Raided bowls for feeding or not ?

That's 'Raised by the way not 'Raided'

Skye has always eaten better from a raised bowl which sits on a step about 10 inches high but he's a tall dog. If it's on the floor he eats like a girraffe having a drink. Fingal on the other hand is happy with his bowl on the floor but he's just a shortie.

Anyway - I've noticed over the last week that Breagh eats more slowly and is far less 'gulpy' with her dinner if the bowl is raised. Because of her past problems I'm considering getting a bowl stand for Breagh but I know opinions differ a lot about raised bowls. She's on'y 24/25" at the withers which isn't that tall so what do you think ?

Does anybody else use bowl stands for breeds that aren't really tall and if so why ?

All mine eat out of raised bowls, even buds.
His is only small, and probably more a cat size, but for the same reason's the leo's have more a comfortable height when eating.

Jack has a raised bowl, when we first got him he was pretty much your giraffe having a drink, and even though he's a picky eater he seemed to gulp his food, and seemed uncomfortable eating at that level, but since we got the raised bowl he's fine, he's still picky, but the gulping has stopped

All my have raised bolws, We began when storm had trouble with his front legs, it help as he no longer had to "spread em" and the others did seem to eat calmer.

I would`nt use a raised bowl except for a dog too stiff to comfortably eat with the bowl on the floor or for a very tall dog for whom I would perhaps raise one slightly but only to the point where the dog looked naturally positioned compared to a smaller dog whose bowl is on the floor if you see what I mean.

This link might help, especially re Breagh having had bloat before in terms of increased risk of a raised bowl

[ its the html version of a pdf file ]

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache.../Bloat_pg1.pdf

I did wonder that, I have heard it does increase the risk, but I have also heard there is no problem(cant remember the site).

The original findings of research did consider raised to be best but the subsequent research, [ same people I think but with more up to date techniques I presume ], found the original thoughts to be incorrect and did a turn-around. According to the Weimi piece there was a marked increase in bloat cases when raised bowls were used as per the original research suggestion to use them

I use raised bowls too for my long-legged dogs. My Jack Russells eat at ground level. I am of the school of thought that it is better for the digestion.

Struggling with that link Patch but your right in that (Breagh's bloat / torsion) was the reason for me pondering over whether it was best for her.

All I would say is that when the bowl is on the floor she puts her face in, grabs a load and pulls her head up almost sucking and gulping which results in a lot of air intake and subsequesnt burping. When raised slightly she just eats more calmly without all the violent movement.

Sorry Phil, its pdf`s I have trouble with, my stoopid PC does`nt like them

This is the page on which you can access the actual pdf, scroll to where it says :

NB: An article on bloat from the Autumn 2007 edition of the WCGB newsletter is available for download in PDF format with kind permission from Sally Morgan: Page 1 | Page 2



http://www.weimaranerclubofgreatbrit...uk/health.html