless steel, generally even that is not a problem. They are light, stackable, won't break, and probably less expensive if you spread the initial cost out over the duration of their use. And they are very easy to wash and dry. Even if you decide to bounce it like a basketball (not recommended), it won't break (although it may bend a little). We have a number of dog bowls for you to consider.
|
