Best Automatic Dog Feeders in 2020
Having an automatic dog feeder is one of the most beneficial
gadgets a pet owner could have The important part is deciding which one is the
best for size of your pet and their dietary needs.In this article, I’ll be describe
the best of the best in the dog feeder category that I’ve had personal
experience with.
What is automatic dog feeder?
Automatic dog feeders are exactly what they should like pet
food dispensers that distribute foods automatically either via electronic
pre-programming or by gravity.
There are mainly comprised of two parts: a glass or plastic
air tight hopper that contains the food before it is relesed, and a
plastic, ceramic or stainless steel bowl that the food is dispensed into and
that your dog eats out of.
Why use an Automatic Dog Feeder? When they useful?
Automatic dog feeders will be an incredibly useful addition to
anyone unable to commit to regular dog feedings – that could be the elderly or
disabled, or even just people who work away from home, those on a shift basis
or those taking a short break away from their home without their dog.
They’re
also a great tool for owners looking to control their dog’s weight and the
amount their dog eats. Electronic dog feeders will allow you to pre-program
portion sizes and scheduled feedings so your dog will reap the health benefits
of eating small, yet regular meals.
As
such, they are useful in managing conditions like diabetes.
The Benefits of Using a Dog Feeder
While a dog is a man’s best friend, sometimes dogs are just
generally less co-dependent. Incorporating an automatic dog feeder into the mix
will not only allow them to have this independence, but you can control how
much they receive and when. For puppies with doctor recommendation, you can
tailor their meals to doctor’s orders.
Capacity and Schedule
Each dog feeder
will have a set capacity in its design. Before purchasing, it’s important to
know the schedule and dietary needs of your pup. Some devices have a set
90-hour meal plan feature, while others have an essential function of XX amount
of meals every XX hours. The needs you have will ultimately help make the
decision of which to choose.
If you’re away
for longer periods of time, you’ll want something with a higher capacity. If
you don’t leave home often, a device with smaller capacity should be purchased.
Ultimate Safety
Having a dog
feeder is safer in general, as you won’t have to worry about your pup getting
into food elsewhere and potential harming their bodies. If they’re strict
guidelines from the veterinarian, a regulation device such as a dog feeder should
be in your sights. This will allow them to eat safely only when they’re allowed
to. Physically, most devices are excellent regarding safety, but I’ve done
extensive reviews on the following regarding all aspects.
Best Automatic Dog Feeders
Ortilerri 6 Meal Smart Automatic Pet Feeder
1.
Programmable for up to 6 different feeding times
2.
Built-in microphone, speaker and low battery indicator
3.
Powered by four "C"
Batteries Required ( not included )"
4.
Applicable Pets: Dog, Cat
5.
Easy to use and control
The main characteristics of ortilerri 6 meal
smart automatic pet feeders are 6 separate large dishes, set 6 feeding times,
and record the dogs.Built-in display, microphone, horn and clock, so that the
owners easily set 4 different feeding time.To the scheduled feeding time,
automatically play three 8 seconds of personalized recording, to remind the dog
eating. Can spin the dish parts, easy to clean, durable ABS material. Regular
feeding weight and time to help dogs protect healthy and reasonable eating
habits. Easy to operate control panel, Standard No. two battery power supply,
easy to change.
Feed and Go Smart Pet Feeder
Oh man, I have a
few words about this fantastic device! Unlike any other product I’ve reviewed
in the automatic dog feeder department, none has ever incorporated the use of
smartphones. Not only is this model meant for food, but you can also dispense
medication on-call when you need to. If that wasn’t enough to make you
purchase, this device from Feed and Go also comes with a built-in webcam. The
webcam will allow you to monitor your pet’s eating habits when you’re not home.
Instead of hiring
someone to feed your pup every day, you can take your vacation or business trip
and dispense the proper amount of food when you need to directly from your
phone. The device has built-in Wi-Fi to make sure that the connection is always
established. I believe the built-in webcam is also a nice feature for those who
want to monitor their home – kill two birds with one stone by adding in this
security feature. No burglar would ever suspect a webcam in the dog food!
Based on those
features alone, I highly recommend this model. For those who have a ton of
animals (cats or dogs), the Feed and Go Smart Pet Feeder can be used with
UNLIMITED pets! Some may have two pet only system, or up to 8, but the limit
does not exist with this device.
Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder
This simple
design allows you to dispense up to 10 portions per meal, with the amount of
24ml per portion. With different alarms and types of timer programming, you can
dispense up to 4 meals for your pets a day. The meal dispensing option not only
works with dogs but cats, too. The base of the model is large enough for
medium-sized dogs and cats to enjoy.
With minimal
maintenance besides batteries, this device gets all of the work done with ease.
Although it doesn’t have a plethora of fancy features, it’s a great device for
the price. You can record a meal call for your pets to give that personal touch
when you’re not home, and you have the option of running it on batteries or a
power chord. Even though I used this as a backup while I was away, I was able to
have full control over the portions for my pups. For something quick and
straightforward that gets the job done, choose the Arf Pets feeder.
Flexzion – Automatic Pet Feeder
On the cheaper
end of an automatic dog feeder, this one looks like a gumball machine for your
furbaby. The Flexzion can hold up to 7 pounds of dry food, which is fantastic
for the size of the device. The weight of the food plus the weight of the
device makes the dog feeder stable while your pup is eating. For a personal
touch, I was able to program my voice so that the feeder could call the puppies
in for food.
Regarding
disassociation, pups will still be responding to your voice, so you won’t be
full disassociating yourself with food time, but it’s a familiar way for them
to know why the device is doing what it is, and that it’s SAFE to do so. My pup
Britta was able to have her one full cup portion with this model, as it can
dispense between ¼ of a cup and 1.5 cups at one time. Much like the other dog
feeder, the proportion ability is great, but not revolutionary. The proportion
size itself may be an advantage against others, though.
The dog feeder
from Flexzion also works with cats, if yours get along. Moreover, the LCD
allows you to view which meals are programmed, the sizes of the meals, and when
they’re served. I recommend this for the capacity alone.
PetSafe Healthy Pet Automatic Feeder
One of the best
sellers on the market, I just HAD to try this at some point. Although I
originally bought it for my mother, I decided to test it out with my Britta
since I already have one.
My initial
reaction was that it appeared to be a trash can or a paper shredder, so it
looks different than other automatic feeders, but it gets the job done in a
different way! Instead of having a basin already built in, you can place a dog
bowl of your choosing underneath the dispensary. It can serve puppies up to 4
cups per serving, which is more than most. It can also serve as little as 1/8
of a cup for the little ones with dietary restrictions.
If you have
puppies that eat entirely too fast, and that’s half of their problem (according
to the veterinarian), then you may want to try the unique sow feed mode that
dispenses 1/8 of the portion over a 15-minute period. Unlike any other device
on the market, this feature proves the Pet Safe automatic feeder to be a
worthwhile purchase on that alone.
This model can
also dispense both dry and moist food of various sizes and a variety of shapes.
The versatility with this one is awesome – if it had the features of the webcam
and Wi-Fi dog feeder, they’d be golden. However, I believe this one may reign
supreme above the rest, regardless.
My Final Thoughts
Upon reading
this, you might have thought my favorite would be the Feed and Go model. While
I still use this one regularly in my home, if I needed to buy a new one, I
would go with the PetSafe model. Not only can I feed a VERY specific amount
over a period so my dog doesn’t eat too fast, but it also accommodates multiple
food textures.
I highly recommend the PetSafe
model to those who want versatility and who have multiple pets of different
sizes with very particular eating habits.
cat food dispenser
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