Puppies haven’t necessarily learned the same feeding etiquette as some adult dogs. They can be inclined to wolf their food down and spread debris all over the floor. They transfer food to the water bowl, and vice versa, and give themselves indigestion and gas. It takes them some time to eat less aggressively and cause less mess. In the meantime, you need food and water bowls that still let your puppy eat and drink comfortably and without unwanted hindrance.
With a wide variety of stainless steel, ceramic, and even plastic models available, as well as a selection of slow feeders and even thermal bowls, it can be challenging to choose the best bowls for puppies.
Below, you will find reviews of ten of the best bowls for puppies, designed to help you find the one, or ones, that are best for your dog’s needs and the cleanliness of your kitchen.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Hepper Nom Nom Bowl
Looks good
Easy to clean
Does a good job catching stray food
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Best Value
Loving Pets Bella Bowls Pet Bowl
Cheap
Non-slip base prevents movement and noise
Dishwasher safe
Check Price
Premium Choice
K&H Pet Products Thermal Bowl
Made from BPA, lead-free plastic
Thermostatically controlled thermal bowl
5ft long cable
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Frisco Bones Non-Skid Dog & Cat Bowl
Dishwasher safe
Non-slip feet prevent movement
Available in two sizes
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Frisco Bone Shaped Ridges Slow Feed Bowl
Ridges prevent fast eating
Non-slip base reduces bowl movement
Dishwasher safe
Check Price
The 10 Best Bowls For Puppies
The Hepper Nom Nom Modern Cat And Dog Dish With Stainless Steel Bowls is a double bowl with a chew-safe and extra-wide tray. The tray catches debris and water from the bowls and it uses a material that is safe for your puppy to chew on.
Bowl material: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 17” x 9.2” x 2.5”
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Because it is a single piece of material, there are no seams either, which makes cleaning the tray simple: pick it up and wipe the dirt into the trash before wiping with a damp cloth. The double bowls snap in and out of the tray, so they are secure and stable while eating: no rattling to annoy you or put your puppy off eating. All the materials can be safely put in the dishwasher without the fear of melting or damage.
The bowls themselves are small, however, offering capacity for 10 ounces of water or one cup of dry food. Its size means that you will need to replace the bowl as your dog grows. The Nom Nom is more expensive than most options on the list but it looks good, does an admirable job of catching stray food, and is easy to clean, making it one of the best bowls for puppies, especially those that make a mess around their feeding area.
Pros
Looks good
Easy to clean
Does a good job catching stray food
Cons
Small bowls
Expensive
Disclaimer: At PetKeen we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Looks good
Easy to clean
Does a good job catching stray food
- Looks good
- Easy to clean
- Does a good job catching stray food
Small bowls
Expensive
- Small bowls
- Expensive
The Loving Pets Bella Bowls Pet Bowl is a cute stainless steel pet bowl with a colored metallic finish and adorned with paw print and bone motifs. It is a simple bowl, does not include a tray, and doesn’t offer any slow-feeding components, so it is best suited to puppies that are good eaters or if you are trying to encourage positive feeding habits right from the off.
Bowl material: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 7” x 7” x 2”
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The whole bowl is dishwasher safe, and it does include a rubber, non-slip base. This prevents the bowl from wandering around the floor when your dog eats and is especially suitable for use on hard floors. The rubber base also prevents scraping and rattling noises that you get with some bowls.
The bowl comes in a good range of sizes, and the 3.5-cup model should not only be suitable for your puppy as it grows a little older but also represents the best value for money. Its low price makes the Loving Pets Bella Bowls Pet Bowl the best bowl for puppies for the money.
The only real complaint is that there is a large sticker on the inside of the bowl, that is very difficult to remove, and it will leave sticky debris. Also, while the bowl is dishwasher safe, putting it in the hot wash section of the dishwasher can lead to some degradation of the embossed exterior.
