Dogs may not wear watches, but they have an innate sense of mealtime and always seem to know if you’re even a minute late putting out their food. Thanks to the creation of automatic dog feeders, your furry friend is never left waiting. These state-of-the-art feeders have features like portion control, remote scheduling, and even compatibility with smartphone apps. Talk about convenience! The best automatic dog feeders promote healthy eating and ensure your dog’s mealtime is always punctual.
Before revealing the best dog feeders, it’s worth noting a development in canine nutrition. A study from the University of Illinois found a correlation between dog food quality and how much your dog poops. Yup! They discovered that feeding dogs with human-grade dog food leads to not only better digestion but up to 66 percent fewer poops! This finding is a game changer for pet owners who constantly bend down with plastic bags to pick up after their pets.
Tips for Choosing the Best Automatic Dog Feeder:
- Capacity and Size: Opt for a larger capacity feeder for bigger breeds or multiple-dog households, and a smaller feeder for smaller breeds.
- Programmable Feeding Schedule: Look for feeders that allow you to set specific feeding times and control portion sizes.
- Type of Food Compatibility: Some feeders work better with dry kibble, while others can handle wet food, and some can accommodate both.
- Ease of Cleaning: Choose a feeder that is easy to clean, with detachable parts that are dishwasher safe or can be easily washed by hand.
- Smart Features: Some advanced feeders can be controlled via smartphone apps, offering features like remote feeding, voice recording to call your pet during meal times, and real-time notifications.
Selecting the right feeder that excels in reliability, user-friendliness, and advanced features is important to meet your pet’s needs. We’ve conducted extensive research across nine popular websites to identify the top five most recommended automatic dog feeders. Did we miss one you and your dog love? Let us know in the comments below.
➡️How Our “Best Of The Best” Lists Are Created
StudyFinds’ “Best of the Best” articles are put together with the idea of taking the work out of common consumer research. Ever find yourself searching for a product or service on Google and reading multiple reviews to find items listed across many of them? Our Best of the Best lists are created with that process in mind, with each item ranked by how frequently it appears on expert reviews or lists. With Best of the Best, you are getting consensus picks — making them truly the best of the best!
Best Automatic Dog Feeders, According to Canine Experts
1. WOPET Automatic Feeder
You can’t go wrong with this automatic feeder, especially if you work outside the home. According to the Canine Journal, you can remotely schedule feedings, and thanks to the real-time HD camera, you can see and talk to your pet using the smartphone app.
This is a better seller on Amazon and for good reason, it holds several days of food, so you’re not constantly refilling it every day. Forbes says it’s suitable for all pet sizes and while you plug it in, it has a battery backup in case the power goes out.
If your dog likes to eat a lot of small meals throughout the day, Good Housekeeping says this is the best bet. You can program it before you leave to serve up to 15 meals per day.
2. Petlibro Automatic Dog & Cat Feeder
Designed for dry kibble, this feeder can not only adjust portion size but can be programmed to release six meals per day. According to Forbes, your dog won’t be able to break the feeder open thanks to its twist-lock lid. There’s also an anti-jam design to make sure nothing gets stuck in the chute. The only downside? The bowl is small for larger dogs.
If technology is not your friend, the LCD screen on this feeder is easy to program. SELF says thanks to a voice recording, your dog can hear you “calling them to come and eat,” even when you’re away.
Cleaning this automatic feeder is a breeze because it comes apart easily. People states, “it accurately and correctly dispenses the programmed amount of food each time.”
3. Arf Pets Automatic Dog & Cat Feeder
This feeder does not have a companion smartphone app, but the experts say it’s very easy to program. According to Top Dog Tips the device also “does portion control a bit differently.” One portion is 1/10 of a cup and you can dispense up to 10 portions per meal.
Like many other feeders, you can record 10-second personal messages on the Arf to play during mealtimes. USA Today adds that “it works with kibble only, so this isn’t ideal for animals on a wet food diet.”
This feeder can run either on power or D-cell batteries. SELF says it features a sturdy lock lid, so Fido can’t get it open and eat everything inside in one sitting.
4. PetSafe Automatic Feeders
PetSafe has a few models that experts love. If you have more than one pet to feed, PetSafe’s Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Feeder may be the one for you. SELF says you can bundle this with a meal splitter, so the food will go into two food bowls at once. While it’s best for small dogs, it can hold up to 24 cups of food.
If you’re dog eats too quickly, Canine Journal says the Healthy Pet Feeder has a “slow feed mode,” which releases kibble over 15 minutes so your dog will eat at a reasonable pace.
Forbes favors PetSafe’s Eatwell Automatic Feeder, saying its rotating feeder has five compartments, that operate on a timer. It is more compact than other options, and has an inner try that is dishwasher safe. The only downside? It has to be refilled daily.
5. SureFeed Microchip Small Dog & Cat Feeder
This feeder rounds out our list because it’s perfect if you have multiple pets who fight over food. According to Canine Journal, “It identifies your pets by microchip ID or by wearing a lightweight RFID collar tag that opens the lid when detected inside the chamber.”
This feeder is easy to clean and customers say it’s well worth the pricetag. According to Chewy, you don’t need a master’s degree to use the training mode and it’s best for small breeds.
If you need an automatic feeder that works with wet and dry food, this fits the bill. SELF says it that while it’s pricier than many of the other feeders, it works well for dogs who take medicine.
You may also be interested in:
Sources:
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This article may contain affiliate links in which we receive a commission if you make a purchase.