Why do large dogs need elevated food bowls? As a parent who is deeply in love with my large dog. I am keenly aware of the fact that every single detail is sloppy in every single day of caring for these big guy. Especially when it come to feeding time, not only do I want to make sure they are eating a nutritionally balanced meal, but I also pay special attention to how they are eating. Today, I'd like to talk to you from my own experience about a tip that can be very beneficial to the health of your large dog - and that's the elevated food bowl.
Physiological characteristics and needs of large dogs
Our large dog is an integral part of our family. Its huge size and loyal and friendly character always bring us endless joy and security. However, owning a large dog is not an easy task. Especially when it come to diet, their need are so different from those of small and delicate dog. In order to keep my baby healthy and happy, I've gone to great length to understand her bones, her eating and digestion, as well as her spinal health and posture. After all, it's only when I really know what I'm doing that I can give her the best!
Body size and bone structure
When it comes to body size, large dogs are really worlds apart from small dogs. As adults, they usually weigh between 26 and 44 kilograms, with some breed even heavier. Every time I see it sitting there, I can feel that heavy and steady feeling. Moreover, their bone structure is exceptionally robust, with strong and powerful limbs supporting their large body.
However, this size also presents some challenges. Although the bones of a large dog are thick and sturdy, the joints can feel the strain of carrying a tremendous amount of weight for a long period of time. Especially the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae, which are key area, are prone to wear and tear or deterioration due to long-term overloading. Sometimes, I would see my dog occasionally look a little strained when walking or running, and that's when I would be especially distressed.
In addition to joint problem, the bone in the limbs of large dogs also need to be put under greater stress. The burden on the neck, back and leg is especially noticeable when eating with the head down. I have noticed that every time my dog eats, he lowers his head and presses down on the food bowl with his front paws before he starts eating. This action may seem simple, but for it, it require the mobilization of muscles and bones of the whole body to cooperate.
In order to reduce its burden, I started to try some method. For example, I would prepare some fluffy food for it to avoid damage to its teeth and mouth caused by too hard food. At the same time, I would also take him to the vet for regular checkups, especially for his joints and bones, to make sure he was in good health.
Eating habits and digestive problems
Those of you who have owned large dogs know that their eating habits are nothing compared to small dogs. My dog eats like a feast every time he eats, and the amount of food he eats amazes me as his owner.
Every time I prepare food for him, I have to deliberately find a spacious place, fearing that he will not eat painfully. Moreover, large dogs take a relatively long time to eat because they need to chew and digest a lot of food. But what gives me a headache is that my dog sometimes acts like a hungry wolf, gobbling down food as soon as he sees it, with no regard for his digestion.
This situation not only makes me worry about his digestive problems, but also leads to food residues often splashing on the floor, making a mess all over the house. Every time I cleaned, I had to complain a few times, but looking at its big innocent eyes, I couldn't bear to blame it.
When it comes to digestive problems, the intestines and stomachs of large dogs are really fragile. My dog once had diarrhea because he ate inappropriate food, and that time really made me worry. For the sake of his health, I had to start researching the characteristics of the large dog's stomach and digestive problems.
I found that large dogs have sensitive stomachs and are very particular about the type, amount and timing of food. If the food is too greasy or not easy to digest, it will easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Moreover, the feeding time is also very important, so you can't let it starve for too long, nor can you let it eat too much.
So, I started to try to prepare some healthier and easy-to-digest food for it, such as boiled chicken, beef and dog food mixed together. At the same time, I also strictly control the time and amount of feeding to make sure that it eats on time every day and will not be hungry or stretched out.
After a period of adjustment, my dog's eating habits finally improved. Instead of gulping down his food as he used to do, he started to chew slowly and enjoy every bite of food. Moreover, his gastrointestinal problems were relieved and he no longer had diarrhea.
Through this experience, I deeply realized the importance of large dogs' eating habits and digestive problems. As pet owners, we should not only pay attention to the amount of food they eat, but also the way they eat and their digestive health. Only then can we ensure that they can grow up healthy and happy.
Benefits of using elevated food bowls
In the process of raising my large dog, I feel that every little detail should not be neglected, especially when it comes to his meals. It's not enough to think about preparing nutritious food for it, I also have to worry about how it eats better. At this time, I found the elevated food bowl this good thing, it is for my baby, really is the perfect little helper when eating it!
Protecting the health of the spine
The spine is an important support for a large dog's body ah, and the head down, hunched over eating position is definitely a burden on the spine. Every time I see my dog eating with his head down, I can't help but think about his spine. You know, large dogs are huge, and the spine is under a lot of pressure. Those vertebrae, one by one, are tightly connected and act as shock absorbers and cushions through the intervertebral discs. But even such a strong structure can not withstand long-term “abuse”.