Pros
Cheap
Non-slip base prevents movement and noise
Dishwasher safe
Cons
Large sticker on the inside of the bowl is difficult to remove
Design fades when put in the dishwasher
We don’t always advocate the use of plastic bowls because there are concerns that plastic can leach into water and food. However, the K&H Pet Products Thermal Bowl does use BPA-free, lead-free plastic, which is considered safer for pets. The use of plastic also facilitates the thermostatically controlled heater that is used in this bowl and that prevents water from freezing over or getting too cold in freezing conditions.
Cheap
Non-slip base prevents movement and noise
Dishwasher safe
- Cheap
- Non-slip base prevents movement and noise
- Dishwasher safe
Large sticker on the inside of the bowl is difficult to remove
Design fades when put in the dishwasher
- Large sticker on the inside of the bowl is difficult to remove
- Design fades when put in the dishwasher
Bowl material: Plastic
Dimensions: 10.5” x 10.5” x 3”
Not all puppies need a thermal bowl, but if your dog spends a lot of time outdoors in the cold or you have a utility room where your dog eats and drinks, this can prevent the bowl from freezing over or the water from getting uncomfortably cold.
The bowl is pricey, and it needs to be plugged in for the thermostatically controlled heater to work, but if you have a breed like a Huskie that prefers to spend time outdoors, and you live in a cold environment, it is a beneficial purchase. Other than the thermostat, the bowl is very basic: a round plastic shape that is quite shallow to help prevent freezing.
Pros
Made from BPA, lead-free plastic
Thermostatically controlled thermal bowl
5ft long cable
Cons
Expensive
No anti-slip base
- Frisco Bones Non-Skid Ceramic Dog & Cat Bowl
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Bowl material: Ceramic
Dimensions: 7.5” x 7.5” x 2.75”
Ceramic dog bowls are sturdy, less prone to movement, and can look great. They are also more likely to smash if dropped, can be heavy, and cannot always be put in the dishwasher. The Frisco Bones Non-Skid Ceramic Dog & Cat Bowl is a white ceramic bowl with debossed bone designs around the bowl and a tan-colored ceramic base.
Made from BPA, lead-free plastic
Thermostatically controlled thermal bowl
5ft long cable
- Made from BPA, lead-free plastic
- Thermostatically controlled thermal bowl
- 5ft long cable
Expensive
No anti-slip base
- Expensive
- No anti-slip base
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Bowl material: Ceramic
Dimensions: 7.5” x 7.5” x 2.75”
It has rubberized, non-skid feet to prevent your puppy from pushing the bowl all over the floor while feasting. Frisco claims that it is dishwasher safe, as long as you put it on the top shelf, and there is a choice of two sizes with 2.5- and 4.5-cup capacity.
The bowl is ceramic and is quite fragile, so you need to take extra care not to drop it. If the bowl cracks, this leaves the perfect spot for bacteria to form and grow, so a cracked bowl needs replacing. As with most ceramic bowls, this one does cost a little more than a basic plastic or stainless steel model, but it is a good bowl, overall, and isn’t prohibitively expensive.
Pros
Dishwasher safe
Non-slip feet prevent movement
Available in two sizes
Cons
Ceramic bowls are more prone to cracking
Slightly pricey
- Frisco Bone Shaped Ridges Slow Feed Bowl
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Bowl material: Plastic
Dimensions: 9” x 9” x 1.5”
Some puppies eat like they haven’t been fed in months. Not only does wolfing food down cause more of the kibble and wet meat to escape the bowl and find its way onto the floor, but it can cause indigestion and other gastrointestinal upset for your puppy. One solution is to use a slow feed bowl, like the Frisco Bone Shaped Ridges Slow Feed Bowl.
