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Automatic Dog Feeders

Jul 15, 2021 by Petsmont Editors

Adopting and taking care of a dog is a large responsibility. There are seemingly endless things to consider each day, many of which stem from how to best cater to their needs even when you’re not home. Historically, this has caused a minor problem for all pet owners. If they were going to be home late from work (or not come home at all), they’d risk throwing their pet off a set schedule that, while not the worst thing in the world, could still be disruptive. Occurrences like this are no real challenge for those that have other people they can rely on to act as a dog feeder in an emergency. A simple call/text to someone that’s available to help and there’s virtually no problem. Some people don’t have anyone they can reach out to, causing similar problems. What stems from both situations is the overarching idea that feeding your dog shouldn’t cause so much stress. It is a simple task, though absolutely vital to your pet’s wellbeing along with keeping the dog’s water bowl full.

Thankfully, just like many aspects of today’s modern world, automation has come to the rescue for those that need or want an extra hand in keeping their dogs well fed. Automatic pet feeders and automatic or electric water bowls are one of the latest advancements to break out in the last decade or so and have changed the way pet care can be handled forever. Let’s take a look at what automatic pet feeders are, what advantages they bring to users, some of the recently released models, and what the future of automatic feeders is shaping up to be.

What are Automatic Dog Feeders?

The idea behind these machines is simple, straightforward, and, most importantly, effective. As most of you reading likely already know, the historical method for feeding dogs and other pets was akin to how you feed yourself. You’d keep the food in the cabinet or pantry, take it out at mealtimes, fill up your pet’s bowl, and return the contents to storage. That’s ultimately a solid approach – it's easy to follow and nearly impossible to mess up. You’d repeat this process every single day until you realized you were out of pet food and then put it on the grocery list to pick up later. Automatic feeders streamline the process by taking out the repetitive steps of replacing the food each and every day. These feeders are able to store several days of food without needing to be constantly refilled. Early models were automatic in that they released the food upon the push of a button at each mealtime, though a few had timers that could be set for those that knew they wouldn’t be home consistently. Newer models are slowly becoming more complex, enabling users to alter the portion size, and even storing multiple types of pet food. In essence, the main objective of these automatic pet feeders has been and always will be to deliver food to pets without the owner needing to be home, meaning your pet will be in good hands.

Advantages of Auto Feeders

Most of the benefits are probably already apparent. Automatic feeders make it much harder to forget to feed your pets – though you’ll still have to remember to refill it now and then, however far less frequently. For dog owners, especially those that live alone, that work schedule varies, it’s a relief to know that your dog’s meal schedule won’t be affected by coming home at different times. This also extends to older dog owners that have trouble bending over each day to replace their food. An automatic feeder can decently reduce the mental and physical strains that the old methods can’t compete with. Lastly, automatic feeders are great for anyone looking to lighten their overall load, whether they’re older/live alone or not. Automatic dog feeders take one more thing off the daily to-do list no matter who owns it, making your list of chores just a bit shorter.

Two New and Improved Models

There’s no limit to the number of automatic feeders available today. Here are a few of the most popular brands seen today that have various capabilities.

PetSafe has been a leading name for years and has produced many different models. Their latest addition to their product line is the Smart Feed that holds 24 cups of food and comes equipped with Amazon Dash replenishment. This means that it can connect to your home’s Wi-Fi and be controlled remotely through your smartphone. There are tons of other features that have made it a popular choice.

Feeder-Robot is a similar feeder produced by litter-robot and has just as much versatility. It holds 32 cups overall and can also connect to your home’s Wi-Fi, offering optimal control at all times and from anywhere. Plus, it can track how much of the food your dog has eaten using a food-level indicator, which can be helpful to ensure they’re eating properly.

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking to ease some physical or mental strain for yourself, or simply want to have the best for your dog, automatic feeders are quickly becoming the norm in households all over. They’re the perfect way to feed your dogs without having to worry that you’ll get home from work too late or that you’ll simply forget ever again.

How to make an automatic feeder?

If the mentioned brands of automatic dog feeders are a bit out of your price range, there are methods for making your feeder that can be found online. Note that this solution will take a bit of commitment and know-how but will be far cheaper in the end.

Is PetSafe a good brand?

Generally, you can rely on PetSafe for the health and wellbeing of your pets regarding their automatic feeders. They have received some feedback on how their products have malfunctioned and are currently working towards fixing these issues.

How to program an automatic dog feeder?

How you program your feeder will heavily depend on which one you buy. However, you can generally program most brands by pressing the ‘clock’ and then ‘set’ buttons in order to set a time to dispense food.