Benefits of Elevated Dog Bowls

The benefits of elevated dog bowls are many: superior comfort, reduced regurgitation or vomiting, and improved posture in dogs being just a few of them.

They also reduce strain on your pet’s neck, back and joints and promote more efficient digestion of food.

In this guide, we will discuss some important benefits of elevated dog bowls.

We will also review top-notch bowls for small, medium, and large breed dogs.

Just in case you are in a hurry, click on our short summary below to view our Top reviewed products for the best elevated dog bowls:

1. Pet Zone Designer Diner Adjustable Elevated Dog Bowl
2. Yangbaga Elevated Dog Bowl
3. PetFusion Bamboo and Stainless Steel Elevated Bowls
4. X-Zone Raised Pet Bowls

Top 10 Benefits of Elevated Dog Bowls

Here are some of the main benefits of elevated dog bowls:

1.  Vets recommend them

Many vets believe that elevated dog bowls are a better choice compared to regular food bowls because they reduce the strain of bending for your pet.

Thus, they improve your pet’s posture and also promote more efficient digestion.

Vets especially recommend elevated bowls for dogs having conditions like megaesophagus (where food risks being inhaled into the lungs), intervertebral disc disease, or those who have had surgery for neck related issues.

 All these conditions require your dog to bend less.

With elevated food bowls, dogs with above conditions can prevent straining their necks and backs and get the food down quicker into their tummies to prevent regurgitation.

2. Less mess

Dogs often make a mess while eating food from regular feeding bowls.

The food and water splash out of the bowls on the floor.

With elevated dog bowls, your floors will be cleaner since the dishes are raised above the ground.

This is even more applicable to water bowls.

Your pet won’t splash as much water as it would with regular drinking bowl due to the raised height.

3. Comfort for older dogs

Dogs with back or leg pain, joint issues, intervertebral disc disease, arthritis etc. can eat and drink more comfortably from the raised food bowls.

Senior dogs already have trouble eating and many avoid it completely if their regular bowls cause too much of a discomfort.

As a pet parent, you want your old dog to eat well.

Elevated food bowls might help reduce discomfort of bending and ensure that your aging dog gets the nutrition it needs.

4. Improves your pet’s digestion

With elevated food bowls, your dog’s upper body remains upright which causes the food to move down into the stomach faster.

This can reduce bloating, belching, and regurgitation of vomiting of food which dogs indulge in when their tummies are upset or when they have megaesophagus which leads to food going into lungs instead of digestive tract.

Elevated food bowls have reduce post-feeding vomiting and improved digestion in many pets.

5.  Beneficial for long-eared pets

Long eared breeds like cocker spaniels tend to get their ears into their food.

With kibble, this won’t cause issues. However, with wet food or gravies, the food sticks to their ears’ ends.

Elevated food bowls help avoid this issue.

No more sticky ends on your beautiful pet’s ears!

6. Slow down fast-eaters

Many young puppies and adult dogs get over-excited at meal times.

They end up eating their favorite food very fast.

This is very harmful to your dog as it can cause it to gulp air along with the food.

It can cause belching, bloat, and gas as well as other digestive troubles.

Dogs in multi-pet households often eat very fast to avoid other dogs from eating their food.

 Elevated food bowls can prevent speedy-eating.

There is no way that your dog can gulp down food and water from a raised bowl – it automatically slows them down.

You will soon see the benefits in the form of reduced speed of eating, improved digestion, fewer throw-ups and upset tummies, and even a more satiated dog!

Also Read: Best Stainless Steel Slow Feeder Dog Bowl

7. No more neck/back issues

You might have noticed your pet pause during eating from regular food bowls – often sitting down as if it is tired or in pain.

The reason why your pet sits down from time to time during feeding, is because its neck or back hurts as it has to stoop too low to reach its food.

Some breeds might experience it more than others.

An elevated dog food bowl can help eliminate this discomfort.

These bowls have an optimal height so your pet does not have to reach up or stoop low and its neck remains comfortable throughout feeding.

8.  Less sliding of bowls across the floor!

Regular bowls slide across the floor and you must have seen that no matter how heavy or sturdy the bowl is.