Dishwasher safe
Non-slip feet prevent movement
Available in two sizes
- Dishwasher safe
- Non-slip feet prevent movement
- Available in two sizes
Ceramic bowls are more prone to cracking
Slightly pricey
- Ceramic bowls are more prone to cracking
- Slightly pricey
Bowl material: Plastic
Dimensions: 9” x 9” x 1.5”
This plastic bowl has bone-shaped plastic ridges in the bottom of the bowl. Your puppy has to work around the ridges and has to get in between the plastic to get to their food. It might not quell the dog’s desire to eat, but it does mean that they take smaller mouthfuls and there is a greater gap between each mouthful, so it should prevent gas and digestive upset. The bowl is very reasonably priced, is made from BPA-free plastic, and is dishwasher safe, with a three-cup dry food capacity. It also has a non-skid base to reduce noise and movement.
The dish does do a good job of slowing most puppies down, but particularly voracious eaters will still wolf their food down, while the somewhat inhibitive design means that slower eaters can struggle to get to the last pieces of food.
Pros
Ridges prevent fast eating
Non-slip base reduces bowl movement
Dishwasher safe
Cheap
Cons
Won’t slow the most determined puppies
Difficult to get to food at the bottom
The Outward Hound Non-Skid Plastic Slow Feeder Interactive Dog Bowl is another slow feeder bowl. It has a non-skid base, is dishwasher safe, and the ridges are circular. Because circular ridges do not have corners or restrictive edges, it means less food gets trapped or caught in the bottom and your puppy should be able to get to every mouthful of food without being forced to leave some behind.
Ridges prevent fast eating
Non-slip base reduces bowl movement
Dishwasher safe
Cheap
- Ridges prevent fast eating
- Non-slip base reduces bowl movement
- Dishwasher safe
- Cheap
Won’t slow the most determined puppies
Difficult to get to food at the bottom
- Won’t slow the most determined puppies
- Difficult to get to food at the bottom
Bowl material: Plastic
Dimensions: 8.75” x 8.75” x 2.75”
The bowl does come in two sizes, with a 2 cup or 4 cup capacity, although it is a struggle to fill the bowls without them spilling over. If you opt for the larger of the two bowls, its depth does make it difficult to get to the last few pieces of food, which can be frustrating for a hungry puppy.
The slow feeder is also more expensive than other basic plastic bowls, but it is easy to clean and its design means that it shouldn’t tip over or move around the room while being used.
Pros
Slows fast eaters
Dishwasher safe
Available in two sizes
Cons
Large bowl is too deep and difficult to empty
Smaller than anticipated
- Frisco Stainless Steel Bowl
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Bowl material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 10.25” x 10.25” x 3.25”
Stainless steel is a popular bowl material because it is naturally anti-bacterial, easy to clean and maintain, and it is safe for dogs to eat and drink from. It will also hold food or water with no problems and while it can scratch or dint, it is very difficult to break or crack.
Slows fast eaters
Dishwasher safe
Available in two sizes
- Slows fast eaters
- Dishwasher safe
- Available in two sizes
Large bowl is too deep and difficult to empty
Smaller than anticipated
- Large bowl is too deep and difficult to empty
- Smaller than anticipated
Bowl material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 10.25” x 10.25” x 3.25”
The Frisco Stainless Steel Bowl is actually a set of two bowls so suitable for feeding a combination of wet and dry food or for use as a food and water bowl combo. The bowls have a 4.75-cup capacity, although you should expect to fill them with a little less than this, otherwise they will be overflowing, and your puppy will be set up to leave a mess around their feeding area. The bowls can also be put in the dishwasher for easy maintenance, and they feature a skid-proof base.
Although they are made of stainless steel and do have a rubberized base, these bowls are quite easy to tip, so if you have an energetic eater, you may need to look for a different design or a bowl made from a heavier material.
Pros
Skid-proof base
Dishwasher safe
Made from stainless steel
Cons
Not as big as sizes suggest
Easy to tip over
The Outward Hound Fun Feeder Interactive Dog Bowl is a plastic bowl with a spiral ridge in the bottom of the bowl. The ridge is designed to slow fast eaters, reducing mess and preventing digestive problems. It is made from BPA-free, lead-free plastic and can be put in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. Its wide design means that even the four-cup capacity bowl is unlikely to tip over, while the anti-slip base prevents an exuberant dog from pushing its bowl all over hard floor surfaces. There are two size options: a 2-cup and a 4-cup feeder.
