The Best Automatic Feeders for Dogs, According to Veterinarians
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Feeding my two basset hounds is one of my most important responsibilities as a pet parent. Ringo and Georgie’s mealtimes often shape how I plan my day, especially when I need to be away from home for a few hours. That’s where automatic feeders are handy: They can help ensure my dogs will still get their exact portion at the correct time. “They’re also great for dogs with a high metabolism that require smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day and for dogs on a strict diet for weight loss where overfeeding can be too easy,” says Dr. Ashley Burgos, the co-founder of dog-supplement brandFutureproof Pet. Plus she notes that automatic feeders can offer the consistency and appropriate portion size, which loving owners sometimes “overdo” — something I’m sureeverypet parent has been guilty of at one point or another.
When I began speaking to experts and researching automatic feeders for this story, I learned that most are designed specifically for cats or small dogs because of portion-size limits, smaller bowl clearances, and food-tank capacities. My dogs are considered medium-size, so in my testing, that often meant I needed to dispense extra food because a single scheduled meal at the maximum portion wasn’t enough to meet their required calorie intake. But if you own a dachshund or Frenchie, you’ll be an excellent candidate for an automatic feeder since your pet probably eats smaller meals than my large-boned basset hounds.
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Automatic-feeder categories
There are many kinds of feeders on the market, but most of the experts I spoke to mentioned three main categories: (1) Programmable feeders, which are the most common type these days and dispense measured dry kibble on a schedule. Most of these options are meant for cats or small dogs who consume dry kibble, and many are Wi-Fi-enabled. Some even use an RFID microchip tag or AI pet recognition to identify your specific animal (great if you have multiple pets eating from the feeder). (2) Refrigerated or cold-chain feeders, which are built specifically to hold fresh diets. (3) Gravity feeders, which involve food “falling” from the storage bin into the feeding bowl continuously once kibble has been eaten. This means kibble will be available at all times, which can lead to a dog overeating. They’re made for grazers, so we’re leaving those off the list.
To pick an automatic feeder that’s right foryourdog, Dr. Gary Richter, an integrative veterinarian and the founder ofUltimate Pet Nutrition, suggests choosing a feeder based on the type of food your dog eats and which problem you’re trying to solve. “For a dog eating dry food, I like programmable smart feeders that provide reliable portion control, backup power, and confirmation that meals have been dispensed,” Richter says. “In multi-pet homes, microchip-activated feeders can be particularly useful because they allow each animal access only to its own food.”
Our top picks
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It’s affordable and easy to set up.
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A good option for families with more than one pet.
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Whisker’s feeder has a large 32-cup capacity.
Best automatic feeder for small dogs
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If you’re looking for a smart feeder that won’t break the bank, the Wi-Fi-connected Pawsync is a great starting place, coming in at under $100. Before I began reporting on this topic, I’d never tried an automatic feeder with either of my two dogs and I was nervous whether the portion sizes would be accurate. But with the Pawsync, that wasn’t an issue. When testing the feeder, I appreciated that the setup was straightforward and easy: I simply downloaded the Pawsync app and followed the prompts to connect to my Wi-Fi and set up a feeding schedule for my puppy, Georgie. The app also creates a recommended feeding amount in ounces based on your pet’s weight, lifestyle, body condition, and the type of kibble they eat. The Pawsync relies on a scale underneath the main stainless bowl to track how much food is dispensed (in the app, there’s even an option for “zeroing out” the bowl).
Kibble must be between 4 and 15 mm. in size to work in the Pawsync feeder, which has a 3.6-liter cylindrical food tank. The main drawback is the Pawsync can only dispense a maximum of roughly 3.5 ounces per meal (or 99.22 grams). That translates to roughly one cup of kibble. Previously, I had been feeding Georgie 1.5 cups per meal with two mealtimes per day — breakfast and dinner — so I needed to add extra mealtimes with the Pawsync to match her original portion sizes. For those reasons, this feeder will be a better option for smaller dogs who consume portions under one cup. Other details to note: The Pawsync feeder must be plugged in using the power adapter, but it has a backup battery compartment (1.5-volt D-size batteries are not included) in case of a power outage. It gives me peace of mind that the feeder will automatically switch to battery mode (it sends a notification to your phone to let you know if this happens) and any scheduled mealtimes will continue normally. The inside of the food-tank lid also has a compartment for a desiccant pack, which helps absorb extra moisture and should be replaced monthly.
