Background Information on Automatic Dog Feeders and Water Dispensers

Automatic feeders designed to deliver fresh food and water to dogs makes living with pets easier. It helps owners who are gone during the day make sure their dogs always have food and water, and they help kennel owners keep dogs fed and watered for days at a time.

  1. First Versions

    • The first animal water dispenser was patented in March of 1988. It was a rudimentary device that stored water in a container above a bowl and included a slanted pipe that fed the water downward when the levels fell below the tip of the pipe. A similar device patented in 1988 dispensed dog food through a gravity-fed gate that opened when the level in a bowl outside the gate fell below the opening, allowing the hinged gate to open.

    Improvements

    • Over time, many inventions followed. The subsequent versions improved the models over previous ones by streamlining the apparatus, developing newer methods of delivery, creating fresher storage ability, and even combining food and water delivery in a single unit. Modern waterers come in a fountain style that hooks up to a hose from your water line for a continuous fresh water supply; electronic models regulate temperature and supply.

    Costs

    • In 2010, automatic feeders range from $20 for basic models to $89 for portion-control feeders, and as much as $100 for electronic feeders. Automatic waterers start at $19 for a simple bottle screwed upside down onto a dish for a free-flow fill when the levels fall, to $39 for a fountain with fresh water hookup, and $50 for electronic control of water temperature and level.

    Medical Use

    • Some large-breed dogs tend to get bloated from eating too much, too fast. Automatic feeders that dispense food at a predetermined rate prevent dogs from eating in a way that makes them sick. Automatic waterers prevent accidental dehydration from a dog knocking over a water bowl when no one is home and going without water for hours.

    Where to Buy

    • Local department stores and pet stores usually carry many styles of automatic feeders and waterers. For the largest variety to choose from, look online at pet supply outlets.