If your dog is a sloppy drinker, then we are here to help! We are going to tell you about some of the best water bowls for sloppy drinkers.
Say goodbye to the days of stepping in water puddles and keeping a towel constantly within arm’s reach, because we’ve got you covered.
#1 Pick: Road Refresher No-Spill Water Bowl
- SPILL-FREE - The Road Refresher is a cat or dog water bowl dispenser designed with a tapered lip to...
- ALL BREEDS WELCOME - These slow feeder dog bowls are safe for all breeds including cats! Multi-dog...
The Road Refresher No-Spill Water bowl is not just our favorite, but the favorite of dog lovers across the world. It is one of the first water bowls to use the no-spill and self-replenishing design and has a reputation for being reliable, mess-free, and worth the investment. It’s made of durable non-toxic plastic and includes features to keep the bowl stable and balanced.
It’s available in two sizes and is within the appropriate water capacity range for what dogs require daily. It’s ideal for dogs with flat snouts and can be used by cats too. It consists of three parts and can be easily disassembled to wash in the dishwasher. It helps reduce slobbering, keeps your dog’s beard out of the water, and has a self-replenishing design to keep water flowing at all times.
Pros:
- Available in two sizes with water capacities up to 22 ounces and 54 ounces
- BPA-free, non-toxic, and heat-resistant
- Dishwasher safe
- Includes a Velcro base to keep it stable on carpet, as well as other stability options for other surfaces
- Made of only three parts for easy assembly and disassembly
- Available in five colors options to make it more personalized
- It is self-replenishing so you will rarely need to refill it
- It is designed to restrict water flow when it is bumped or hit
- Floating discs limit the amount of water that can be in the basin at one type to help prevent spills and contamination
Cons:
- Highest capacity is 54 ounces, which may not be ideal for large to extra-large dog breeds
Heyrex Torus Self-Filling Pet Bowl
- ✔CONSTANT SUPPLY OF CLEAN, FRESH DRINKING WATER: Active carbon filtered water for your dog or cat,...
- ✔COOLER FOR LONGER: The thick reservoir tank of the TORUS bowl is insulated to ensure your pet's...
The Heyrex Torus Self-Filling Pet Bowl is an ingenious product and one you’ll want to brag to your friends about. This snazzy bowl uses gravity to replenish its water supply and only allows a small amount of water in the basin at one time to minimize spills.
The overall construction quality of this bowl is impeccable and is built to last. It uses a single filter to keep your dog’s water clean and fresh tasting. The filters have a general lifespan up to one month, but you won’t have to think about purchasing new ones any time soon since the manufacturer included five extra filters in the packaging.
Pros:
- Available in two sizes with a maximum capacity up to 64 ounces
- It is ideal for medium, large, and extra-large dogs
- Made of BPA-free plastic with rubber insulation
- Uses a filter to remove impurities
- The filter generally lasts up to a month
- Includes five extra filters
- Is self-replenishing and prevents spilling by only allowing a low amount of water into the basin
- Has a locking feature to keep water inside so you can travel without any worries
Cons:
- Is substantially more expensive than other simpler water bowl designs
- Some dog owners did not care for the large size of the bowl
Neater Feeder Deluxe Feeding System
- KICK PROOF - Accidents happen but they don't have to ruin your floor!
- SPILL PROOF - Food stays on top and water drains below
This Feeding System is worth the extra money if your dog is a messy drinker. The Neater Feeder Deluxe Feeding System helps minimize spills and keeps your dog’s food off the floor. It’s easy to clean with simple removable pieces.
It is ideal for dogs with arthritis issues or dogs who have to extend down to reach their bowl. The splash guard keeps water within the feeder system and has two different trays to keep spilled water from leaking down to the floor.
All parts of the feeding system are dishwasher-safe. It’s also available in three different sizes, so no matter how big or small your dog is, you can buy one that is just the right size.