Best automatic feeder for multi-dog households
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For a multi-pet household, Petlibro’s Granary 2 Vision Duo is my top pick since it offers a handy dual-channel dispensing system. Some other important draws for me were the built-in camera for livestreaming every meal and the AI pet recognition, which helps distinguish between multiple animals and track individual food intake. (If you only have one dog, the Granary 2 series offersa model with just one bowland it’s about $10 cheaper.) The main caveat is both your dogs will need to be eating the same kibble since there’s only one main food tank. The food tank has a lid where two desiccant bags — recommended to be replaced every two weeks — are placed to absorb moisture and prevent mold and staleness. The feeder has to be placed on a hard, flat surface, and it must be plugged in, similar to the Pawsync above, so it took a bit of time to figure out where the Granary 2 Vision Duo would live in our home.
When it comes to the total volume per meal, the Granary 2 Vision Duo delivers one portion at approximately 10 grams (roughly 1/12 cup). The maximum is six portions per dispersal, or 1/2 cup. Again, for Ringo, who typically eats 1.5 cups of kibble per meal, that means adding more mealtimes or triggering the maximum six-portion dispersal exactly three times per meal.
I found the app to be super intuitive with sections for the current day’s feeding data, my preset feeding schedule, and a feeding log. It was also easy to connect to my home Wi-Fi (it supports both 2.4 and 5 GHz networks). By swiping left in the app, I’m able to watch the live feed, which has a wide-angle lens to show the stainless-steel bowl and the surrounding room. I also receive notifications when Ringo has been spotted near the feeder.
Best automatic feeder for basic scheduled dispensing
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Dr. Ambika Vaid, an integrative veterinarian and the adviser to pet food brandBadlands Ranch, recommends the previous Granary feeder model, which is more affordable and offers basic automation with app control. The Granary 2 Vision Duo, which is designed for multiple pets, has a five-liter food tank but so does this single-bowl feeder, so if your dog requires larger portions of food, this might be a nice option. “You can use an app to schedule meal time, which makes it very easy when you’re out of the house,” Vaid says. “Plus it has a large container, so you’re not refilling constantly or worried that you left the house without any food in it.”
Best automatic feeder with a larger food tank
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With a food hopper that holds up to 32 cups of food (approximately 7.57 liters), the Whisker Feeder-Robot can store a large amount of dry or semimoist kibble. While it has a plastic hopper insert (for better funneling food into the dispenser) that holds 25 cups, it can be removed to fit the maximum amount of 32 cups. With a 9-by-11.25-inch footprint, it takes up about the same amount of space as the Granary 2 Vision Duo. The Whisker is the model I’ve been testing the most recently with my dogs, and I found the setup to be pretty simple: After opening the box, I had to pick between the ⅛-cup or ¼-cup dispenser to select the minimum portion size. For reference, the ⅛ dispenser comes preinstalled and can serve ⅛ to ½ cup of food per meal. I opted for the ¼-cup dispenser because it can serve up to one cup of food per meal. Then I plugged in the feeder before adding any food. After adding Ringo’s kibble, I downloaded the Whisker app and followed the instructions to connect to my home Wi-Fi.
Similar to the other automatic feeders on this list, the app is where I created a feeding schedule and could see an overview of the week and month. It gives you an option to remotely dispense a snack (which is a single portion), and even has a Gravity Mode that ensures the bowl stays full based on a check every six hours. The Whisker requires you to purchase a separate backup battery, which will provide 24 hours of juice if the power is interrupted. Unfortunately, it comes with a plastic bowl, but I’ve since discovered you can purchase a dishwasher-safestainless-steel bowlfor $20, which is definitely my preference.
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