I have found that when my dog lowers his head to eat, his spine will show an unnatural curvature. This posture for a long time, cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae are prone to problems. Especially herniated discs and scoliosis, which are relatively common in large dogs. Once you get them, not only will your dog's quality of life be greatly reduced, but they can also cause a series of serious health problems.
Thinking about all this, I began to wonder if there was anything I could do to improve my dog's eating posture and reduce the burden on his spine. After a lot of searching and consulting, I found the great thing about elevated food bowls.
The design of the elevated food bowl is so thoughtful that it elevates the food to a position where the dog can easily eat it without having to lower his head. This allows the dog to maintain a natural standing position while eating and the spine is relaxed.
Improve eating posture
My dog, every time he ate, he had to keep his head down, and when I looked at him like that, I really didn't feel good. How can the cervical vertebrae and the back stand it if he eats with his head down all the time? I also found that after eating, it often looks a little tired, as if it had just finished a marathon, I know that this is because the eating posture is not right.
Later on, I replaced it with an elevated food bowl, thinking that I could improve its eating posture and make it eat more comfortably. At first, my dog was a little uncomfortable with this new thing. But it didn't take long for him to fall in love with the new bowl! Every time it's time to eat, he runs over to the bowl, stands in front of it, and enjoy his food with ease.
Since using the elevated bowl, I've noticed that my dog's eating posture has improved a lot. When he eats, the pressure on his neck, back and legs is much less, and he looks especially relaxed and comfortable. And ah, it is not as tired as before after eating, full of spirit, I look at the heart is also happy.
Prevention of digestive problems
Did you know that elevated food bowls have another benefit that I particularly value, and that is the ability to help prevent digestive problem in my dog? My large dog friend has alway had a sensitive stomach and can suffer from indigestion if he's not careful. I later realized that this has a lot to do with him eating too fast and in the wrong position.
Since using the elevated food bowl, I found that his eating posture has improved a lot. He also eats more easily and naturally, and no longer gobbles as much as he used to. In this way, the food can be digested and absorbed better, which is really good for his gut.
And yeah, some elevated food bowls are specially designed with a slow food function. This allow the dog to eat slower and slower. This feature is simply fantastic and further reduces the possibility of my dog having digestive problems because he eats too fast. Looking at the way he eat now, I really think that choosing the right elevated food bowl is a great safeguard for his health!
Keeping the environment clean
Ever since getting a large dog, I've found that keeping the house clean has become a huge problem! Especially when the dogs are eating, food scraps and drool are alway splattered everywhere and it's a time consuming task to clean up! However, since I discovered the elevated food bowl, this problem has been solved!
In the past, my dog's food bowl was placed directly on the floor! This way, dust, hair and other debris can easily fall into the bowl and contaminate the food! Whenever I saw this, I would quickly pick up the bowl, pick out the debris, and then prepare the food for my dog again! But even so, I still feel a bit uneasy, after all, those invisible bacteria is the most worrying! Moreover, when the dog is eating, it always splashes food remnants and saliva on the floor! Every time after he eats, I have to take a mop and a rag and clean it carefully! Otherwise, those food residues and saliva will attract mosquitoes and bacteria, which will have a great impact on the tidiness and hygiene of the home environment.
However, since I used the High Rack Food Bowl, all these problems no longer exist! The design of the elevated bowl is very clever, it can elevate the bowl to a certain distance from the ground. This makes it difficult for dust, hair and other debris to fall into the bowl, making the food more hygienic!
What's more, elevated food bowls also prevent your dog from splashing food scraps and slobber on the floor while eating! Every time my dog eats, I place the food bowl on the elevated food bowl and adjust the height so that he can easily eat his food! This way, when the dog eat, the food scraps and slobber stay in the food bowl and don't splash on the floor! Whenever he finishes eating, all I have to do is take the bowl out, pour out the food and slobber, and rinse it with water and it's clean! It's so convenient and quick!
How to choose the right elevated food bowl for large dogs
When it comes to choosing the right elevated food bowl for my big guy, I've put a lot of thought into it. First of all, the material and durability must be acceptable, after all, it is not gentle to use, we have to find a “test”. Then, the size and capacity must be suitable, too small is not enough to eat, too big and bulky.
Also, the height adjustment function is really important to me. My dog's size, you know, I need an elevated food bowl that can adjust its height as it grows, so that it can eat comfortably all the time.
Lastly, ease of cleaning was also a key consideration for me. After all, no one wants the headache of cleaning the bowl after every meal, right? That's why, when I was choosing, I was specifically looking for styles that are easy to remove and easy to clean.
