Top 5 Best Slow Feeder Dog Bowls for Wet Food
/If your dog seems to inhale their canned, dehydrated, or raw dog food in one breath, then slow feeder dog bowls for wet food will encourage your dog to take his time instead of gulping his food.
But finding a variety of safe, affordable, and easy-to-clean slow feeding dog bowls for wet food isn’t an easy task. I get that one, big time!
Matthew and I feed our two Australian Labradoodles with Dr. Harvey’s Fine Health Foods for Companion Animals, which are dehydrated base mixes. We add our choice of protein and oil to create a wet textured food that Bernie and Lizzie scarf up eagerly, but waaaay too quickly.
I found the ever popular Outward Hound Fun Feeder, but then I was stuck. It seemed like all the other slow feeders for dogs were made for kibble.
Where were other wet food slow feeders?
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Shifting my mental model about slow feeder dog bowls
Even worse than the frustration of not finding another slow bowl feeder for dogs was the guilt that I wasn’t meeting Bernie and Lizzie’s foraging needs.
After reading Canine Enrichment for the Real World (you can read my full book review here), I decided that I wanted to add more foraging opportunities for Bernie and Lizzie. But so many foraging activities center around, you guessed it, kibble.
And that’s when I decided that I needed to expand my search into the world of puzzle toys for dogs with an eye on what would work best with wet food.
Nina Ottosson puzzle toys to the rescue!
I had seen Nina Ottosson puzzle toys before, but they were usually being used as a treat game. Since I use treats with most of my training, I rarely play enrichment games with Bernie and Lizzie that require food.
I decided to take a second look at these intriguing puzzles for dogs to see if they could be used as slow feeders for wet food.
9 compartments hold an entire meal for either Bernie (40 lbs) or Lizzie (24 lbs)
BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free, so this puzzle toy is safe for dogs to eat out of
easy to clean - I let the pieces soak in soapy water; then gently rub with a sponge
doubles Lizzie’s eating time - with the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Lizzie will finish her meal in 5-6 minutes, but with the Dog Smart, it takes her about 10 minutes to work around all 9 compartments
versatile uses - see the video below where I place the puzzle feeder on a basket to make eating his meal more challenging for Bernie
16 red compartments plus four more covered by white bone bricks to create even more opportunities to flip, lift, and slide pieces
allows dog wet food to be divided into smaller bites
BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free, so this puzzle toy is safe for dogs to eat out of
easy to clean - I let the pieces soak in soapy water; then gently rub with a sponge
durable - Lizzie flips the red lids off the compartments, but they snap back on easily
buy one large and one small Toppl to stack, push together, and twist
buy as many Tux toys as you need or like for variety
easy to fill these non-toxic BPA and phthalate-free Zogoflex dog toys
dishwasher safe
can create a messy floor, so think ahead
Generally, the pups will eat their food out of the Tux first. Then they tackle the Toppls. My two are not big chompers, so I don’t even twist the two Toppl pieces, or they’d never get them apart.
Once they’ve separated the Toppl pieces, the chowing down truly begins.
Sometimes Bernie will continue to push the empty Toppl pieces around, stop to lick, and then push some more. He’ll even carry the Toppl to a new location. Maybe he’s hoping new food will show up?
I just love that these West Paw puzzle toys are so engaging for my two. They’ll spend 20-30 minutes figuring out how to get every scrap of food out of them.
Since they do seem to create a slimier mess on my kitchen floor, I tend to use these the day before I’ll be mopping.
Five different swirl patterns available in three different size bowls
Non-slip base that works well with the tile in our house
BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free, so this puzzle toy is safe for dogs to eat out of
top rack dishwasher safe
I’ve got several of the medium Outward Hound Fun Feeders in different swirl patterns. Any of the patterns slow Bernie’s eating down, so I save the purple flower pattern for Lizzie, my speed eater extraordinaire.
Lizzie takes about 5-6 minutes to eat her meal out of this bowl.
In an unregulated stainless steel bowl? She’ll scarf her entire meal in less than three minutes. With the other Outward Hound Fun Feeder patterns, she takes about four minutes, so she’s been permanently assigned the purple flower pattern.
Frequently, I will split her meal into two parts, so I can let some time pass between servings. And yes, I refer to my dog as a Hobbit who gets second breakfast.
Are puzzle toys worth the expense?
Absolutely!
Especially if you’re willing to experiment with how you use them.
Don’t just fill these puzzle toys with wet food and place them on the floor. Add some challenges to mentally stimulate your dog and simulate foraging.
Here are some suggestions to get you going:
Freeze any of these toys filled with a meal and make eating last even longer
Hide the puzzle feeder under an old blanket or towel
Hide the puzzle feeder in a cardboard box in another room
Place the puzzle toy on an elevated surface to make moving the pieces more challenging.
Drill holes into the puzzle toy and screw to a wooden base that’s the right height for your dog to use as an elevated feeder
Divide dinner into two or more puzzle toys. Don’t feel like you have to fill every compartment. Hide the toys around your home or backyard. If you have more than one dog, you’ll need to manage the space well.
If you decide to use the puzzle toys as an enrichment activity with treats instead of a meal, here are other suggestions:
Use the bones to play the shell game with your dog
If you play “Find Your Treats” with your dog as a game of hide and seek, use the bones as one place to hide treats around the house or backyard
Fill just a few compartments with high value treats to see if your dog will look in those treat compartments first
Add bone broth or doggy ice cream to compartments and freeze for a different pupsicle treat
Purchase your favorite puzzle toys
for use as slow feeder dog bowls for wet food on Amazon
