We all love flat-faced dogs’ adorable smooshed-in faces, and they have such charming and quirky temperaments, it’s no wonder that they are so popular. But owning one of these dogs does come with its share of challenges, including exercising and dealing with summer heat. Eating is problematic too because flat-faced dogs can have difficulty eating out of regular bowls.
So, here is a list of bowls that should be more comfortable for your dog to eat from. We hope that these reviews save you time and help you find the perfect bowl for your pup.
A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024
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Best Overall
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Enhanced Pet Bowl Stainless Steel Bowl |
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Best for Small Dogs
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Hepper NomNom Bowls |
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Budget Buy
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Frisco Non-Skid Stainless Steel Bowls |
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Disney Mickey Mouse Lemon Slanted Dog Bowl |
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Frisco Slanted Stainless Steel Bowl |
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The 9 Best Bowls for Flat-Faced Dogs
1. Enhanced Pet Bowl Stainless Steel Bowl for Flat-Faced Dogs — Best Overall
| Material: | Stainless steel |
| Sizes: | Small, medium, or large |
| Capacity: | 1 cup, 2.5 cups, or 5 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The Enhanced Pet Stainless Steel Bowl is the best overall dog bowl for flat-faced dogs. It has a 45° angled design, making it much easier for your dog to eat from. The bowl is also wide and shallow.
It’s made with stainless steel, is dishwasher safe, and is available in small (1 cup of kibble), medium (1 to 2.5 cups), and large (3 to 5 cups). It also has a ring of rubber on the bottom to help keep it in place when your dog is enthusiastically eating. But it is relatively expensive, particularly since you only get one bowl.
2. Hepper NomNom Bowls — Best for Small Dogs
| Material: | Stainless steel and PP plastic |
| Sizes: | 16”W x 9”D x 2”H |
| Capacity: | 2 cups per dish |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The Hepper NomNom Bowls are our favorite option for small flat-faced dog breeds. With this two-in-one option, you get two stainless-steel bowls in a solid plastic, chew-proof base. The bowls are shallow for your brachycephalic dog, and you can easily remove them for cleaning in the dishwasher.
The base has a wide, curved lip, which helps catch any crumbs before they hit the floor, and is effective at not moving around while your dog eats. Its modern and stylish design comes in three gorgeous colors, so you can add to the decor of your home. The bowl was originally made with cats in mind, but we have seen many small-breed flat-faced dogs enjoy their mealtimes more because of this functional and funky bowl.
At Pet Keen, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
3. Frisco Non-Skid Stainless Steel Bowls – Budget Buy
| Material: | Stainless steel |
| Sizes: | Small, medium, or extra large |
| Capacity: | 5 cups, 3 cups, or 8 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The best dog bowl for flat-faced dogs for the money is the Frisco Non-Skid Stainless Steel Bowl. It’s exceptionally affordable and available in small, medium, and extra-large sizes. The bowl’s rim is lower than most others, and it’s also wide, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for your dog to eat from.
It has a rubber base and won’t move around while your dog eats, and the stainless steel is easy to clean and dishwasher safe. However, the rubber rim tends to come off quite easily.
4. Disney Mickey Mouse Lemon Slanted Dog Bowl
| Material: | Stainless steel and melamine |
| Sizes: | 38” x 6.79” x 3.83” |
| Capacity: | 5 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The Disney Mickey Mouse Slanted Dog Bowl is a great option, particularly for any Disney fans, though the design on the bowl’s base is a lemon version of Mickey Mouse’s head, making it subtle and cute! The base is slightly elevated, and the bowl is angled, which can help with neck strain, and it has non-skid rubber pads on the bottom.
The stainless-steel bowl is a pretty copper color and can be removed from the base, and they are both dishwasher safe. The only problem is that it’s only available in one size and might be too small for some bigger flat-faced dogs.
5. Frisco Slanted Stainless Steel Bowl
| Material: | Stainless steel and melamine |
| Sizes: | Small or medium |
| Capacity: | 25 cups or 2.5 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The Frisco Slanted Stainless Steel Bowl is available in cream and black and in sizes small and medium. It’s an angled stainless-steel bowl on a melamine plastic base that elevates the bowl to a more comfortable level for your dog.
The bottom has non-skid rubber, so it won’t be as easy to move or flip over, and the bowl can be removed from the base, and both placed in the dishwasher. However, the bowl itself is not slanted; the base is what puts the bowl at an angle, which might not always remain at the right angle for your dog. Additionally, the whole thing is lightweight, so it might not stay in place as well as a heavier set.
6. Fukumaru Elevated Ceramic Bowls
| Material: | Ceramic & bamboo |
| Sizes: | 2” x 4.1” |
| Capacity: | 1 cup per bowl |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
Fukumaru’s Elevated Ceramic Bowls are great if you want to adjust the height of your dog’s food bowls. This product comes with two ceramic bowls, which are microwave and dishwasher-safe, and a bamboo stand. The bamboo stand is varnished, so it’s spill-proof and has five height adjustments, including flat or angled.
The ceramic bowls are 2 pounds each, which makes it hard to tip them over, and they are wide and shallow. But the base isn’t as sturdy as it should be, and the ceramic bowls are easily chipped. Also, the rubber rim that helps keep the bowls in place on the stand tends to fall off frequently.