Material and durability
The material of a raised food bowl is directly related to its durability and safety. Common materials include stainless steel, plastic and ceramic. Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean, not easy to breed bacteria; plastic is lightweight and affordable, but you need to pay attention to choose non-toxic, odorless material; ceramic is beautiful, but fragile and not easy to clean.
Comprehensive consideration, stainless steel elevated food bowl is the ideal choice. It is not only durable and easy to clean, but also effective in preventing the growth of bacteria, to protect the health of large dogs.
Size and capacity
When it comes to the size and capacity of a raised food bowl, it's important to think about it. Think about it, my big guy, the food is not ordinary big, so the capacity of the food bowl must not be small, let it eat a lot. Also, the caliber of the food bowl must be moderate, too big is not easy to grasp, too small is difficult to eat.
When choosing, I based on the size of my dog and the amount of food to determine. He, weighing almost 40 kilograms, I chose a caliber of about 30 centimeters, the capacity of about 1,000 milliliters of elevated food bowls, I feel that this is quite suitable. He is now using it quite smoothly, every time he eat, he eat very well, and I am also happy to see him eating. So, when choosing a raised food bowl, you should consider the two factors of size and capacity.
Height Adjustment
I think the height adjustment feature of the elevated food bowl is so sweet! Think about it, my dog's size and height have been changing since he was a puppy, if the height of the bowl can't be adjusted, how awkward it would be for him to eat, and he might even hurt his spine and joints. Take the puppy period as an example, it grows so fast, if the height of the food bowl is fixed, it will have to eat with its head down, how uncomfortable it is. But with the height adjustment function, I can adjust the height of the food bowl according to his growth to ensure that he can maintain the correct posture every time he eats, which is much more reassuring to me. What's more, when my dog gets older, his joints and spine may be a bit problematic, and then eating with his head down may be a burden for him. Luckily, this elevated bowl is height adjustable, so I'll be able to adjust it a little lower so that he can eat more comfortably without having to work so hard. So yes, when choosing a high rack food bowl, make sure to check if there is a height adjustment function, this function is really too important!
Ease of cleaning
When I was choosing a high rack bowl, I was particularly interested in how easy it was to clean.
Think about it, my big guy eats like a war every time he eats, leaving food residue and drool all over the bowl. If the food bowl is not cleaned well, the bacteria will swish into it, which will affect the dog's health!
Therefore, I pay special attention to the structure and material of the food bowl when picking. Some elevated food bowls are designed quite humane, can be disassembled into several parts, so that it is much easier to clean, every corner can be washed clean.
What's more, the material is also very crucial. I chose the kind of stainless steel or easy to clean plastic material, this material is not easy to stain the food, the water once rinsed clean, save a lot of trouble.
Top elevated food bowls on the market
When it comes to those popular elevated food bowls on the market, I did my homework and finally picked The Zero Splash Ultimate- Adjustable Elevated Dog Bowl 2-in-1 Food Water Bowls from PUPPHUB for that big guy in my house and it's just awesome!
First of all, I have to say that the Zero Splash technology really surprised me.
In the past, when my dog ate wet food or drank water, the water and food splashed everywhere, the floor was always dirty, and it was easy for him to step on it and slip, which was a real headache for me. But since using this elevated food bowl, this problem has been completely solved! The rim of the bowl is cleverly designed and tilts slightly inward, so water and food don't spill out at all. Now I don't have to worry about the floor when my dog is eating or drinking, it's a huge relief.
What's more, I'm especially pleased with the height adjustment feature of this elevated food bowl. You know, every dog is different in size and height, so it's really hard for a fixed-height food bowl to meet the need of all dogs. But this elevated food bowl is different, it has 4 adjustable heights that I can freely adjust according to my dog's size and height. This way, he can maintain a natural standing position while eating, his neck and back are relaxed, and he eats healthier and more comfortably. And yeah, this elevated food bowl come with both a stainless steel bowl and a slow feeder option, which is really sweet! The stainless steel bowl is durable and easy to clean, while the slow feeder helps me control my dog's eating speed to avoid digestive problems caused by eating too fast.
In addition, the material of this elevated food bowl is also very safe, so it's very reassuring to use. Overall, this elevated food bowl is really great, my dog is very happy with it, and I am also very satisfied!
Conclusion
Did you know? After using the elevated food bowl, I really think the quality of life of my large dog friend has improved quite a bit! After all, the reason we have pets is for the companionship and happiness. So I think it's worth it to put in a little more effort to create a better living environment for them. Looking at my dog is now so healthy, so happy, my heart is really happy!