With 3 dogs over the past 20+ years, I’ve been through my share of dog bowls!
For my big dogs, I’ve used the raised dog feeder with great success. (It helps prevent bloat in large, deep-chested dogs.)
For my average size dogs, I’ve used durable plastic bowls with a sturdy, non-skid bottom most of the time.
But lately, I’ve been looking for something more stylish and modern, if not decorative. Something that will look nice in our large, modern bathroom.
Growing tired of the standard ‘dog food bowl’ look, I set out to find a better dog bowl.
These were my requirements:
- Durable – must last a long time without chipping, scratching, fading, or denting
- Attractive – must add to the room’s decor, rather than detracting from it
- Large – my dog eats freely throughout the day whenever he’s hungry/thirsty, so I prefer to refill only once daily
My Favorite Dog Bowls
Regular dog bowls have served their purpose well in our home for years, but they don’t exactly look nice.
I’m kind of a closet interior decorator. While I used to buy things simply for the fact that they served a purpose, these days I try to choose things that are both practical and attractive.
I kept thinking that our master bathroom looked really nice except for the eyesore in the corner: 2 plastic dog food & water bowls.
So I upgraded to these dog bowls:
Here’s why I like these dog bowls so much…
#1 They’re super-durable.
They’re made of 100% stoneware — much thicker and more durable than the other dog bowls I looked at that were labeled ceramic or porcelain. Trust me, I’ve bumped the water bowl on the faucet a couple times while refilling at our bathroom sink (and the food bowl too when washing it in the kitchen sink), and they have not chipped. In fact, these dog bowls are coated with a thick glaze, so they don’t even scratch!
By the way, I use blue Scotch-Brite scrubbers to clean these water bowls regularly. They don’t scratch at all, and the bowls look like new all the time.
#2 – They’re attractive.
I like the brown tones in these bowls. Not only do they go well with the colors in our home decor (and would actually look great in any room, not just our bathroom), but they also never look dirty. The brown color (technically smokey taupe) hides the black strands of dog fur that inevitably end up inside these bowls after each meal, as well as the dog food crumbs that tend to linger behind. And the glaze makes them look shiny and new all the time. I don’t usually like cutesy things for my dogs, but I actually like the brown paw prints that form a border along the outside of each bowl. (I especially like the single dog paw that appears at the bottom of the bowl when the food is gone!)
They also have the same dog bowls in a sage green color, instead of brown.
#3 – They’re large.
Don’t ask me why, but it was difficult to find a dog bowl that was large enough — and deep enough — that didn’t look cheap. There are plenty of stainless steel ones, and plastic ones too, but very few pretty ones that are also big. I guess they think larger dogs tend to be outdoor dogs and/or tend to be rough with their bowls, so the manufacturers shy away from making large-sized dog bowls from material other than steel or plastic. And the large ceramic ones I found were either way thin (and likely to chip or break) or way too ‘puppy cute’ for my taste. So I am thrilled that I found these! Each one is 8 inches wide and holds 32 ounces (actually closer to 34 ounces).
Petrageous also makes dog bowls like these in other sizes as well — from small to large.
So, whether you’re getting a new dog and looking for fun new dog bowls for your four-legged friend or you’re simply looking to upgrade your dog supplies a little bit, I think these dog bowls from Petrageous are a great choice.
They’re also microwave safe and dishwasher safe, but I don’t put my dog bowls in the dishwasher or in the microwave.
I saw that there is a similar FOOD dog bowl and WATER dog bowl by the same company. I happen to think the ones with dog bones and dog paws seem a little more decorative and little less cutesy.
In case you’re wondering about the dog placemat that we keep underneath these stoneware dog bowls in our bathroom (which I also happen to love), it’s a gel mat that people typically use on kitchen floors. It looks great and easily wipes clean!
What’s your favorite dog bowl?…
I like to help Dog Parents find unique ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” Dog Tips and Dog Hacks that most wouldn’t think of. I’m a lifelong dog owner — currently have 2 mixed breed Golden Aussies that we found abandoned on the side of the road as puppies. I’ve always trained my own dogs and help friends train theirs, as well. Professionally, I worked at a vet and have several friends who are veterinarians — whom I consult with regularly. (And just because I love animals so much, I also worked at a Zoo for awhile!) I’ve been sharing my best ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998 (the same year that Google started… and before the days of Facebook and YouTube). My daily motivation is to help first-time dog owners be better prepared from the first day your new puppy enters your home. I like to help dog owners understand what’s ‘normal’ and what you can expect in terms of living with and training your dog — how to get through the ups & downs of potty training, chewing, teaching commands, getting your dog to listen, and everything else that takes place during that hectic first year! When I’m not training, walking, grooming, or making homemade treats for my dogs, you will find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I’ve written over 600 articles for dog owners on this site! Many of them have upwards of 200K shares.