Skid-proof base
Dishwasher safe
Made from stainless steel
- Skid-proof base
- Dishwasher safe
- Made from stainless steel
Not as big as sizes suggest
Easy to tip over
- Not as big as sizes suggest
- Easy to tip over
Bowl material: Plastic
Dimensions: 11.75” x 11.75” x 2.25”
However, the ridges mean that the capacity works out less than this so you may need to buy a size larger than anticipated. The ridges are also designed in such a way that very little food actually fits between them, and this can cause frustration when your dog is unable to get the last pieces of food out. Larger pieces of kibble can easily get stuck in the channels, too, and are impossible to remove by dog tongue alone.
Pros
Dishwasher safe
Ridged design slows fast eaters
Available in two sizes
Cons
Holds less food than advertised
Food gets stuck in ridges
The Midwest Stainless Steel Snap’y Fit Dog Kennel Bowl fulfills a very specific need. It clips to a kennel or crate wall and locks into place. It is ideal for nighttime crating and if your dog has a wire fence where you can clip the bowl. It comes in a variety of different sizes and can be used for food or water.
Dishwasher safe
Ridged design slows fast eaters
Available in two sizes
- Dishwasher safe
- Ridged design slows fast eaters
- Available in two sizes
Holds less food than advertised
Food gets stuck in ridges
- Holds less food than advertised
- Food gets stuck in ridges
Bowl material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 6” x 6” x 3”
The stainless steel bowl is dishwasher safe, which makes it easier to get rid of debris and keep the bowl in good condition. Obviously, if you don’t have a crate or kennel, the bowl won’t be useful for your puppy. However, this is another bowl that is cursed with a difficult-to-remove sticker that is on the bottom of the inside of the bowl and can leave a residue in the water or food section.
Pros
Suitable for kennels and cages
Attaches firmly
Dishwasher safe
Cons
No use if no cage
Sticker inside the bowl is difficult to remove
- Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat
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Bowl material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 6.5” x 6.5” x 1”
No matter how wide a dog bowl or effective the ridges in a slow-eater bowl, an exuberant puppy can still make a mess around their feeding area, typically by firing bits of dry kibble and flicking wet food debris onto the floor.
Suitable for kennels and cages
Attaches firmly
Dishwasher safe
- Suitable for kennels and cages
- Attaches firmly
- Dishwasher safe
No use if no cage
Sticker inside the bowl is difficult to remove
- No use if no cage
- Sticker inside the bowl is difficult to remove
Bowl material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 6.5” x 6.5” x 1”
The Frisco Double Stainless Steel Pet Bowl With Silicone Mat aims to combat this problem. The double stainless steel bowls are dishwasher safe and fit into a silicone mat. The mat can also be placed in the top rack of the dishwasher so is easy to keep clean and hygienic. The mat does help a little in preventing the bowls from being pushed around the floor when your dog eats and for a double bowl with mat, it is well priced.
However, the silicone mat does not do as good a job as a rubber base, in attempting to prevent the bowls from moving around. The bowls themselves are very small, too, and while the shallow bowl is OK for holding small amounts of food for a small puppy, they only hold a small amount of water so need refilling often.
Pros
Silicone mat catches debris
Decent price for a double bowl
Dishwasher safe bowls and mat
Cons
Mat doesn’t prevent movement
Bowls are very small
Silicone mat catches debris
Decent price for a double bowl
Dishwasher safe bowls and mat
- Silicone mat catches debris
- Decent price for a double bowl
- Dishwasher safe bowls and mat
Mat doesn’t prevent movement
Bowls are very small
- Mat doesn’t prevent movement
- Bowls are very small
Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Puppy Bowls
Puppies are inexperienced at eating, can wolf their food down so quickly that they give themselves indigestion and other digestive problems, and cause a big mess around the food and water bowls. Training your puppy to be a tidier and healthier diner is necessary, but getting the right bowl also plays a major role in ensuring a clean and stress-free dinner time.
