Automatic Dog Feeder? - Page 1

Has anyone used an automatic dog feeder before?  If so, and it held up well, please let me know the name brand.

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Before anyone gets on to me for being lazy......  Cirberus has to eat small meals.  99% of the time this is easy as I am home.  There are days when I am gone for up to 24 hours.  For these times, I take her with me.  Now that she is getting older and more active, asking her to stay in a crate with walks all day, is just not fair.  She would be much happier in her yard/kennel where she can move around.  Due to her eating schedule, leaving her at home is not good either, as she ends up skipping a meal or two and I cannot simply double up on the next meal

feed by hand every meal, if she doens't eat, she will next time.
you will develop an amazing bond and will set her drives free.

when you cannot feed by hand, give her 15 minutes to eat and take the food up, don't feed her until her next meal. she will understand that when its time to eat, she'd better do it or be hungry.

if you're gone and cannot feed her, then get somone to give her her food and in 15 munites take it up.

SitasMom, this dog has mega-e.

then feeding by hand is even more important. she can eat a nice mushy food sitting up with her head elevated.

It is not a matter of getting her to eat or bond with me.  We do lots of that and I have started hand feeding more for some training. 

This is just for when I am gone from the house for up to 24 hours.  I can feed her before I leave.... it is while I am gone that I am trying to figure out a solution.  That is where the automatic feed would come in.  I have looked at some... I do not think they will last.  Maybe with Rose or Max, but as soon as Cirberus figures out there is food in there....well, that feeder would be destroyed.  Cirberus does not understand yet that she needs to only eat a little bit (2 cups) then stop and wait a long time before eating again.  I am still having to control her eating portions completely.

try the food dispensing dog toys, they dispense food slowly and she will have something to do. try puting 3 or 4 of them in her crate and let her have fun.

Ooo. Great thought.    Thanks SitasMom.

I found 2 on Amazon that looks like they will work well.  Thanks again.

When I still fed kibble, I used the Buster Food Cube (Large). Senta demolished the food cube for fun and left the kibble behind. The Kong Wobbler has survived even Bosco's attacks. :)

Yeah the cube seemed like it was better for more gentle dogs.  The kong did not seem to hold much food though.  It would work as treats, but not for a full meal.   I found this bottle like thing that looks fairly durable and looks like it might hold about a cup.  I bought 2 and I will test one when they come in.  There was also a ball like thing that got some good durablity reviews.

I think I would still prefer one of the automatic feeders, but so far none look like they would survive.