The platforms of elevated bowls completely avoid sliding of the food bowls and water bowls as they are held in place by the recess in the platform.

9.  Prevent food-related bad behaviors

Many dogs indulge in odd behaviors with their food and water bowls.

Young puppies especially love to paddle or splash in their water bowls. Some dogs like ‘digging’ into their kibble.

Elevated food bowls can easily prevent such behavior.

There is no explanation behind this, but most pet parents reported cessation of playing with food after switching to elevated food bowls.

10.  Functional for pet parents too!

Another of the top benefits of elevated dog bowls is that you don’t need to bend down in order to pick up or put down the bowls.

The elevated platform lets you easily avoid strain on your back.

Also, their stainless steel or glass bowls are easy to clean as well.

Pets make less mess on the floor which eases cleanup further.

Potential Risks of Using Elevated Dog Bowls

Based on the research conducted by Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, raised feeder bowls could cause a deadly condition called ‘bloat’ in larger breeds like Great Danes, Cane Corsos, and other deep-chested large dogs.

Bloat causes twisting of the intestines due to eating too fast, which might need surgery to avoid serious complications.

The condition typically occurs when dogs eat too fast, or eat right after exercise, and are seen in dogs with deep chests.

A study about bloat and elevated food bowls was also published in the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association.

The gist of this study was that 53% of the dogs studied (out of a total of 1600 dogs) (genetically prone to bloat due to their large sized chests), developed the condition which their vets attributed to raised feeder bowls.

However, the study is not full-proof and there is still a debate raging among vets about this matter.

In case you are concerned, please speak to your vet whether an elevated food bowl is right for your particular breed.

Are elevated dog bowls good or bad?

We firmly believe that the benefits of elevated dog bowls far outweigh its risks.

The debate might ramble on and clearly there are some pet parents and vets who believe that elevated dog bowls could cause bloat especially in large breed dogs.

However, if your pet is not genetically prone to bloat, then there really shouldn’t be any cause for concern.

As stated before, your vet is the best person to discuss this matter with.

 A vast majority of pet parents have safely used elevated dog bowls with great results in their pet’s comfort, feeding habits, and also their digestion.

Also Read: Best Probiotic for Cats with IBD

How to choose the best elevated dog bowls?

Here are some factors to consider before setting out to buy the best elevated dog bowls:

A)  Make sure your pet likes it

If your dog isn’t used to an elevated dog bowl since puppyhood, then chances are that it might refuse to eat from one.

You can get your pet used to a raised feeder by making a homemade raised platform using some thick books. For larger dogs, you can use a milk crate or a sturdy wooden box.

Keep your pet’s bowl securely held to this platform with non-skid mats and tape.

Check the stability of the platform, and then place the food bowl on it.

See if your pet likes it.

With some adjustments in height of the stack (and a lot of patience!) you can get your pet used to this homemade feeder.

Once your pet likes eating from elevated bowls, you can invest in permanent elevated bowls.

(We have reviewed some great products below based on a dog’s size.)

B) Select the right size

The proper height of the elevated pet bowl is the same height as your pets’ back when s/he is standing.

Measure your pet properly to get the best height in elevated dog bowl.

As a general rule, choose bowls with following sizes based on breed size:

• Small breeds – between 2 and 6 inches
• Medium breeds – between 7 and 14 inches
• Larger breeds – between 15 and 20 inches

You can also buy height-adjustable systems so that you can lower or raise the bowls as needed, depending on your pet’s comfort.

C) Ensure high-quality food-grade materials

Mots raised food bowls are made with stainless steel, glass, or porcelain bowls.

Their platforms may be made with powder-coated metal, natural bamboo, or wood.

Wood and bamboo are rust resistant and easy to clean. They also have a natural woodsy aroma.

Avoid plastic bowls which are prone to scratching and can get odors stuck in them.

Stainless steel bowls are easier to remove and wash in the dishwasher as well.

D) Anti-skid and noise-free

Look for stands with anti-skin feet. Alternatively, look for products that include an anti-skid mat underneath the stand.

