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This feeder's legs extend to allow for elevated feeding, preventing joint stress and bloat while eating and drinking. Contracts down to 1.5-inches when not in use Read More
This all-in-one feeding and drinking system holds up to 4-quarts of kibble or water. Read More
While you won’t want to tote this gas can-sized bottle around during walks, it’s an great for traveling with your pet. Read More
Weighing only 2.96 pounds, this sporty bowl contracts to a flat disc, but expands to accommodate up to 1.8 liters of food or water. Read More
This bowl expands to hold up to 24-ounces, and collapses to less than 1-inch high. Read More
Whether you’re going on a leisurely vacation or an active, outdoorsy adventure, it’s generally made twice as nice by the presence of your dog! But since room in one’s luggage (or packed-to-the-brim RV) is always at a premium, adding your pup’s belongings to the mix can seem a bit daunting. That’s where travel dog bowls come in. While furry companions can probably last a few days without their favorite blanket or artfully chewed stuffed toy, they’ll always need accessible food and water.
And no matter the type of trip, after looking into the best travel dog bowls, we discovered the Dexas Popware Elevated Feeder (available at Amazon for $16.99) should become your go-to travel dog bowl when you’re on the go. This travel dog bowl comes with sturdy, yet collapsible travel-friendly legs that fold out, so your pup can drink and sip from this travel dog bowl in a safe and comfortable posture. But we also found there are more travel dog bowls that are custom-made for specific types of travel, so we made sure to examine all of the best travel dog bowls available!
One of our favorite things about the Dexas Popware Elevated Feeder is its collapsible legs, which means your pup doesn't have to hunch over.
We’re all accustomed to giving up some creature comforts when we travel. But being able to drink at a non-hunched over position is critical for the well-being of many dogs, especially when they’re potentially dehydrated and actively exercising on mountains and trails. That’s why we flipped over the clever design of the Dexas travel dog bowl. This is easily the best travel dog bowl when it comes to collapsing, that we looked into. This travel dog bowl even has extendable legs. When tucked away, the super light unit in this travel dog bowl takes up just 1.5 inches of space. Fully expanded, this travel dog bowl offers a 12-ounce capacity bowl and a set of sturdy legs that allow this travel dog bowl to stand about 5 inches off the ground. Not only do the legs keep this travel dog bowl from slipping and sloshing, while preventing detritus from gathering in the food or water, but they also let your pup sip without crouching, which helps prevent neck and back stress, and—perhaps most crucially—bloat. Did we mention the silicone materials are easy to hand-wash and are dishwasher-safe? This travel dog bowl also comes in a larger, 4-cup capacity.
Extendable legs allow for feeding in an upright position
If you’re spending overnights in the woods, you’ll need to equip your pup with more than just water. So, while the comparatively bulky Vittles Vault travel dog bowl may be overkill for a trail, you’ll find this travel dog bowl an indispensable addition to your camping gear. Comprising three stackable components, an airtight canister keeps up to 4 quarts of kibble or water fresh, while two one-quart bowls affix to either side, providing an all-in-one storage, drinking, and feeding system that can be clipped to the outside of a bag. For such a handy item, the Vittles Vault Gamma Travel-Tainer travel dog bowl is also shockingly inexpensive, coming in at under $10.
Stackable, airtight canisters are Ideal for camping
Clips to outside of bag for easy carrying
It generally speaks volumes, when we end up appropriating an item for personal use after testing. To be honest, we were puzzled by the Lixit travel dog bowl at first, wondering how a travel dog bowl the approximate size and shape of a gas canister could possibly be viable for pet travel. And yes, the 3-quart Waterboy travel dog bowl makes little sense for a trail. But this travel dog bowl’s usefulness for car or plane travel is unparalleled. When set flat, the innovative design of this travel dog bowl allows just enough water to gather in the reservoir of the bowl, so there’s never any splashing or dripping (even from our own enthusiastic drinker). And amazingly, the entire unit can be flipped upside down, without leaking or spilling a drop. That means you can leave this travel dog bowl with your dog in the car for the entirety of a ride, and allow them to hydrate themselves at will, without fear of flooding the backseat (it’s also great for planes, hotels, and other places where you want to keep splashing to a minimum).
The Lixit Waterboy travel dog bowl comes equipped with a handle, making it easy to carry upright. This travel dog bowl still won’t spill, even when filled, although carrying this travel dog bowl empty significantly increases portability.
Perfect for long car or plane trips
Too bulky to take on basic walks
Specializing in products for active dogs, it’s no surprise that Ruffwear’s Bivy Travel Dog Bowl proved especially trail-worthy. Made of lightweight, quick-drying waterproof fabric, this travel dog bowl weighs only 2.96 ounces empty, yet has a 1.8L capacity—very generous for a vessel that easily collapses into a flat disc. We especially appreciated the wider, weighted base, that allows this travel dog bowl to sit firmly on uneven terrain, and thus prevents this travel dog bowl from tipping over and spillage. The only issues are the price—this travel dog bowl was one of the most expensive travel dog bowls we tested—and the fact that this travel dog bowl isn’t dishwasher safe.
