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I have read conflicting opinions about using an elevated feeder for my Golden Retriever.
The trainer said that I should start using an elevated feeder from now on, else his stomach muscles would turn, since he will be a big dog.
When I went to buy the raised feeder at Pet Food Express, they said that not to get it for a big dog.
This is confusing.
What is the consensus out there? Do you use elevated feeders for your dogs?
Raised water and food bowls are "suppose" to reduce the chances of bloat and aid in digestion. On the other hand, as my vet pointed out to me, when is the last time you saw a wolf or any animal in the wild eat or drink off of a raised platform of any kind? I have raised and bred Goldens for 25 years and have never had a problem with the feeding dishs on the floor. Not to say it can't happen, but this has been my expeirence.
It just looks so uncomfortable for them to eat off the floor. I have always elevated bowls for my big dogs, from labs to Gt Danes to APBT. I bought step stools at Wal-Mart, which I need anyway, and put the food bowls on top of them. The water bowl is on the floor b/c they mostly drink out of the nearby toilet.
I tired a step stool for my old dog and my weim but neither one liked using it. The weim just pushed the bowl off the stool. In case the OP wants to try it, what do you do?
You can buy 'slow' feed bowls or make your own by buying a stainless steel no tip bowl and turn it upside down
It helps prevent bloat or gastric torsion, but you can do many other things to help prevent it from happening, as well. Elevating the food bowls, promoting calm behavior before putting food bowl down, no exercise after eating, and if you like, feeding twice daily. Deep-chested dogs are more predisposed to bloat and it is sensible to try and prevent a life-threatening condition. working at a vet hospital, I saw some of our favorite patients suffer bloat and some die....as lazy as I am, it's a small effort to help keep this from happening to my dogs.
I thought about doing this for my GSD; she had always eaten at floor-level. Then when the raised feederscame out, I thought about getting one for her. But before I could buy her one, she took matters into her own hands, and began lying down to eat (although I did buy her a large bucket to drink water out of; otherwise, she drinks out of the toilet b/c it is higher up.)
Letting my dog drink out of the toilet bowl is just way to gross I don't think my doggy Storm even knows there is water in there as the lid is always always down!
I could swear I heard exactly the opposite - that the raised feeders increase the risk of bloat - but I could be wrong.
Another option is to put the kibble into a dog toy which forces them to eat slowly. My dog has a deep chest and I think is a high risk for bloat - I put her kibble into the Squirrel Dude and she gets to play and eat at the same time. I don't know if I'm allowed to link it here but google Premier Pets and Squirrel Dude!
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I don't think my doggy Storm even knows there is water in there as the lid is always always down!
