Why not use elevated dog bowls

When we joyfully welcome our dog as a member of the family, we embark on a journey of companionship filled with love and responsibility. When preparing daily necessities for dogs, choosing a dog bowl may seem like a small matter, but it contains a deep concern for the health of the dog. Among various types of dog bowls, the raised dog bowl was once favored by many people. However, after in-depth exploration, we will find that there are many reasons that make us cautious about the raised dog bowl.

From the perspective of dogs' eating posture, natural eating posture is crucial for their bodily functions. Dogs have developed a habit of eating close to the ground during their evolution in the wild. This posture keeps their heads, necks, and bodies at a relatively natural and coordinated angle, which helps them swallow food smoothly. When using a raised dog bowl, dogs need to raise their heads to eat, which may alter their natural swallowing movements. Imagine a dog having to tilt its head for a long time and its neck muscles are in a tense state in order to eat food from a raised bowl. Maintaining such an unnatural posture for a long time can easily lead to neck muscle fatigue, and may even cause neck pain or injury. For some small dogs or short nosed dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, bulldogs, etc., their respiratory tract is relatively fragile, and raising their head to eat may further increase the respiratory burden, affecting the comfort and smoothness of eating.

In terms of digestion, a raised dog bowl may also bring some potential problems. Under normal circumstances, when a dog lowers its head to eat, gravity helps the food pass smoothly through the esophagus and into the stomach. When using a raised dog bowl, the angle at which food enters the esophagus may change, which may affect the normal movement of food. Especially for dogs that are prone to reflux or suffer from esophageal diseases, a raised dog bowl may worsen the condition. Food reflux not only makes dogs feel uncomfortable, but frequent reflux can also lead to esophageal inflammation, seriously affecting the health of dogs. In addition, a raised dog bowl may accelerate the feeding speed of dogs. Due to the high position of the bowl, dogs may wolf down their food in order to eat it quickly and not have enough time to chew it thoroughly. This large amount of food that has not been fully chewed enters the stomach, increasing the digestive burden on the stomach and easily causing problems such as indigestion and bloating. We all hope that dogs can enjoy every meal healthy and happy, and inappropriate eating habits may cause unnecessary trouble to their digestive system.

Health hazards are also an important factor that we have to consider. Elevated dog bowls usually require a certain support structure, which increases the risk of the bowl tipping over. If the dog bowl suddenly tipping over during the dog's eating process and food spills on the ground, it will not only prevent the dog from eating normally, but may also cause the dog to be frightened. Even worse, a spilled dog bowl may hit the dog's feet or other parts of their body, causing accidental injury. Moreover, there may be issues with the material and manufacturing process of some raised dog bowls. If the material of the dog bowl is not environmentally friendly and contains harmful substances, dogs may come into contact with these substances during the feeding process, posing a potential threat to their health. For example, some raised dog bowls made of plastic materials may release harmful chemicals during long-term use, which can be ingested by dogs. In addition, the cleaning and maintenance of raised dog bowls are relatively complex. Due to its complex structure, there are some difficult to clean corners that can easily breed bacteria and dirt. If not thoroughly cleaned in a timely manner, these bacteria can enter the dog's body with food and cause various diseases.

In addition to the objective factors mentioned above, from an emotional perspective, we hope that dogs can feel comfortable and relaxed while eating. When dogs face a raised dog bowl and need to adjust their body posture to adapt, they may feel uneasy. Dogs are accustomed to a natural way of eating, and suddenly changing their eating height and posture may cause them to develop resistance to eating. We all hope to see dogs enjoying delicious food happily, rather than showing discomfort or reluctance while eating. Every time we watch our dog eat with relish, it is a small blessing in our hearts, and an inappropriate dog bowl may ruin this beauty.

Dogs are our most precious companions in life, providing us with endless joy and companionship. When choosing a dog bowl for a dog, we need to consider various factors comprehensively and weigh the pros and cons. Although a raised dog bowl may have some appeal in appearance or certain aspects, we may need to re-examine its suitability based on the health and lifestyle habits of dogs. Let us use our deep love for dogs to choose the most suitable dog bowl for them, create a safe and comfortable eating environment, and allow dogs to grow up healthy and happy. Let our companionship with dogs be filled with warmth and beauty in every detail of life.