Black & Decker Slow Feeder Rocking Dog Bowl

Feeding time for pets is an essential part of their routine, and ensuring that my dog eats at a healthy pace has always been a priority. That's why I was intrigued by the Slow Feeder Rocking Dog Bowl by Black & Decker, a product designed to promote slower eating and better digestion for dogs. I decided to give it a try and, after using it for a while, here's my detailed review.

First Impressions

The Slow Feeder Rocking Dog Bowl has a sleek and innovative design. The bowl is lightweight at just 1.4 lbs and has a compact footprint with dimensions of 7.5 inches in length and width, and 5.5 inches in height. It’s made from food-safe materials, which is reassuring for pet owners concerned about their dog's health.

Design and Build Quality

The bowl's design is quite unique and functional. It features a no-spill design and is engineered to be held from the bottom when filled with food. This detail helps in preventing messy spills, which is a common issue with many dog bowls. The rocking mechanism is designed to make it challenging for dogs to gulp down their food, thus promoting slower eating.

However, a significant issue with the design is the construction of the base. The base consists of two layers that are supposed to be separated for cleaning, but this is easier said than done. The layers are tightly secured with tabs that are incredibly difficult to release. Attempts to separate these layers with kitchen knives felt precarious and made me worry about damaging the bowl or injuring myself. This design flaw seriously hampers the bowl's usability.

Ease of Use

Using the bowl is straightforward for feeding purposes. The no-spill design works as intended, and the rocking motion does indeed slow down my dog's eating pace. However, the ease of use takes a nosedive when it comes to cleaning.

Cleaning Challenges

Despite being marketed as dishwasher safe, the bowl’s design makes it nearly impossible to clean effectively. The trapped water between the two base layers after a wash leads to mildew and an unpleasant odor. This problem is exacerbated when any liquids, such as wet dog food or water, seep into the base. Over time, this makes the bowl unhygienic and, frankly, unusable without rigorous, often unsuccessful cleaning efforts.

I tried placing the bowl on the top rack of my dishwasher, but this did not help in cleaning the trapped water or debris. The food slurry that accumulates between the layers is incredibly tough to remove, requiring one to pry the layers apart, which is not user-friendly at all.

Durability

On the durability front, the bowl feels robust in terms of material quality. However, the difficulty in separating the base layers for cleaning makes it susceptible to damage if one tries too hard to pry them apart. In my experience, the plastic tabs securing the layers together seem likely to break under the pressure needed to separate them, which would render the bowl useless.

Overall Performance

While the bowl performs its primary function of slowing down my dog's eating pace admirably, the issues related to cleaning and maintenance overshadow its benefits. A dog bowl needs to be cleaned frequently to maintain hygiene, and the design flaw that traps water and food particles makes this bowl a poor choice for long-term use.

Final Thoughts

The Slow Feeder Rocking Dog Bowl by Black & Decker seems like a great idea on paper. It has an innovative design that effectively promotes slower eating, which is beneficial for my dog's digestion. The no-spill feature and the food-safe materials are definite pluses. However, the cumbersome cleaning process is a significant drawback.

Recommendation

Would I recommend the Slow Feeder Rocking Dog Bowl? Unfortunately, no. Despite its good intentions and clever design to slow down feeding, the impracticality of cleaning outweighs its benefits. A dog bowl needs to be easy to clean to ensure proper hygiene, and the challenges presented by this bowl make it more of a hassle than a help.

For pet owners looking for a slow feeder, I would advise exploring other options that offer similar benefits without the cleaning issues. There are several slow feeder bowls on the market that are easier to maintain and might serve you and your pet better in the long run.