FAQ: Bowls & Feeders for dogs

Opened dry food is best used within a few weeks, usually a month to six weeks, and always before the best-before date. So it is worth choosing a bag size your dog will finish in that time.

Cover the opened can with a lid or move the food to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge, usually for up to a few days or as the manufacturer says. Let the food warm to room temperature before feeding.

A scoop is handy, but it measures volume, and kibble from different foods weighs differently. The most accurate way is to weigh the portion once on kitchen scales and mark how much that is in the scoop.

Start from the amount on the food packaging for your dog’s weight and activity level, and split it into several meals. Watch your dog’s body shape and weight, and adjust the portion if it gains or loses weight.

Yes, if it is dry and cool there and the temperature does not swing much. In a damp or hot place food spoils and goes mouldy faster, so keep it in an airtight, rodent-proof container.

Zookainos.lt compares prices across Lithuanian online pet shops, so you can see where the same bowl or feeder costs less. You buy on the shop’s own website, because zoogidas.lt does not sell anything.

Prices are collected about daily, and each product shows when its price was last checked. Before buying, always confirm the final price on the shop’s website.

Product pages on zoogidas.lt show price history, so you can see how a product’s price has changed. This helps you decide whether to buy now or wait.

Manufacturers often state what weight or size of dog a bowl is for, but portion size and muzzle shape matter most. Small breeds suit bowls of a few hundred millilitres, while large breeds need bowls holding more than a litre.

Giant breeds need very roomy, heavy and stable bowls that they cannot tip or push around. Thick steel bowls in a stand are a common choice, and the water bowl should hold several litres.

A dog can practically not chew through stainless steel, so it suits chewers. Plastic and silicone bowls get damaged over time, and swallowed pieces of plastic can be dangerous.

Mounted bowls cannot tip over or move, so they are handy in kennels, crates and cars. They help with dogs that like to throw or flip their bowls.

There are bowls with a water moat around the base that ants cannot cross to reach the food. Not leaving leftovers, washing the bowl after meals and not using strong chemicals on the floor around it also help.

In most places in Lithuania, drinkable mains water is fine for dogs too. If the water is not fit for people to drink, for example from an untested well, do not give it to the dog either.

It is best to give a dog plain, still drinking water. Sparkling or highly mineralised water is not meant for everyday drinking and may cause bloating in some dogs.

There are water additives for dogs’ oral hygiene, but they must be measured exactly as the label says, and watch that the dog does not start drinking less because of them. If the dog has health problems, ask a vet first.

Shared water bowls outside cafes or in parks can pass some infections between dogs. It is safer to carry your own portable bowl and water, especially for puppies and unvaccinated dogs.

The colour usually does not matter to the dog, but a contrasting colour helps dogs with poor eyesight find the bowl more easily. In a light-coloured bowl, it is easier for the owner to spot dirt and slime.

A gravity dispenser has an upturned bottle or tank from which water flows into the bowl as the dog drinks. It is handy when the dog is left alone for longer, but the water is not filtered, so the tank must be washed regularly.

It is a nozzle attached to an outdoor tap or hose that releases water when the dog licks it or presses a lever. It provides fresh water for a dog kept outside, but the dog needs to be taught to use it and you should still check it works.