Problem: Where To Put The Pet’s Bowls?

For those with four-legged furry friends running around their home, there seems to be a unanimous problem — where do you put the pet bowls?! It seems like the answer should be easy: the floor, duh. But in reality, finding a bowl that looks attractive enough to sit out, plus learning not to kick it over during your daily routine, is a challenge.

Before you can tackle the placement of your pet’s food and water dishes, you must first decide what’s best for them. Cats are pretty simple since most are only at max a foot in height. Dogs on the other hand, well they’re a different story. Food needs to be close to your dog’s snout without excessive bending, which can cause problems with digestion and then some. You can read up more about what types of bowls are available and why over here.

On Style: There is one thing we can tell you for sure about your pet bowls: they’ll be around for awhile. Even though many of the more modern versions are higher on the price scale, in the grand scheme of your pet’s life, that balances out, so if there’s one you truly love, save up and go for it!

Placement: We’ve all been there (usually when we’re carrying something hot to the table), you know the dog bowl is there, but instead, splooosh, you kick it clear across the room. Awesome. It can be so very frustrating. In small spaces, the biggest impact could be made by feeding at regimented times and picking the food bowl back up when not in use. The water however, would need to stay down and it can be the trickiest of all!

If you don’t have a spot to keep it tucked back out of the way, don’t worry about it being an eyesore; it’s an acceptable thing to have as a pet owner (that gross chew toy on the other hand, might need to go), so don’t worry about it. To make it feel like it’s part of the space more, instead of two bowls at the end of an island or against a wall, try hanging teatowels or artwork above the area to make it feel more inclusive.

Here are a few of our favorite posts from Apartment Therapy about different dog bowls and a few of their solutions (be it stylish or placement):

Pictured Left To Right & Top To Bottom
• Look! A Place for Pet Bowls: In this home, the bottom shelf has been reserved for the bowls of their pets. It is guaranteed to keep them out from under foot, but we suggest placing them on an absorbent mat for messy eaters.
• House Tour: Vicki & Richard’s Eichler House of Robots: In this home the dog bowl sits to the side of the kitchen next to a credenza. It’s inside a doorway in an area that won’t be disturbed very often.
• Midwest #7 – Zohreh’s Anti-Depressant Color: In this vibrant home, there’s a special spot, just for the animals, complete with pictures hung at pet height. Although it might seem silly, it helps make the feeding area feel more like a feeding area instead of a pile of stuff to trip over.
• People Bowls as Pet Bowls: There’s nothing wrong with using regular dishware instead of specialty pet products. They don’t even have to match and might be easier to coordinate with your existing dishware.
• Look!: Vintage Wine Boxes as Dog Bowls: Although many pet bowls are held up by thin wire supports to not look so bulky in your spaces, this one goes in the opposite direction. We like that it feels more like a piece of furniture in your room, instead of some thing… over there… down on the floor.
• Top Ten: Pet Bowls: Although there are other alternatives out there, here’s 10 decent pet bowls that might work for your pet.
• Enamel Dog Bowl: There’s something to be said for a bowl that not only stays clean, but looks clean also, this enamel bowl pulls double duty and is not only sturdy but a snap to clean when messy.
• Trendy Pet: Raised Dog Bowls: In this post there’s a great graphic to demonstrate how high up your dog bowls should be.

Where do you keep your pet bowls? Do you have a favorite or think you’ve found the best place to keep it? Let us know in the comments below!

Related: For Furry Friends: The Eat Slow Bowl from Greedy Pup