Dogs were simply not designed to be left alone and unattended. Even if you were able to set up an automatic feeder, a continuously flowing dog watering fountain, and a doggy door for outside potty access, leaving your dog alone for days at a time is downright cruel. There’s also the whole elimination issue you’d have to work out.ĭogs are very social creatures that thrive on companionship. Therefore, automated feeders do not make it possible to leave your dog alone while you go on vacation. Sure, they may learn to tolerate your daily 8- or 10-hour absence, but most will freak out if left alone for even a single day. Therefore, automated feeders are a great way to make sure your cat stays well-fed while you are away for a few days (don’t forget to provide plenty of water for your kitty).ĭogs, on the other hand, absolutely need to spend time with their pack. They poop and pee in a box, don’t really require tons of attention and probably enjoy having the house to themselves for a day or two. This is especially true as it relates to keeping your pet fed while you are away for an extended period of time.Ĭats (and I can already feel the imminent hate in the comment section), are largely independent creatures, who typically get along fine when left alone for days at a time. It is also important to note that automatic feeders serve different purposes for dogs and cats.
Dog Feeders and Cat Feeders Require Different Approaches You may even need to teach your dog to use the feeding device, and help soothe any anxiety the feeder causes him (some feeders make sounds that spook nervous dogs).
You’ll also have to trouble-shoot the odd malfunction from time to time. Regular Refills and Cleaning Still Applyįor example, you’ll still need to load the food reservoir regularly, and you’ll need to wash out the dish on a daily basis. This can come as a bit of a shock to some owners, who quickly learn that automated feeders do not solve all of their pet-care problems. While automatic dog feeders are very helpful tools that definitely have a place in the world of dog care, they are not magic bullets that absolve you of your pooch-parent duties. Potential Problems with Automatic Dog Feeders Try to provide these meals at roughly the same time each day so his body can get into a comfortable rhythm. Instead, the goal is to feed your dog two to three meals, spread out over the course of the day. It also means that he’ll be quite hungry while waiting around for his next meal.
Of course, some owners try to sidestep the need for an automatic feeder by providing all of their dog’s food in a single daily meal or feeding him at odd hours.īut neither of these approaches are a great option.Īllowing your dog to gorge on a day’s worth of food stresses his digestive system and may increase his chances of suffering from bloat– a potentially life threatening medical emergency.
But don’t worry! We’ve assembled some of our favorites to help you sort through the junk and find the ones that actually work! 1. WOpet Automatic Pet Feederīut if you are away from the house for long periods of time or just prefer the convenience that an automatic pet feeder provides, you may want to pick up a model that works for you and your pet. There are scads of automatic feeders on the market, but many of them are honestly pretty lackluster.
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