Pros:
- Available in three sizes, with a maximum water capacity of 72 ounces
- Ideal for both dry and wet food
- Has a two tray system to further prevent water from escaping to the floor
- Elevated design helps keep your dog comfortable
- Has non-skid rubber feet to keep it stable
- Optional leg extenders can be purchased separately
- Entire feeding system is dishwasher-safe
- Made with BPA-free plastic and two stainless steel bowls
Cons:
- May be more expensive than what some dog owners would expect or be willing to pay
Ray Allen Buddy Bowl
- Unique spill and splash-proof design
- Promotes healthy drinking habits by slowing down how fast your dog can drink
The Ray Allen Buddy Bowl is affordable and great for keeping those floors, whiskers, and snouts dry. It has a snap-on lid with a limited opening to keep your dog’s fur out of the water.
The lid also slows down overzealous drinkers and prevents choking. It has a maximum capacity of 64 ounces, so it is a great size for most dogs. The lid helps to prevent contamination, evaporation, and spilling.
Pros:
- Available in three sizes and has a maximum capacity up to 64 ounces
- Ideal for most dog breed and cats
- Materials include BPA-free, non-toxic plastic
- Bowl is able to prevent and minimize spills, even if knocked upside down
- Lid minimizes contamination and evaporation
- It’s easy to clean and is dishwasher-safe
- Has three color options
- Affordably priced
- Simple and straightforward design
Cons:
- May not be ideal for dogs prone to chewing
- Does not have a skid-resistant bottom
Petmate No-Spill Bowl
- Splash-proof design to keep floor neat and clean
- Constructed of sturdy plastic, made for long-lasting use
The Petmate No-Spill Bowl is another exceptional bowl with a simplistic design. Sometimes simple is just better, right? It’s easy on the budget and can hold up to 48 ounces of water. It’s ideal for small and medium-sized dogs.
It is made of BPA-free plastic and designed to minimize spills, even if knocked over. The entire bowl, including the splash guard, are dishwasher-safe. It’s easy to assemble and disassemble. Did we mention it’s inexpensive?
Don’t let its straightforward design and cheap price fool you. This bowl is ready to fight with the big boys – or dogs, rather.
Pros:
- Very competitively priced and affordable
- Made with durable BPA-free plastic
- Has a simple and easy design
- Is dishwasher-safe
- It consists of only two parts, so no complicated instructions or extra steps
- It has a 25-inch diameter and a 4-inch opening, making it an ideal size for most dogs
- It’s ideal for small and medium dogs, as well as cats
- Is travel-friendly
- Is designed to prevent spills even when knocked upside down
Cons:
- Only available in one size
- The lower water capacity is not ideal for large and extra-large dogs
Table of Contents
What Does My Dog’s Bowl Need?
With so many options and water bowl models, it can be difficult to pick the one that will have the best quality and at the best price. We want to make it easy for you by going over the things that we feel are the most important when looking for a water bowl for your messy dog.
With that said, let’s get started and get you on the right course for getting your dog the best water bowl.
Why Is Your Dog So Messy?
It’s always important to know the root cause of a problem before tackling it. How can you know what water bowl to buy if you don’t know why your dog is making a mess in the first place?
If you have a dog with a lot of fluff on its face, like a Shih Tzu or Labradoodle, your dog may be making a mess because their hair gets wet while they drink. If this is the case, you should consider purchasing a water bowl with a small water basin.
A smaller basin will be more likely to keep your dog from accidentally dipping their hair into the water, but will still give them enough space to easily drink from it. A wider basin is great for big dogs, ideally, dogs that do not have extra fur around their mouth, like German Shepherds.
If your dog is big and likes to flip its bowl over, you should look into a bowl that is spill-proof. There are a number of dog bowls designed to keep water from leaving the bowl, even when flipped completely upside down, like the Ray Allen Buddy Bowl, which makes an appearance on our guide.
The size and shape of your dog’s snout may also make a difference in what bowl best suits your dog. Flat-faced dogs tend to get water on their faces more so than dogs with longer snouts.
If your dog has heavy jowls and is a drooler, then we recommend looking into a feeding station like the Neater Feeder Deluxe Feeding Station, to help keep all that excess water in the spill zone.
Keep in mind that there are many options to choose from, so don’t stress if you’re worried that you can’t find a bowl to suit your dog’s particular habits or body structure.
Capacity
I mention my dogs pretty often in my articles. I have four dogs and a cat who all share the same water bowl. Capacity is always a huge factor for me when I purchase anything that will be shared amongst my fur children. Even if you have just one dog, you should still put size and capacity at the top of your list of things to consider.
It’s important that your dog stays hydrated in order to stay healthy. Unlike us, our dogs are much more in tune with their bodies and will immediately seek out water when their bodies need it. Dogs normally need approximately 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight.
This means that my German Shepherd alone needs close to 70 ounces of water! That doesn’t even count my other three pups. Especially if your dog is an active breed, they may need more water than what is generally recommended.
We recommend choosing a bowl that can hold up to least 20 ounces, though a higher capacity is preferred. Dog’s are much more conscious of their need to hydrate than we are, so keeping their bowl accessible is a must. Using a water bowl with a large capacity takes away the risk of your dog finding an empty bowl when they need a drink.
Size
Along those same lines, the size of your dog’s water bowl is also important. If your dog is exceptionally messy, you may want to consider purchasing a large drinking station or a bowl with a wide diameter.
The more space your dog has to hover over while they drink, the less likely water will end up on your floor. If you have a small dog, you should still consider choosing a bowl that is a little larger than what you might instinctively pick out at the store.
You don’t want the bowl to be so large that you risk your small dog falling in or stepping into it, but the basin should always be an appropriate size to give your dog room to drink, take their time, and drip off any excess water.
If your dog is overzealous and drinks too quickly, a bowl with a lid and smaller opening may be more ideal, since they generally slow dogs down and prevent choking.
Easy Refill
Sure this bowl is for your dog, but it’s also a product that should make your life easier and more convenient. What’s not convenient is having to constantly refill a bowl or struggling to carry one while it’s full of water.
Furthermore, spill and splash-proof water bowls typically have multiple parts to keep the water from spilling out. This requires extra steps when you go to clean the bowl or add new water to it. The less complicated the steps, the better.
Before purchasing a water bowl, take a few minutes to see how many parts are involved in the assembly and disassembly. This will generally give you an idea of how big a chore it might be to clean. However, some water bowls with a larger number of parts are still easy to put together and disassemble.
It depends on how overly complicated the steps are and if the manufacturer includes easy instructions. On the bright side, most manufacturers will make a point to advertise the convenience of their product, if this is the case.
Material and Overall Design
There are a number of different materials that are used in the design and construction of water bowls. Good quality water bowls can be made with stainless-steel, BPA, PVC, and other Phthalate-free materials. There are perks to each of these materials.
Stainless-steel materials are mold and mildew resistant, so you will rarely have to deal with an odor. You will have to clean out the slime that may build up just from your dog’s saliva, but aside from that, stainless-steel bowls are hardy and rarely require intense cleaning.
They are also chew-proof and you can wash them through the dishwasher.
High-quality BPA, PVC, and Phthalate-free plastics are also normally dishwasher-safe. They are easy to tote around and you can drop them and put them through some general abuse without destroying them.
However, if your dog is a chewer, you may want to avoid plastic-based materials. They’re tough, but not indestructible. If your dog isn’t prone to chewing, then I would recommend keeping both stainless-steel and plastic-based materials on your wish list and focus your attention on other factors that may be more relevant.
Let’s take a look at a short video clip of how dogs drink water. It’ll help give you a visual understanding of why it’s so easy for your dog to make a mess.
Let’s Sum It All Up
Sloppy drinking is a common issue many dog owners deal with. Thankfully, manufacturers took notice and developed many different water bowls designed to prevent water messes. The Road Refresher No-Spill Water Bowl made it to the top of our list because of its simple but efficient design and overall convenience.
- SPILL-FREE - The Road Refresher is a cat or dog water bowl dispenser designed with a tapered lip to...
- ALL BREEDS WELCOME - These slow feeder dog bowls are safe for all breeds including cats! Multi-dog...
It keeps water and slobber off the floor and out of your dog’s fur. It’s great for travel and the home and is available in different sizes to accommodate most dogs. Not only does it keep spills away, but it’s self-replenishing, so you’ll rarely need to refill it.
Even though sloppy drinking is common among most dogs, we know your dog has its own habits and reasons for making a mess. We’ve given you some of our favorites, but there are other water bowls out there that may better suit your dog.
We hope that our feature recommendations and guidance has helped you feel more certain about what you need out of a water bowl to prevent your dog’s messes. We feel confident in you and wish you and your dog lots of fun times, but maybe with a little fewer puddles.
Last update on 2022-12-10 at 22:23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
