Best dog water bowls for sloppy drinkers: why so messy?

Is your dog a huge mess maker in the kitchen? Stick of stepping in wet puddles your dog’s drinking leaves behind? If so, you may be in need of spill proof dog bowls and matts.

Today we’re covering the best dog water bowls for sloppy drinkers. Not sure your dog needs a special bowl or slobber rehab? Your dog might benefit from a spill proof water bowl if they:

• Frequently dig at their water dish, creating a huge wet mess on the floor.

• Gulp the water down so fast that they drop mouthfuls of water directly onto the floor.

• Push the bowl with their nose while they eat, causing it to slide and spill as they drink.

Thinking about the reasons why your dog is doing what they are doing can help you engineer solutions that go beyond a new bowl – a combination of methods might be the best and most effective way to give your dog a healthier and less messy home life.

So, Why Does My Dog Dig At The Dish?

If your dog is digging at the water dish, this can be reflective of your dog’s needs – they might be bored, overheated, or looking for cool running water.

Sometimes, stirring the bowl helps it to taste cooler- other times, your dog is just playing with his or her reflection. This is important to consider because if he’s looking for cool water, he may be overheating without you realizing it. If the digging is a symptom of your dog’s boredom, he may find another destructive outlet.

Just purchasing a spill proof bowl may not be enough of a solution if your pup has external needs that need to be taken care of.

If you suspect your pup is overheating, grab a puppy friendly pool for cheap online and keep it halfway full in your yard, giving your dog the option to cool himself off when he needs to. Sometimes, keeping your dog cool can stop the sloppy drinking and digging at the bowl altogether.

Another option is to consider a running pet fountain – it keeps the water cool and fresh, which is way more appetizing to anyone – dogs not excluded!

If your pet spends a lot of time indoors or alone without active stimulation, the digging could be a way of entertaining himself. If your dog seems to be bored, more mental and physical stimulation can be introduced in the form of extra walks, more play time, or treat-dispensing dog toys to keep your pup entertained.

Video: What makes dogs such sloppy drinkers? | Science News

Why Does My Dog Gulp The Water Quickly & Push The Bowl Around?

If your dog is gulping the water and pushing the bowl around, he’s just plain excited! He may also simply be trying to escape the heat, as mentioned above.

Regardless of why your pup makes a mess, a spill proof bowl can provide a helpful solution by itself or in conjunction with other techniques. In addition to stopping sloppy drinkers, these bowls will slow down dogs who gulp down water. Gulping water quickly can cause dogs to hiccup (that’s right, dogs can hiccup too) or even throw up!

We’re going to take a look at some of the best selling dog water bowls for sloppy drinkers on the market, and see how they deal with messy drinking dogs with genius engineering and design.

Loving Pets Bella Spill Proof Mat For Dogs

about: The Loving Pets Bella Spill Proof Dog Mat is a piece of plastic that sits under your dog’s bowls, taking the brunt of the mess when your dog get’s carried away eating or drinking.

Price: $
Rating:

• Multiple Colors and Sizes. Comes in several sizes and colors for your choosing.

• Safe. Non-toxic and BPA free.

• Prevents Splashes. The mat’s raised lip prevents splashing and retains spills from overflowing.

• Slip-Proof. The skid feed prevent your dog from slipping and sliding the bowls around the kitchen.

Pros: This isn’t just a great bowl for for sloppy drinkers, but sloppy eaters, too! Owners report that messy puppies are well-contained by this thick and easy to clean mat. 

Cons: This bowl doesn’t solve the problem of messy drinking, but it’s a way to contain it. It’s good if you don’t have the money to invest in a specialized bowl for your sloppy drinker, but owners report it is less effective than the bowls listed below. 

Sloppy Stopper

Cons: Some owners found it annoying to refill the bowl, as it needs to be tipped upside down to fill. Some also felt that they had to refill it too often throughout the day, and wished the bowl contained more water.

Road Refresher

about: The Road Refresher is another great dog water bowl for sloppy drinkers, keeping dogs dry and preventing water from splashing all over the floor.

Price: $$
Rating:

• Stop Spills. Designed to eliminate spills and pet slobber.

• Great for Long-Eared Dogs. Keeps long ears and fur out of the drinking water, preventing them from getting wet.

• Easy to Clean. This bowl can be taken apart for easy cleaning. 

• Travel-Friendly. Perfect for travel and home use.

• Slip-Free. Comes with a velcro bottom base that can be attached to carpet to stop slipping.

• Holds 54 Ounces. This model holds 54 ounces, but they have other sizes as well.

Pros: The Slopper Stopper has gotten quite a reputation as a reliable and affordable no spill water bowl, and seems very effective in getting sloppy drinkers to slow down. It also ensures that dogs get a regular scheduled amount of water daily, which helps reinforce routines.

Cons: This bowl requires frequent refills and can be difficult to refill, as it must be turned upside down, and that can actually cause some spill in itself!

Heyrex Torus Dog Water Bowl

about: The Heyrex Torus Dog Water Bowl is a sleek, gravity-fed water bowl, reducing water splash and messes from your sloppy drinker.

Price: $$$
Rating:

• Filtered Water. Built in filter keeps water fresh and cool for your pooch.

• Holds 2 Liters of Water. Holds up to 2 liters of water (aka half-gallon or 67 ounces).

• Reduces Splash and Mess. Maintains a low water level that reduces splash back.

• Gravity Fed Water. Requires no batteries or electricity – water is gravity fed.

• Stable and Solid. Solid build resists tipping.

• Super Portable. This dog water bowl is very convenient to take on the go!

Video: Persian Cat Water Bowl Testing- review / documentary

Pros: Owners report that this bowl is practically immovable when it’s set down, as it collects the unused water around the bowl to evenly distribute some weight.

Cons: Several owners have raised concerns about the plastic used in production of the Heyrex bowl, as it requires frequent specialty cleaning to prevent mold. Owners have also noted it’s size as being a potential issue – it’s a big one!

Best Dog Water Bowl For Sloppy Drinkers: Final Recap

These dog bowls (and mat) all do a great job at stopping your sloppy drinking dog from making huge mess, but which one is right for your dog?

If your dog is just a bit messy around his bowl, the Loving Pets Spill-Proof Mat might be all that you need.

While the Road Refresher and Sloppy Stopper perform well, some owners find themselves needing to refill water often (with both those designers requiring tipping the bowl over). If you’re home and can refill the bowl easily, no problem! These bowls are also very easy to take apart and clean, plus they’re quite travel-friendly.

The Heyrex Water Bowl holds the most water, with a whopping 67 ounces, so if you know your dog drinks a ton of water, this one may be the choice for you! However, this bowl does need to be cleaned manually, and is fairly large, which might make it more difficult to take on the road.

Tell us about your messy drinker – how do you contain your dog’s mess? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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