It is a worthy investment because its benefits to your dog are plenty. Maybe I’m just worried about it because I’ve never had a dog before. The problem is gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), commonly known as BLOAT. One long-standing opinion on the prevention of bloat in Great Danes has been the practice of using raised feeding bowls. Is it better for your Lucy to sit on the chair to eat? The Glickman et al study found that use of a raised feeder increases the risk of bloat by 110%. Required fields are marked *. The logic being that the raised bowl puts the food in a more comfortable position making it easier for the Dane to eat. Megaesophagus is a neurological ailment that involves the esophageal muscles. I’m going to talk to my vet about this so he can give me the full information so I can make my choice like you have said. The problem is that no one has been able to put a definitive finger on the exact causes of the condition. I never have dog, but own several cats. Surprisingly many of these are high-end hotels and resorts. We’ve had 3 Great Danes and they’ve all had different personalities and different behavioral patterns. elevated dog food bowls for great danes Dog Food Danger Have you heard about the dog food danger? Simply cut circles out of the cover of a plastic storage bin. One long-standing opinion on the prevention of bloat in Great Danes has been the practice of using raised feeding bowls. A 30 gallon size will hold two 55 lb. This idea is pure genius! I’m sure that’s what’s at the core for everyone. I have a friend who owns a  great Dane and had a similar issue to yours. This product has two raised food bowls for Great Danes and it is made for a true lover of this breed. I’ll continue to monitor the debate. Interestingly, it also happened on a weekend. It’s hard to say if lowering the food bowl would help other tummy troubles, but it would certainly be worth a try. Is it a good idea to have all dog breeds not have any water for 30 minutes after eating? Ensure your Dane gets plenty of exercise and maintains a healthy body weight. Although my buddy doesn’t use an elevated bowl since she was adopted and seeing this post and reading the effect of elevated bowl makes me thankful for not using it. https://danestuff.com/great-dane-elevated-food-bowl-is-this-a-good-idea Dr. Glickman's data showed that "approximately 20% and 50% of cases of GDV among the large and giant breed dogs, respectively, were attributed to having a raised food bowl." Many vets and the ASPCA advise against feeding and watering Great Danes and other statuesque dogs from elevated dishes. Most readily available “elevated feeding bowls” are only 4″ to 6″ high. Great Dane Elevated Feeder. The raised bowls should not be too high so the dog would not gulp its food. As the name suggests, this product is designed for Great Danes because they are the largest dog breeds in the world and you can imagine the tension in their body if they have to eat from the ground. Hello, my name is Lucy. Bloat can occur in any dog, it’s just that deep-chested, giant breeds (like Great Danes) are much more prone to it. This means that Danes bloat often, and … elevated dog food bowls for great danes Pet Food Secret Do You Need It It is simple and convenient to buy collars for dogs and canine bed of good quality since these is one time purchases. It will move the rim of her bowl from 24″ down to 11″. I haven’t shared this with my vet yet either, but I do plan to sit down with him to discuss. You got some awesome recommendations on how to improvise. I feed my Danes @ mid-chest height. Raised dog food bowls make it loads easier for them at feeding time since the food is at face level. Hot food, cold food, too much food, too much exercise after eating, drinking ice water, drinking water after eating, anxiety, big kibble, little kibble, and the list goes on. I know this might seem obvious and many people might feel that a chair is too high for effective feeding. I love this idea! Left untreated it will lead to shock and death. You’re correct – feeding smaller meals, more often is also helpful along with the elevated feeding bowls. It is also recommended to feed large breeds smaller portions more often throughout the day. He also has a raised food bowl, but I never thought anything about it until I read your article. The proper height is middle of the chest. Large 12" Tall Elevated Dog & Pet Feeder- Double Bowl Raised Food & Water Stand- Includes 2 Extra Stainless Steel Bowls, 4 Bowls Total 4.6 out of 5 stars 155 $49.95 $ 49 . I am curious, does bloat only occur in huge dogs? So we pick up the water bowl when we feed Lucy and only put it back down 30 minutes after feeding. You don’t have to be scared if you know what to expect. FORUMS. The puppy stage while fun and adorable takes a lot of work. According to the study from Purdue, the raised food bowl is only directly connected to bloat, a very serious gastrointestinal condition. An elevated feeding position isn’t a requirement, but it does seem to be more comfortable for them especially as they get taller. Let me know if you have any ‘Dane’ questions as your pup grows. It seems like “Murphy’s law” that any and all major medical issues involving a Vet have taken place on a weekend in our house. It seems like the raised bowl debate will rage on, but I found this scientific report to be the first and only one of it’s kind. Bloodhounds, borzois, Great Danes, mastiffs and Saint Bernards are several of the dog breeds that are classified as extra large. We’d had Bobbi since she was a tiny pup and she was a part of the family. First-time Dane Owners Checklist: HERE all about Great Danes Discussion Forum. If they have a child sized chair that might be even better. I surely will suggest my friend read your article. Proper Height. elevated dog food bowls for great danes. Sometimes if I drop something on the floor and tell her it’s OK to eat it she’ll wait for me to pick it up and put in on her table first. Our breeder is consistently putting out champion show dogs – we’ve