This will prevent skidding of the stand on the floor.

Also, make sure that the bowls are prevented from making noise against the platform – otherwise they could startle your pets while they are eating.

Top-notch elevated bowls come with special knobs that eliminate rattling and knocking noises of the bowls against the frame.

Also Read: How to Prevent Slime in Pet Water Fountains

Best Elevated Dog Bowls – 2022 Top Picks

Best Adjustable Elevated Dog Bowls for All Dogs (Small, Medium and Large)

1. Our Editor’s Pick: Pet Zone Elevated Dog Bowls Designer Diner 3 Height Adjustable Raised Dog Bowl Stand with 2 Stainless Steel Dog Bowls (7 Cup Capacity Each)

We love Pet Zone Designer’s well-designed elevated bowl stand which adjusts to three different heights for small, medium, and large breeds: 2.75 inches, 8 inches, or 12 inches.

You can easily use the same stand all through your puppy’s transition to adulthood.

Being compact, Pet Zone bowl stand is easy to store out of the way and you can easily take it on your travels. It is ideal for small and compact apartments too.

The powder-coated bowls platform resists rusting and the steel bowls are easy to clean and dishwasher-safe.

Pet Zone height-adjustable elevated dog bowls come with bowl 7 ½ inches in diameter that can hold 6 cups of dry kibble.

The stand is also very easy to put together and aesthetically pleasing.

Best Elevated Dog Bowls For Large Dogs

2. Yangbaga Elevated Dog Bowls, Raised Dog Feeding Station with 2 Bowls, Comes with a Nonslip Pad, Easy to Clean

Yangbaga elevated dog bowls can hold bowls measuring between 6-to-8 inches.

Its height is 7.2 inches tall which is perfect for larger breeds.

We love the fact that the bowls are made with rust-resistant stainless steel which makes them easy to clean.

The stand is made from real pine wood which is high-quality and odor-free – it features anti-skid feet to keep from slipping.

You also get an anti-skid mat to place under the stand for further stability.

The mats are absorbent which helps keep your floors clean.

You can wash them in the machine.

Yangbaga elevated bowl stand is easy to assemble and you get all necessary tools for the same.

Best Elevated Dog Bowls For Medium Dogs

3.  PetFusion Elevated Bamboo Dog Feeder (New) with water resistant seal. (8" height for medium & large dogs). 2 US food grade stainless steel 56 oz bowls

PetFusion elevated bowls are made using natural bamboo with stainless steel bowls.

They come in two sizes, suitable for small to large breeds.

Anti-skid feet and bowl insets keep the stand firm as your pet eats.

Since the 8” bowls fit perfectly in the slots, there are no noisy rattling sounds as your pet eats.

You can easily order extra bowls as needed.

PetFusion elevated stand and bowls are also very easy to clean and aesthetically pleasing for any décor.

You can easily assemble these bowl-stand and they come with all the tools needed for the job.

Best Elevated Dog Bowls for Small Dogs 

4.  X-ZONE PET Elevated Dog Bowls for Cats and Dogs, Adjustable Bamboo Raised Dog Bowls for Small Dog, Food and Water Set Stand Feeder with 2 Stainless Steel Bowls and Anti Slip Feet (Height 4" to 4.5")

X-Zone pet bowls are made with natural bamboo and you can adjust its height between 4 and 4.5 inches.

The bowls are 2.55” deep and can easily hold 3.4 cups of dry food.

Bamboo is an excellent choice for these stands as it keeps them strong, easy to clean, and comes with a delicate woodsy fragrance.

It is also rust and leak proof.

X-Zone stand comes with strong anti-skid feet while the bowls are prevented from rattling against the sides due to special knobs that eliminate those annoying knocking sounds as your pet eats.

Conclusion

Benefits of elevated dog bowls include helping your pet maintain proper posture, relieving stress on its neck and back, while also allowing the food to travel quickly and efficiently down to the digestive tract.

We recommend Pet Zone height-adjustable elevated dog bowls which are suitable for small, medium, and large breeds and come with rust-proof, easy-to-clean, and travel-friendly features.

Do check out our other recommendations as well.