What’s so important about baby proof dog bowls? When your baby starts crawling and then walking, one of the biggest problems you’re going to face is keeping them out of the dog’s bowl. Your growing baby is naturally curious about the world around them. And this includes sampling your dog’s food or paddling in the dog water bowl.
Baby proofing your home environment is something every parent needs to consider when their baby becomes more mobile. From cupboard doors to stairs and even to dog bowls, parents are always looking for ways to safeguard their babies (and pets) against any potential dangers. I get this being a father to my own active toddler who is extremely curious about everything around her!
- My Top Picks
- Baby Proof Dog (water) Bowls – Let’s Keep the Kids Out (Woof! Woof!)
- Why Baby Proof Dog Bowls Are a Good Idea – Danger danger
- 7 Tips for Baby Proofing Dog Bowls and Keeping Baby Safe
- Best Overall Dog Water Bowl – Road Refresher No Spill Dog Water Bowl
- Best Overall Dog Feeder – PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
- Best Value – Pet Zone Designer Diner
- Best Microchip Feeder – SureFlap Microchip Pet Feeder
- Best For No Mess – UPSKY Dog Water Bowl
- Final Thoughts
My Top Picks
- Best Overall Dog Water Bowl – Road Refresher No Spill Dog Water Bowl
- Best Overall Dog Feeder – PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
- Best Value – Pet Zone Designer Diner
- Best Microchip Feeder – SureFlap Microchip Pet Feeder
- Best For No Mess – UPSKY Dog Water Bowl
Baby Proof Dog (water) Bowls – Let’s Keep the Kids Out (Woof! Woof!)
Safeguarding your growing baby is an everyday prospect every parent faces. Whether it’s at home or out on the road, parents are aware of the dangers their children face. It can be as simple as keeping cabinet doors locked or you might want to be more innovative when it comes to baby proofing your favorite wine, your plants or child-proofing your doors for your cat or dog.
But when it comes to keeping your active baby out of the dog bowl, you may despair! After doing some research and hearing what other smart dog owners are saying I came up with some ideas to help you with this dilemma. PLUS, I’ve reviewed some cool baby proof dog bowls which will make your life easier when keeping your baby out of the dog bowl.
Why Baby Proof Dog Bowls Are a Good Idea – Danger danger
Your doctor may tell you your child won’t be poisoned from eating dog food. But eating too much may lead to high toxic levels. The bigger hazard with your baby or child eating dog food though is choking.
The other danger is your beloved dog getting frustrated and turning on the baby when their food is being eaten. This is a natural reaction from most animals so you can’t really fault them for getting aggressive around their food. But, to minimize this from happening you want to keep dog food away from your baby.
Dog water bowls also present a safety risk in the home. Parents know the dangers of water and how quickly a baby can drown if not closely watched. A toddler can easily drown in just a few inches of water so keeping them away from your dog’s water bowl is important.
Babies, being the playful beings they are, also like to toss dog food all over the floor! And, splashing in the water bowl is simply so much fun. One can only begin to imagine the germs they come into contact with as they play with the dog food and water. It may be good for a child to be exposed to germs to build up a healthy immune system. But, sometimes you may want to draw the line as to how much germ exposure they do get.
Baby proofing your dog food and water bowl makes sense when you consider the safety risks associated with these items. While you could try keeping your baby away from the dog bowl, using baby proof dog bowls may be the simpler solution in the long run.
7 Tips for Baby Proofing Dog Bowls and Keeping Baby Safe
Besides buying products which have baby proof features, you could consider using these tips to help keep your baby out of harm’s way. And, keeping your dog well fed and hydrated at the same time!
- Find a room where you can put the dog’s food bowl and keep the door closed such as the bathroom or a back storeroom while they’re feeding.
- Keep the dog’s water bowl outdoors where it can be out of sight and behind a gate that a child can’t open or climb over.
- If the weather is too cold and the water bowl is indoors put a small amount of water in it. This will mean you’ll have to keep refilling it on a regular basis.
- Only put the dog food bowl down at regular feeding times and keep your baby distracted while the dog is eating. You could put your baby or toddler in a high chair while the dog is feeding.
- Get a pet gate and use it to block off the room where the dog food and water bowl is kept. This works well for babies that are crawling or only starting to walk. The pet gate’s door is small enough to let cats and small dogs through but not bigger babies.
- Place dog bowls on an elevated table or box for larger dogs to reach but which makes it difficult for babies to get to. This is only a short-term solution but for starters, it works well for the first year or so of your baby’s life.
- You could try telling your baby NO every time they go near the dog bowl. Depending on how compliant your child is, this may be successful…or not. There’s only so many times you can tell your baby to stop doing something. So, when all else fails buy a baby-proof dog bowl.
When introducing your dog to a new baby in the home, it may be a good idea to prepare them by making sure they know how to behave around babies.
Read on and discover what baby proof dog bowls I’ve found for you to choose from when looking for the best option.