never shown our dogs, nor do we plan to, but I believe getting our dogs from this stock has helped us have healthy dogs with a longer than average life span. Any encouragement would be great! It’s partly because a toilet is at a comfortable height for most Great Danes. Read about it in our article at this link and decide for yourself if an elevated bowl is right for you. It’s not good to let your Dane drink with or immediately after eating especially if you feed them dry food. I particularly love the chair and the file cabinet, but what height would be appropriate for the Dane? Your email address will not be published. If you work with a breeder with a history of providing healthy dogs you’ll have better odds. but she was a total sweetheart! Which group of people are correct is unknown – what is known is that due to a Great Dane’s high height-to-weight ratio they are 5 times more likely to bloat than other breeds. This report came as a shock to me as well. I’m sorry to hear your friend is having continuous health issues with their Dane. Lucy is a lover, the inspiration and source for much of the information in this site. You’re right what, and how often we feed them is also very important. A consensus on feeding from an elevated bowl is still out. She has her own “table” and knows she can eat anything there. I will continue to be a student of this topic and will post any new studies that I find. The fungal spores. Now that you know the optimal height for your feeding table (measure the height to the center of your dogs chest) start visiting local thrift stores to find an end table, coffee table or even piano bench that’s close to the right height. Well, let’s find out: For starters, bloating or gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) occur when the dog’s stomach fills with food, gas or fluids, making it … Keep an eye on your Corgi – if he show signs of distress, unproductive vomiting, excessive panting or drooling get him to a vet immediately, especially if has a distended or hard abdomen. The dogs are bound to grow rapidly so do this large dog food elevated feeder. If you’re interested in getting a Great Dane or you already have one, here’s a guide to knowing what they can and what they shouldn’t eat. on Great Dane Elevated Food Bowl – is this a Good Idea? The first question is how high should the feeder be? But I digress.). An extra large dog will do best with a … I placed an old golf towel on top to catch the slober and voilà, a feeding table. Even the AKC now holds the position that in light of these findings they can’t make a clear recommendation. While the answer to this question would seem an obvious yes, there is debate amongst the experts as to whether they are harmful or helpful. The debate on the raised bowl or the lowered bowl has been well explicated. Thanks once again. I find most of them in western United States, like Colorado and California. But is a Great Dane elevated food bowl really a good idea? How would you even stop the dog from eating or drinking too fast? I travel a lot for my “day job” and I’m finding more and more hotels that welcome dogs. Which for me moved the debate from  the realm of personal opinion and folk lore, to a question of scientific fact. What have you seen, or better yet what have you tried? Friendly discussion focused on Great Danes and large breed dogs. For the first several months we didn’t leave Lucy alone in the house (in her crate) for more than a few hours at a time. There is a wide variety of opinions on whether to use an elevated feeding table for your Great Dane or leave the food dish on the floor. They take to it right away if you put the food bowl at that level. It was a total reversal of everything I’ve been told and practiced for many years. If you like woodworking and you’re handy with a router you can cut a circle in the top of the table to let your feeding bowl drop in, similar to some commercial feeding tables. (Review). Based on the study and combined recommendations from the AKC, PetMD and other sources there are a few things we know can reduce the risk of bloat. Most are only 9″ or 10″ tall. Yup, she would just come right up to your plate and start eating and telling a horse-sized dog “no” was harder than you could imagine ! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I figured she just ate something out of the garbage that didn’t agree with her, so I was shocked when the vet came out and told me that Bobbi had GDV and would likely die within a few hours unless she had immediate surgery. Lucy is a lover, the inspiration and source for much of the information in this site. Good for you for adopting a rescue Dane!! I wish I could say I came up with this, but I have to credit a couple FaceBook friends who are clearly more clever than me and gave me permission to share their idea. What Know Before you Buy: Here. $34.99 $ 34. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Lucy always get milk added to her dry food (and maybe a little whipped cream, yes-she’s spoiled). If you visit your local dog park you’ll hear some very passionate people on both sides of the debate. Patricia, These all suffice just fine!Do the great danes get used to this quickly? (We’ve recently dropped her bowl down to 11″, read about our reason for this decision in the article at this link.). There are no “mild” cases of bloat, either they have it and need surgery or don’t. I’m not sure I could train her to sit in a chair – although it would be a funny sight to see. Our first pet was a cat, but he acted more like a dog than a cat. It pays to research the breeder before buying a Dane. Sounds like your friend is doing everything right. ... Elevated Dog Bowl and Adjustable Food Height (2.5 Cup, 6 Cup and Double Diner/w Water Bowl) 4.6 out of 5 stars 692. I just met you and I Love You! and feel like there’s not enough positive aspects about the breed. As far as the “eating or drinking too fast” issue, I wouldn’t worry. I became allergic to cats so he was our first and last cat. 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