Many dog owners consider elevated dog bowls for their large breed dogs after they notice that their dog has to bend quite a lot when eating in order to reach the food on the ground. By getting a raised dog bowl, or by putting the dog bowl in an elevated position, the dog no longer needs to bend to reach the food.
But if you look into the topic further, you’ll find lots of mixed information about the benefits of elevated dog bowls. In fact, you’ll even find claims that bowl stands make dogs more prone to bloat. So what’s the verdict?
Are elevated dog bowls worth it?
There’s been a study (confined only to large and giant dog breeds) which found that the use of elevated dog bowls increases the risk of bloat by 110%. But the results have been referred to as conflicting and unclear. They could just be correlational, and there isn’t much further research that paints a clearer picture.
Anyhow – while we don’t have very clear research findings on this topic, the general advise is that there’s data which suggests that elevated dog bowls might be a concern for large breed dogs.
But it’s always best to discuss topics like this with your regular vet, so that you can receive the most relevant information for your personal circumstances. At the end of the day, your dog might have a specific health condition, or there could be breed-related factors at play that will make one type of feeding more appropriate than the other.
Should large breeds have their bowls raised?
As mentioned above, large breeds *probably* shouldn’t have their bowls raised, but it really depends on your personal situation. For example, there appears to be an increased risk of bloat with raised dog bowls, but if your dog suffers from arthritis they could still be helpful. Because of this, it’s best to discuss the topic with your vet to receive personalised advise.
How high should dog bowls be raised?
As we’ve discussed in this article, you really want to get personalised advise from your regular vet on this topic. Once you know what dog bowl is right for you, you have a few different options when it comes to elevated dog bowls.
For example, you can find custom raised dog bowls that are really high – so high that even a great dane would be able to eat their food without bending down! That said, the most popular option are actually a semi-raised dog bowls, which only have a little extra height added to them, like the one pictured below.
What other types of dog bowls are there?
These days there are lots of different types of dog bowls. The most popular ones are stainless steel bowls, ceramic bowls, and slow feeder dog bowls. Personalised dog bowls are currently trending as well: they can be any type of the above mentioned dog bowls, but with your dog’s name on it. And then we have luxury dog bowls, which are a great choice for modern homes.
References
- American Veterinary Medical Association. “Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs“.
- Vetinfo. “How an Elevated Dog Feeder Could Lead to Bloat“.
