Dog Community

Stainless vs Ceramic

Posted : 1/5/2007 6:50:02 PM

Just a general question, stainless steel or ceramic - which is better for dog food and water. I know plastic is said to harbor bacteria (or so I heard). I use ceramic now, but just saw some really pretty personalized stainless bowls..thought about getting them but wanted opinions first.

Thanks

jjsmom06

Posted : 1/5/2007 6:57:24 PM

Not sure which one is technically healthier between the two as long as the cermaic is properly glazed. I prefer to use the ceramic for feeding and a super size stainless steel for water.

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Posted : 1/5/2007 7:01:12 PM

Ther ceramic is a large host for bacteria as it gets older
The stainless is lightweight making it easy for them to tip over but is virtually germ free.
Sooooo, find a heavy stainless steal one, google tip-free or spill proof bowls or something like that

fizzlbriches

Posted : 1/5/2007 7:05:13 PM

Thank you for your replies, I have a small Bichon so I am not worried about tipping (it should be fairly easy to find something heavy enough).

sallya

Posted : 1/5/2007 8:37:03 PM

I use glass bowls for water, ceramic for food.

willowchow

Posted : 1/5/2007 8:47:43 PM

There was a big discussion on this a long time ago. The plastic and ceramic bowls for pets are not good because of bacteria but also the glaze on the pet quality ceramic. So, if you want ceramic get a bowl made for humans to eat from.

Otherwise, stainless steel is the way to go. Or, glass but I'm not a fan of glass bowls because Willow likes to put her teeth on them.

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 1/5/2007 9:12:23 PM

I'm a stainless steel gal myself, less bacteria harboring qualities, easy to clean. We use a stainless bucket for water & bowls for food.

glenmar

Posted : 1/5/2007 10:16:09 PM

I use stainless for food, human grade ceramic for water.

Liz

Posted : 1/5/2007 10:37:52 PM

You guys have helped me too!!!

I had no idea plastic carried so many germs! It makes sense though, and I'm going to switch now.

My problem is that Dulce paws at her dishes, as if to play with them...??? So I need a "non-tip" bowl.

I use ceramic for my cat

So yes, stainless steal (now that I've been educated) is what I'd go for. Ceramic bowls come with cute designs though [

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Thanks again for the help for me too! I really love you guys! *hugs*

willowchow

Posted : 1/5/2007 10:44:53 PM

My problem is that Dulce paws at her dishes, as if to play with them...??? So I need a "non-tip" bowl

Willow's got Durapet bowls--here's the linkhttp://ourpets.com/products_hfs2.html
they've got a lifetime warranty--and the rubber on the bottom cannot come off or tear like the ones with the black rubber ring around the bottom.

Ceramic bowls come with cute designs though []

I like the designs on ceramic bowls too. So, to get my "fix" I look for human bowls around the shape/size that would be good for her. Or, occasionally I will see in Foster/Smith catalog FDA approved glaze pet bowls. But, not too often and there is usually not much selection.

I've done good going to like the dollar store or Walmart and getting cheap human ceramic for her.

agilebasenji

Posted : 1/5/2007 10:53:44 PM

I use stainless. It's cheap, easy to clean, light and easy to pack, and won't break when dropped on tile floors. I have 3 dogs and they each get a clean food dish each day - so cheap and easy to clean is good. They also stack well.

brookcove

Posted : 1/5/2007 11:10:19 PM

I like stainless. I used to be a nut for pretty ceramic bowls, but then I started doing rescue and I got over that fast. [

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spiritdogs

Posted : 1/6/2007 9:45:59 AM

Stainless. Light, easy to clean (and disinfect, if you need to), cheap, sturdy, and if you have lots of dogs...stackable. Easy to take on the road to shows, seminars, etc.
My dogs do drink out of glass, however, at home. To be honest, I am an antique freak (take that whichever way you want [

]), and my dogs drink from Fire King - white and jadeite green. I did that when Dancer arrived, many years ago - she would not drink from a bowl that made "metal noises" when her tags clinked on them. Rather than have her water intake limited, I chose to give in to her silly demands. One or two concessions to a heart dog are legal, right? [

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Jenny Stromsdorfer

Posted : 1/6/2007 9:36:14 PM

This cracks me up. We always used ceramic with no problems. But we needed new bowls and bought stainless steel. Bogey would eat out of them VERY slowly and when she got enough of the food off the bottom of the bowl, she would bark at the bowl and we couldn't figure out what the problem was. Come to find out, she would start barking as soon as she could see her own face in the bottom of the bowl - EVERY TIME ! ! ! Too funny! It was almost worth it for the laugh, but not fair to Bogey. We went back to ceramic !

Elizabeth

Posted : 1/6/2007 9:46:21 PM

I've always used stainless for the same reasons mentioned,,,cheap, easy to clean, easy to pack, non-breakable... I use regular size stainless dog food dishes for food but I buy the largest stainless mixing bowls I can for water, my dogs are BIG drinkers!!!!!