7. Vantic Elevated Adjustable Dog Bowls
| Material: | Stainless steel and bamboo |
| Sizes: | Small, medium, or large |
| Capacity: | 2 cups, 4 cups, or 6 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The Vantic Elevated Adjustable Dog Bowls come with a bamboo stand that you can elevate to six different adjustable heights, from 2 inches to 7 inches. It also includes flat and angled positions, which can come in handy if you’ve just brought home a puppy. The stand is foldable for storage, and it comes with two stainless-steel bowls that are dishwasher safe, as well as four silicone anti-slip feet.
But these bowls aren’t suitable for water, particularly if you keep them at an angle. The stand can be wobbly at times, and the bowls might be too deep for some dogs.
8. JWPC Bulldog Anti-Slip Bowl
| Material: | Rubber, resin |
| Sizes: | 3” x 6.7” |
| Capacity: | 2 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
The JWPC Bulldog Anti-Slip Bowl is made quite specifically for flat-faced dogs, as you can see from the product’s name. It comes in two parts: an angled base, with a silicone bowl that is scratch-resistant, durable, and non-toxic. The base is also made of a type of resin, making it non-slip, and it can hold the bowl at whichever angle you want.
However, there’s no rim on the bowl, which makes it easy for food to fall out. Also, the bowl is rounded on the bottom, so it’s wobbly when you take it off the base, and it tends to move around on the base too.
9. Super Design Mess Free Slope Bowl
| Material: | Stainless steel and melamine |
| Sizes: | Small, medium, large, or X-large |
| Capacity: | .5 or 1 cup or 1.5, 2, 3, or 4 cups |
| Dishwasher safe?: | Yes |
Super Design’s Mess Free Slope Bowl comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes (and prices). It has an elevated and angled base with a stainless-steel bowl that can be removed, and both can be placed in the dishwasher. The base has non-slip rubber feet, and the bowl has a rubber rim, which should help to keep it securely in the base and not make much noise.
The issue with the rubber rim on the bowl is that it tends to fall off easily, and the stand isn’t quite elevated enough for most dogs. Also, the bowls are deeper than what might be comfortable for some dogs.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Bowls for Flat-Faced Dogs
Ensuring that your faithful companion can comfortably eat is vital. So, beyond finding the right food for your dog, you also need to find the right bowl. Here are a few tips that will help you get a better idea of what you should look for in a dog bowl.
Brachycephalic Dogs
As an owner of a flat-faced dog, you are likely familiar with the term brachycephalic. Dogs with short noses and flat faces tend to suffer from brachycephalic airway syndrome. It essentially means they have short and broad heads and tend to suffer from breathing problems. Brachycephalic breeds include the Shih Tzu, Pug, Boxer, Bulldog, and Chihuahua. Overexertion and extreme heat can make them struggle to breathe, and when they bend over to eat food, their noses get shoved into the food too. They can also suffer from neck strain in addition to experiencing breathing problems.
Best Type of Bowls
The kinds of bowls listed are all primarily elevated, angled, wide, and shallow.
Elevated bowls enable your dog to eat without straining their neck, but you’ll need to find one at the right height for your particular breed. Some bowls might press on your dog’s neck while eating, and you want to avoid this.
Angled or tilted bowls make it easier for your dog to access the food without pushing their whole face into the bowl to eat.
Wide and shallow bowls also make it easier for your dog to access the food without pushing their entire face into the bowl. All these features are essential because in some cases, regular bowls can cause a dog to choke on their food.
Material
Most of the listed bowls listed are made of stainless steel, which doesn’t rust and is easy to clean. Ceramic is another popular material for dog bowls. It’s also easy to clean, won’t contain bacteria, and is heavy, so it stays in place better. But ceramic bowls are prone to chipping.
Silicone is durable, doesn’t scratch, and is great at staying put. Plastic is the iffiest material because it scratches easily, which can trap bacteria. You’ll also need to take a close look at the kind of plastic that the bowl is made of to ensure that it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals.
Feeding Tips
It can be helpful to feed your dog small, frequent meals throughout the day. This can make it easier for your dog to eat and not struggle with eating more food for a long period.
Many of the bowls on this list have ways of being secured in place, usually with silicone or rubber bases. You might have to rig something up yourself, though, as the supportive rubber may fall off.
Also, be sure to avoid deep bowls that sit upright, and only purchase bowls that are the right height for your dog. Beyond comfort, this way, the bowl won’t press into their neck while they’re eating.
Conclusion
The Enhanced Pet Stainless Steel Bowl is our favorite for flat-faced dogs. It’s an angled bowl that is wide and shallow, which is perfect for your brachycephalic dog. Hepper’s NomNom Bowl is our choice for the best dog bowl for small flat-faced dogs. It’s shallow and made of stainless steel, and it has a solid plastic base with a curved lip that can help keep your floor free from crumbs.
Lastly, Frisco’s Non-Skid Stainless Steel Bowl is affordable, has a low rim, and is made of stainless steel, so it’s an excellent choice if you’re on a tight budget.
We hope that these reviews have made your life easier, and you have a better idea of what kind of bowl you should get for your dog. We want your dog to have the opportunity to enjoy eating without you worrying about their comfort and safety.
Featured Image Credit: Karsten Winegeart, Unsplash