Another favorite brand amongst the sporty dog community, Kurgo’s food grade, PVC and BPA-free silicone travel dog bowl comes in multiple colors and with a lifetime warranty. That said, it would take an awful lot of roughhousing to do damage to this seemingly impervious travel dog bowl, even after multiple passes through the dishwasher (yes, it’s top rack safe). This travel dog bowl holds up to 24 ounces, yet collapses to less than 1-inch high, and can be easily tucked into a bag, or clipped by a carabiner to the outside. This travel dog bowl is a tiny bit wobbly when folded out and set down, but not so much to significantly affect its ranking on our list.
Made from food grade PVC and BPA-free silicone
A bit unsteady, which can cause spillage
We really appreciated the stability of the Winsee travel dog bowl, with its double bowl design featuring a built-in base to keep mealtime tidy. Not only do the raised edges contain spills, but the non-slip silicone securely adheres to flat surfaces, making this travel dog bowl nearly impossible to tip over. The large bowl we tested also have a generous 35 fluid ounce and 4.5 cup capacity, making it ideal for larger dogs, or even a duo of pups. Oh, and did we mention the entire unit is dishwasher-safe? The only downside to the large profile is that this travel dog bowl is a bit more difficult to store; even collapsed, you’d have a hard time stuffing this travel dog bowl into an over-packed bag. A smaller size, which holds 15 ounces of water or 1.9 cups of food, is also available.
Able to be adjusted to hold 16 ounces of food or water, or a generous 40 ounces when fully expanded, the FDA-approved, BPA-free plastic Bonza travel dog bowl is dishwasher safe, yet simple to hand clean and air dry. That said, this travel dog bowl is a bit too collapsible, as it buckled in our hands when attempting to carry this travel dog bowl filled with water, and skidded on the ground when our pup tried to take a sip.
Made from FDA-approved, BPA-free plastic
No bells and whistles here: the Outward Hound travel dog bowl is a simple nylon pouch that pops open to hold water or food and scrunches up for storage. This travel dog bowl has a good capacity at 48 ounces, but unless you fill this travel dog bowl up all the way, the thin-walled shape has a tendency to topple and sag. The best thing about this travel dog bowl is its total portability. The travel dog bowl weighs next to nothing at 0.8 ounces, and can be stashed pretty much anywhere. You can fit this travel dog bowl in a pocket, squeeze it in the tightest backpack, or use the attached loop to hook it to the outside of a bag.
Since the best travel dog bowls are made for use on the go (often during restrictive activities such as hiking, camping or car riding), portability is of utmost importance. The best travel dog bowls should be light enough to carry—either easy to stash inside or be clipped onto the outside—preferably collapsible, and can be stored in small spaces.
Since these travel dog bowls will frequently be used when on rough, dirty terrain, such as on trails or in the woods, they should be made of easy to clean and quick drying materials, that don’t hold onto odors/bacteria, and are sturdy enough to sit on rocky, grassy surfaces (or on a hotel room rug) without tipping over.
Certain travel dog bowls are also best for a specific type of travel—small, collapsible vessels made of silicone or cloth are ideal for hiking, travel dog bowls with long-term food storage options are the best travel dog bowls for camping, and travel dog bowls with non-spill features are especially equipped for planes, trains, and automobiles.
The best travel dog bowls should be easy to clean. To keep your travel dog bowl clean, the dishwasher is your best bet since it kills bacteria well. Of course, not every travel dog bowl will be dishwasher safe, so you’ll want to consider some alternative ways to clean your travel dog bowl.
You can also wash your travel dog bowl by hand with hot water and dish soap. Scrub the travel dog bowl well before rinsing it with hot water. In addition, you can kill bacteria in your travel dog bowl by letting it soak in vinegar to remove any odors.
If your cat is able to reach your travel dog bowl in order to eat, then you can certainly do so. If you plan on putting cat food in your travel dog bowl, then just be sure to clean the travel dog bowl well before doing so. You don’t want the cat and dog to be eating each other’s food since they are made for different animals. It would be best to get your cat their own cat bowl and leave the travel dog bowl for your pup.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.
Sarah Zorn is a food writer, cookbook author, and product tester for Reviewed, Wirecutter and the Food Network. She regularly contributes to outlets such as Saveur, Esquire, and Civil Eats, and has very much passed her food obsessions down, as her beloved rescue hound, Rowdy, regularly deglazes his kibble bowl.
Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, run, and lift weights.
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