Bowl Material
When choosing a bowl, you have three basic materials to choose from: each with its pros and cons.
Stainless Steel – Stainless steel is durable because, while it can get scratched and even dinted, it is virtually impossible to crack or smash. It is hygienic because it is naturally anti-bacterial, and the fact that it can be put in the dishwasher not only enables you to keep it clean more easily but makes it easier to maintain. However, stainless steel itself slides around on hard surfaces and the material is difficult to customize so there are limited designs and finishes available.
Ceramic – Ceramic is heavier than stainless steel so ceramic bowls are more difficult to push around. Some can be put in the dishwasher and, at least with human food, ceramic tends to give a better taste. However, it is porous, which means that bacteria can reside in the ceramic itself, and this is especially a problem if the bowl gets cracked. But, there are a lot of ways in which the design of the bowl can be customized so there are some really good-looking ceramic products available.
Plastic – There is much debate surrounding plastic dog bowls. If you do buy plastic, ensure that it is BPA-free and lead-free. Thankfully, most plastic bowls do use a safe plastic material, but it is better to double-check and be sure. Plastic is inexpensive but it is porous so can allow bacteria to form, and it tends to be lightweight so can easily be pushed around the floor and even tipped over. Plastic is very easy to work with and malleable during production, which means that there is a vast range of shapes and sizes of plastic bowls available.
Bowl Type
As well as choosing the material of the bowl, you will also need to decide on the best type of bowl. Options include:
- Stainless Steel – Stainless steel is durable because, while it can get scratched and even dinted, it is virtually impossible to crack or smash. It is hygienic because it is naturally anti-bacterial, and the fact that it can be put in the dishwasher not only enables you to keep it clean more easily but makes it easier to maintain. However, stainless steel itself slides around on hard surfaces and the material is difficult to customize so there are limited designs and finishes available.
- Ceramic – Ceramic is heavier than stainless steel so ceramic bowls are more difficult to push around. Some can be put in the dishwasher and, at least with human food, ceramic tends to give a better taste. However, it is porous, which means that bacteria can reside in the ceramic itself, and this is especially a problem if the bowl gets cracked. But, there are a lot of ways in which the design of the bowl can be customized so there are some really good-looking ceramic products available.
- Plastic – There is much debate surrounding plastic dog bowls. If you do buy plastic, ensure that it is BPA-free and lead-free. Thankfully, most plastic bowls do use a safe plastic material, but it is better to double-check and be sure. Plastic is inexpensive but it is porous so can allow bacteria to form, and it tends to be lightweight so can easily be pushed around the floor and even tipped over. Plastic is very easy to work with and malleable during production, which means that there is a vast range of shapes and sizes of plastic bowls available.
Standard Bowl – This is the standard design of dog bowl. It tends to be round, with a flat bottom and vertical sides. The bowl sits on the floor and doesn’t have ridges or other features, but it might have a design on the outside. The standard bowl might be basic but it is the least expensive option and is efficient and effective for good eaters.
Kennel Bowl – The kennel bowl is a somewhat specialized product that clips onto the cage or wire wall of a kennel or crate. Because it is clipped in place, the bowl doesn’t move or scrape around the floor but, if you don’t have a wire or cage to attach the bowl to, you do not need this type of product.
Slow Feeder – Puppies tend to get very excited at feeding time (like a lot of adult dogs) and this can cause them to wolf food down. In turn, this leads to more spillage and can cause problems like indigestion, bloat, and other digestive maladies. Slow feeders are bowls that have some kind of ridge on the inside of the bowl. Food is more difficult to get to and this causes the dog to slow down when eating. If your dog is a sensible eater, a slow feeder might put them off eating, and you need to check that the ridges are well designed or good can get trapped and is impossible for your dog to get to.
