Have you ever thought about why dog bowls should be babyproofed? I never used to think about it, but after having my first child and watching her learn so much each day, I realize there are many good reasons.
Even if it is a difficult task for you to think of everything that may harm your child, it will help to read about the most common accidents and why they are dangerous.
One of the most common household accidents involving kids occurs when babies try to eat or drink things not meant for them. While drinking water directly from a dog’s water bowls may seem harmless, there are reasons why parents should prevent even this.
It may sound like an apparent suggestion, but small objects can easily pose a threat, leading to serious accidents. To avoid such situations, below mentioned are 7 ways to baby proof dog bowls & keep your dog feeder safe from babies.
Table of Contents
1) Using Separate Feeding Area / Zone
It is important to keep your baby and dogs apart in the house, especially when dogs are eating their dog food. To avoid the baby from coming near the dog and also keep the baby safe from any accidents, it is a good idea to keep feeding separately across the room.
You can devise an area for feeding your dog which does not interfere with the care of your infant. However, this can be feasible only if you have a large enough space like a backyard or a patio where the dog can comfortably eat without intruding every time your child goes around playing. Or you can use your laundry room for feeding purposes and keep the door closed while not used.
When using separate dogs’ feeding area/zone?
” Never allow your pet to gain access to any place but her feeder station at feeding times.”
2) Buy a large Pet gate to baby proof dog bowls
If you’ve got a young child and want to keep your dog’s food and water dishes out of reach, you might consider getting pet gates or baby gates.
For example, if you don’t like the idea of having to attach things to walls or doors (especially if there is paintwork that could get damaged), then these freestanding pet gates or baby gates would be perfect for babyproofing dog bowls and keeping your pup’s dish safe from little hands.
It gets the baby proofing job done by setting it up with something as simple as tension (no tools required) and has an adjustable 25-inch opening. It can fit openings between 29 inches and 39 inches wide.
Furthermore, it comes in two different widths – regular and extra wide – along with three different heights: 21 inches, 24 inches, 28 inches tall. So you can be sure to find the perfect fit for your home.
The best part is that it has no sharp edges and is very easy to clean. Simply swab it with a wet cloth and leave it to dry before storing it in its box back when not in use.
Also read:
The Best 7 Pet Friendly Baby Gates with Cat Door
Best 6 Baby Gates for Uneven Walls and Open Floor
3 Best Baby Gates for Wrought Iron Railing
3) Buy a baby safe dog bowl
This is a simple & spill proof solution to baby proof dog bowls. Purchase a baby safe bowl to place your dog food and water inside that dog’s water bowl which will be much harder for little hands to get into and possibly cause harm to them or the pet.
For example, if you did purchase these glass pet food and water bowls, it would be tough to get open because of the silicone sleeve around them, making it impossible for your small child to lift up.
These types of spill-proof dog bowls come in different materials such as stainless steel, ceramic, or even glass. For my home, I bought the bowls below.
PetSafe Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder
The smart feed app is for smart dog owners and busy parents which lets you feed your pet a certain amount of water and food at certain times, from anywhere. The app requires an iPhone or iPod device with iOS 9.0 or later, or a compatible Android smartphone with Android 6.0 or later.
You can personalize your pet’s meals. You can organize up to twelve meals for your pets. The ‘Feed Now’ function lets you feed your pet in addition to the scheduled meal times. Only dry dog foods are recommended.
There are different portion sizes that you can use to dispense your pet’s dog food, depending on their needs. You can also choose the slow feed option, which will make the dog food dispense slowly over a 15 minute period. This will help prevent digestive upset and give you the best value.
Let’s talk about quality now. This US-based PetSafe brand is a trusted global leader in pet behavior, containment and lifestyle innovations. They help pets, and their people live together in happiness making sure all your required fields are marked.
Microchip Pet Feeder
If you have multiple dogs, the Microchip Pet Feeder can make things a lot easier for you while baby proofing. It uses your pet’s Microchip ID to figure out which pet is eating and which is finished eating, and then it opens up so that the pet can eat accordingly. The feeder comes with one tag, but you can buy more if you need to. Ideally, every pet should have its own feeder.
This product helps to keep your pets from stealing food from each other and to avoid stress at mealtimes. It can help to keep your pets healthier by controlling how much they eat and helping to keep their weight under control.
This can save you money by not overfeeding expensive prescription foods, and it can also help you avoid vet bills related to pet health conditions. This container can hold 13.5 fl. oz of wet or dry dog food. The lid closes & seals the container and keeps the dog food fresh for longer.
If something goes wrong with this product, they’ll replace it for you within three years. Also, this product is recommended by veterinarians.
4) Change the time your dog eats
This baby proofing method will help to make your life easier by ensuring the bowls are raised off the floor. Therefore, change and set the time your dog eats at certain times if you have a little one at home.
For example, feed them first thing in the morning before you eat breakfast with them or after they go to bed, for example, 11 or 12 o’clock. This way your pup is already eating and won’t be interested in their dish until other feeding times.
5) Placing High Shelves where feeders are kept safely
This can be a great tip for babyproofing for those who are dog owners and parents of little kids at the same time. And what I often find with pet parents who have both is they might leave their dog’s bowl on the floor because it’s easier. But this poses a risk of the small child or toddler knocking the bowl upside down, eating dog food and getting ill, or perhaps even getting hurt by it.
For example, if your small dogs have eaten some dog food and then throw up over your carpet, you’ll want to clean the area thoroughly before your kid gets there.
Even if you clean it right away, animals can still carry illnesses like salmonella. Therefore, this involves using tall furniture (such as tall cabinets and tall bookcases) to store the dog food.
A safety tip is that you only place tall furniture where your child cannot easily climb or reach it, and then put heavy items on top of the furniture to make it even more difficult for them to lift up. So place high shelves where feeders are kept safely to baby proof dog bowls.
6) Use an elevated pet food bowl stand
One other clever solution of baby proofing dog bowls that works perfectly for small dogs or multiple pets is to use an elevated dog’s food bowl stand to increase mealtime for everyone! This will reduce any possible risks of your crawling baby being harmed or tripping over it trying to get into his/her high chair.
An elevated dog feeder made of solid and non-toxic polypropylene plastic and stainless steel bowls means it’s easy to clean and dishwasher safe. These elevated dog bowls can hold up to 45 lbs, so they should work perfectly for most breeds.
Also, you can check this 2 Bowls Stand. It will help keep your pet’s food and water separate & perfectly off the floor while allowing them to eat at their height level, making mealtime much less stressful for everyone!
The stand is super sturdy and durable with a capacity for dog food and water of 14lbs and 10lbs.
7) Distract your baby
One way you can keep your dog’s water dish out of the baby’s reach is by distracting your baby. Here I present a few examples of how to do it:
– Play peekaboo with them around the corner where the dog bowls are located
– Get down on their level, so they look up at you instead of towards the floor
– Read books together or sing songs
– Give them crayons or markers so they can draw or color while you get busy making dinner for yourself and your family
Also you can try to make your own Dog bowl (DYI) by watching this video:
Conclusion
Thanks for reading the article, and congratulations if you’ve made it this far! I hope that I’ve answered all your questions and you’re now able to keep your dog’s food safe from little hands. Wish you all the best of luck with keeping everyone happy and healthy.
You may want to read my other baby proofing posts?