Best Overall Dog Water Bowl – Road Refresher No Spill Dog Water Bowl
One has to marvel at the innovation of some manufacturers! This dog water bowl is an example of such innovation. While the intention behind the design was to keep it from spilling and being a mess it’s also perfect for keeping your baby safe.
Who It’s For
Ideal for parents with active babies.
Why You Should Consider It
With its floating plate design, water is fed through a little bit at a time. It’s enough to keep your dog hydrated without being an open source of water.
The lid is secure enough to prevent any spillage if the bowl is kicked. It’s also not easy for your baby to remove it and gain access to the water below the floating plate.
Product Information
- Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 4″
- Weight: 1 lb
- Material: Heat resistant polypropylene
Pros:
- Bowl is dishwasher safe so easy to clean and keep hygienic
- Non-slip base to keep the bowl in one place
- Great for traveling in the car
Cons
- Lid is difficult to remove for refilling
Best Overall Dog Feeder – PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
This pet feeder works well for both your dog and cat. It uses smart technology which I think is not only very clever but convenient too. Of course, you’ll need to be savvy with your mobile but who isn’t these days?
Who It’s For
This is ideal for busy parents who can’t always be on hand to feed their pets.
Why You Should Consider It
If you’re looking for a dog bowl that minimizes when it has food in it when your baby is around then this is your product. You can schedule up to 12 feeding times from your smartphone using the PetSafe Smart Feed app.
By dispensing food only at certain times you can make sure your baby is otherwise occupied during the dog’s feeding times. The feeder will only dispense the quantity of food your pet needs so there’s less likelihood of any food being left in the bowl for the baby to play with.
Product Information
- Dimensions: 12.6 x 20.3 x 9.6″
- Weight: 8.25 lbs.
- Material: Stainless steel bowl/hopper is plastic
Pros:
- Gives you control over when the dog eats and how much
- Top-dishwasher safe for convenient and hygienic cleaning
- Uses smart technology
Cons
- Only suitable for cats and smaller dogs
- A WiFi connection is needed
- Expensive
Best Value – Pet Zone Designer Diner
This elevated dog feeder works well with both dog food and water bowls. It’s an ideal way of keeping inquisitive baby hands out of the dog food.
Who It’s For
For parents looking for a budget baby proof dog bowl option.
Why You Should Consider It
If you have larger dogs and like to feed them indoors, this elevated feeder will work well in your home. If you’re using it specifically for keeping your baby out of the dog bowl then you can adjust it to 12 inches. This will work well for the first year of your baby’s life while they’re still in their crawling and sitting stage.
When not being used it folds up neatly and can be stored away.
Product Information
- Dimensions: 20 x 10.63 x 3/8/12″
- Weight: 2.9 lbs.
- Material: Stainless steel bowls/durable plastic for the frame
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Well-priced
- Sturdy
Cons
- Won’t work when your baby starts to walk and stand
Best Microchip Feeder – SureFlap Microchip Pet Feeder
This product is clever! It relies on your pet’s microchip to tell it when to open for feeding and closes when your dog moves away from it.
Who It’s For
This is great for parents who have microchipped dogs.
Why You Should Buy It
How this product works is simple. When your dog approaches the dog bowl it recognizes the signal from the microchip and opens. When your dog is finished eating and walks away the lid closes, shutting tightly. There’s simply no way your baby or child can open this item.
It does come with one lightweight RFID collar for your dog to wear if they’ve not been microchipped.
Product Information
- Dimensions: 8.27 x 12.6 x 5,91″
- Weight: 2.2 lbs.
- Material: Plastic
Pros
- Prevents baby and other pets stealing the food
- Neat and compact
- Comes with a mat to keep it from slipping
Cons
- Expensive
- Only suitable for cats and small dogs
Best For No Mess – UPSKY Dog Water Bowl
Here’s another dog water bowl that will stop you worrying about your baby’s safety around water. Plus, they won’t be splashing water all over the place or trying to drink from it either!
Who It’s For
This is ideal for parents who want no messy spills in the house.
Why You Should Consider It
With its large capacity to hold water, you won’t need to stress about filling up the dog’s water bowl throughout the day. The floating disc design only allows small quantities of water to come through every time the dog drinks. And, the waterproof edge plus lid keeps all spills at bay.
Product Information
- Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.8 x 2″
- Weight: 1.3 lbs.
- Material: Plastic
Pros
- Value for money
- Prevents the dog’s face from getting soaked in water
- Secure lid which baby or toddler can’t remove
Cons
- Floating disc made of two parts which trap water causing a health concern
Final Thoughts
Having a home with pets fills it with love and fun. Children enjoy having dogs to play with and cats to stroke. But you need to be wise and use baby proof dog bowls so you know your baby is safe at all times.
I picked the Road Refresher No Spill Dog Water Bowl for its innovative features and the PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder for it’s smart and convenient methods of feeding your pet. Which one would you pick for keeping your baby safe and your dog happy?
Last update on 2024-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API