Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Beagle Bailey is nearly fourteen years old, and he's been with us for a year, courtesy of Seattle Beagle Rescue. When his owner died and the relatives were going to pack him off to Animal Control, I was asked if I'd take him as a foster dog. I agreed. After the better part of a year, I told the rescue that I'd hang onto Bailey Boo till the bitter end. I've had old dogs before, but for some reason I didn't get the memo about their poor old spines not being comfortable reaching down to the floor for food and water. I saw the elevated dishes some pet owners used, but I chalked it up to some folks having too much disposable income. That was true, anyway, till Bailey had to lie down on the floor to drink his water late one evening. I said, "Oh." I said, "Sorry, old man. I get it now." Today this bowl arrived, and after cleaning the silver metal liner with soap and hot water, I put Bailey's dinner--a raw meat mixture with a raw chicken gizzard on top like a cherry on a sundae--in front of him. Suddenly, one of his favorite parts of the whole day was so much easier. I am favorably pleased at how heavy the base is. My other beagle, Ox the Oversized Beagle Pup has been known to run off with dog dishes (and other things) made of synthetic composites and chew the heck out of them; he's even carried heavy ceramic dishes away. I strongly considered buying the dog dishes in metal stands instead, because cast iron is about the only thing that Ox can't destroy when he's on a tear. But between the heft and the shape of this thing--only one good place for anyone to get purchase on it, and Ox hasn't found the one raised finger-hold, apparently--there's no problem. I don't leave it on the floor between feedings, but if all continues to go well, I will buy another one or two for water dishes. Other reviewers have noted that the metal lining is very lightweight. I have observed this in other dog dishes billed as being made of steel, also. Steel used to mean hard as nails; now it means slightly thicker than aluminum. But this isn't posing a problem for Bailey, and frankly my arthritic fingers are grateful that it's so easy to scoop out of its base and wash it. I haven't tried running it through the dishwasher because I preferred to wash it by hand.