Elevated Feeders – Elevated feeders are another area where there is some debate. Generally, it is not recommended that a dog or puppy be given an elevated feeder. It used to be believed that elevated feeders could prevent bloat but, according to some studies, the reverse is actually true. Elevated feeders are useful if your dog has back or joint problems that prevent them from comfortably leaning down to a food bowl, however.
Size and Capacity
Puppies are smaller than their future adult selves, so it is reasonable to give them smaller food and water bowls. However, you don’t want a bowl that is too small because this means that you will overfill them and increase the likelihood of spills and debris. Most bowls have a capacity measured in cups, or in ounces for water bowls. These measurements assume that the bowl is filled to the brim, which you will rarely do if you do want to avoid spillage, so opt for the size up from the one that you need.
- Standard Bowl – This is the standard design of dog bowl. It tends to be round, with a flat bottom and vertical sides. The bowl sits on the floor and doesn’t have ridges or other features, but it might have a design on the outside. The standard bowl might be basic but it is the least expensive option and is efficient and effective for good eaters.
- Kennel Bowl – The kennel bowl is a somewhat specialized product that clips onto the cage or wire wall of a kennel or crate. Because it is clipped in place, the bowl doesn’t move or scrape around the floor but, if you don’t have a wire or cage to attach the bowl to, you do not need this type of product.
- Slow Feeder – Puppies tend to get very excited at feeding time (like a lot of adult dogs) and this can cause them to wolf food down. In turn, this leads to more spillage and can cause problems like indigestion, bloat, and other digestive maladies. Slow feeders are bowls that have some kind of ridge on the inside of the bowl. Food is more difficult to get to and this causes the dog to slow down when eating. If your dog is a sensible eater, a slow feeder might put them off eating, and you need to check that the ridges are well designed or good can get trapped and is impossible for your dog to get to.
- Elevated Feeders – Elevated feeders are another area where there is some debate. Generally, it is not recommended that a dog or puppy be given an elevated feeder. It used to be believed that elevated feeders could prevent bloat but, according to some studies, the reverse is actually true. Elevated feeders are useful if your dog has back or joint problems that prevent them from comfortably leaning down to a food bowl, however.
Non-Slip
Materials like plastic and stainless steel are easy to push around hard floors. The noise can be excruciating even when you’re sitting in another room, and it means that your messy eater is probably spilling food right around the utility room or kitchen. Non-slip bases and non-slip feet prevent this movement and are usually made from rubber or another grippy material to stop that movement. If you feed on a carpet, a non-slip base may not be necessary.
Dishwasher Safe
You must keep dog bowls clean and free from residue. While this can be done by washing them by hand, it is more convenient if the bowl can be put in the dishwasher. The dishwasher gives a more thorough clean and prevents you from having to pick bits of wet food from inside the bowl. Always check before placing a dog bowl in the dishwasher because while this is a desirable and common trait, not all bowls are dishwasher safe.
Mat
One way to prevent mess caused by the daily feeding frenzy is to use a mat or tray underneath the bowls. Some dog bowls come with their own mat so you don’t have to buy or place one separately. These may also prevent some movement around the floor, although a non-slip base remains the best option to stop slippage.
Conclusion
There are many dog bowls available, including stainless steel, ceramic, and plastic models. There are slow feeders, mats with bowls, and double bowl sets. Hopefully, our reviews of the best bowls for puppies, have helped you find the one that is best for your dog, your kitchen, and your requirements.
We believe the quality of the Hepper Nom Nom Modern Cat And Dog Dish With Stainless Steel Bowls combined with the convenient food catcher make them the best bowls for puppies, while the low price and features like the non-slip base and dishwasher safe materials make the Loving Pets Bella Bowls Pet Bowl the best puppy bowl for the money.
Featured Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock
