What kind of feeding bowls?
 

I remember reading somewhere that stainless steel bowls are the best bowls to feed yorkies out of, but why? Should the other kinds really not be used?

Thanks!!

Your not supposed to use plastic I dont remember why but I use plastic and ceramic and have never had any problems

I haven't been around long, but have never heard anoything yet about plastic bowls. I'm sure someone who knows will be around here and able to tell you though.

I feed Bella out of stainless steel out of pure coincidence I suppose then. I bought her bowls at Kirkland's only because they matched her dog bed I thought! :D

I use stainless steel but I also have ceramic bowls that we've used just fine :)

I forget about the plastic bowl thing.... but I've read that before, too.

Tibbe has small stainless steel heavy bowls with a rubber ring on the outside bottom to keep them from moving around. I think I heard other materials can develope small pores, cracks or something and hold dirt and bacteria in them.

I use stainless on Moshe simply because it's the one thing in the house that he CAN'T chew on :)

My husband is in the restaurant business. I use the little souffle dishes that they serve cheese dip in. They are a very hard plastic designed for restaurant use. This way I have enough so that they go in the dishwasher after every meal. They are the perfect size.

Found a new way to spell develop!

Louie's bowls are stainless steel with the rubber on the bottom so they won't move around, works well. I've heard the same thing about plastic harboring bacteria.

I use stainless and ceramic bowls. I always put water in the stainless, I don't put water in the ceramic, I don't know why. We have never had plastic bowls, I think they would be harder to clean.

How handy is that?! Good idea! :)

we use paper plates (foam) and throw them away after each feeding. we never have had any problems and I know the plates are clean and fresh at each feeding.

I use ceramic bowls for feeding my dogs. I've heard that the plastic bowls can harbor bacteria and I'd also be afraid that a dog would chew the plastic.

my girls have 3 sets of ceramic bowls. one set is heart shaped and made by juicy couture , another set i got at petsmart and is pink , and the last set are handpainted that is baked on to the bowl with there names on them :)

If I remember correctly, the reason NOT to use plastic is that 1. they may develop scratches which can then breed bacteria, also possible if they get chewed, 2. chemicals may leach out of the plastic and into the food, and 3. there has been some discussion about the plastic causing the black nose of some dogs to turn colour or develop white spots. These spots disappeared if the owner stopped using the plastic bowl. In terms of ceramics, you want to make sure that you are using food grade ceramics, manufactured in either Canada or the USA because there is some concern about the lead content in the glaze or paint that might be used, and leached out of the ceramic into the dog food. Thus, I believe the "safest" bowl is the one made of stainless steel. It is a bit utilitarian, but it can be safely bleached to destroy bacteria and doesn't appear to have some of the dangerous chemicals that are present in plastic and some ceramics. It's so important for us to protect these little ones from chemical exposure, they like the canaries in the coal mines, often are the first warnings of dangers in our environment.

stainless is better for keeping clean less germs, plastic not to good, ceramic make sure it was not made in china god knows what it has in it lead most likely

Zhoie eats food out of tiny Correlle square with bowls, each goes in dishwasher when finished. Her water is in a glass bowls, which is emptied and wash with soap every morning, refilled with fresh water.

She won't eat out of stainless, doesn't like seeing the images I guess, LOL.

I generally use our china dessert bowls. They are a perfect size and are easy to wash.

omg, i just checked the bottom of the bowls i bought at petsmart and they are made in China :( . i'm glad this was posted, i wasnt aware that they had lead in them. i havent used those ones much but will be getting rid of them for sure

Stainless steel only. My parents brought me back the perfect sized saucers from India and they work perfectly and clean up nicely. I feed raw so cleanliness and complete cleanliness is mandatory. Mine drink out of stainless steel as well as it seems to lessen eye gunk for mine.

:)
Viv

The plastic bowls can leach chemicals into the food and water and can cause a contact dermatitis on the pup's face (mostly around the mouth) or has been known to cause seizures in sensitive pups after prolonged exposure.

Hairline cracks can occur in the plastic as it ages, and also in ceramic glazes which will hold bacteria. Any ceramic that gets hairline cracks or chipped should be tossed (that includes tea and coffee cups and mugs used for human consumtion).

Now I'm wondering if I should return the bowl I bought for Ian. It's a heavy plactic bowl with sections in it to slow down his eating. He only eats dry kibble, but still...
All of his water bowls are stainless steel.

I have a questionable ceramic set so I found small stainless bowls that fit in the ceramic bowls. Also, many pups don't have problems with the plastics, and when they do, switching up the bowls eliminates the problem.

I use a plastic bowl with microban.
it gets put in the dishwasher every night and then I wash it by hand in the morning(to get off dish soap residue) I use lemon water and vinegar and a soft sponge
I have used stainless steel bowls but mine will not drink water out of stainless steel and they will not eat wet food out of stainless steel.
between the microban and the heavy washing i feel fine about my plastic bowls
hear is some info on microban if you want to learn a little more
Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection

Hmmmm... from the Microban website:

2. How do products with Microban® antimicrobial protection work?
Microban® protection is built-in to the product during the manufacturing process. When microbes come in contact with the product surface, Microban protection penetrates the cell wall of the microorganism and disrupts cell functions making the microorganism unable to function, grow and reproduce.

... I am not comfortable with this statement at all.... what happens if it disrupts my cell functions or my pups? How do you know this isn't happening?


4. What types of microorganisms does Microban® protection work against?
Microban® antimicrobial protection is effective against most common bacteria, yeasts, molds and fungi that cause stains, odors and product degradation. Microban technology is not designed to protect users from disease causing microorganisms.

... so why add another chemical that I know nothing about? Plastics were not made to last forever... use glass, ceramic (lead free), and/or high quality Stainless Steel (made in the USA), or paper plates.

9. Has anyone ever gotten sick from using products with Microban® antimicrobial protection?
Extensive testing and a long use history have shown Microban® product protection to be safe. While it is impossible to say that no one will ever experience an allergic reaction to anything, it is highly unlikely a negative experience would be observed. Microban additives are used in very low levels measured in parts per million.

... it does not state how much it takes to cause a reaction or harm


Effects of triclosan on the cytotoxicity and funga... [J Prosthet Dent. 2001] - PubMed result

...Basically states Microban does not make a difference.


Parents New Challenge: Banning Microban? : SafeMama | The Original One-stop child safety, product recall, health, well-being, eco-conscious resource for parents

... basically says Microban will not disclose it's technology... may or may not* contain Triclosan which is known to have cancer causing properties...

*also read as: company does not disclose when Triclosan is used, thereby making all products unsafe for my use, JMHO.

(I also do not use antibacterial soaps... they work by leaving a film of 'protection' on anything they come in contact with.)

May be a great product for countertops and toilet seats, I don't think I want to consume anything off of dishware treated/made with it.

Molly has stainless bowls with rubber on the bottom.

I had a problem with my pup eating too fast. A YT member suggested I put a golf ball in the bowl along with the kibble to slow down eating. It works great!

Princess eats out of a little square ceramic bowl and drinks out of a plastic bowl my sister got her, which i feel compelled to use because it's from disney world and says Princess on it! But I'm curious, does anyone know if problems could arise more or less in a plastic dish whether it's used for food or water?

I would think water as it stays in contact with the bowl longer than food would. You could buy a slightly smaller stainless bowl to nest inside the Disney bowl...

I use stainless steel as it can be cleaned easier, is more durable (won't shatter or chip like ceramic) and doesn't allow for bacteria to seep into it (as plastic will).