# Automatic Dog Feeder/Waterer advice

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-dog-feeder-waterer-advice/411565>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 12, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-dog-feeder-waterer-advice/411565 "2007-07-12T23:41:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-dog-feeder-waterer-advice/411565/1 "2007-07-12T23:41:37Z")

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Hello Teeming Millions (we don’t see that phrase enough these days, if you ask me).

I am looking for an automatic dog feeder (not a free feeder, but a mechanical one that feeds a specific amount each day). I’ve been looking at [this](http://www.autopetfeeder.com/p_set.asp) pair, but wanted to get some advice from anyone else who has something similar. My doggie is a 90lb Black Lab so I’ll need a large one capable of feeding 4cups of food a day.

Also, I am interested in a waterer with a filter. I have one of [these](http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441808050&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025795&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1184283148345&itemNo=14&In=Dog&N=2025795&Ne=2), but he gets dirt and stuff in there and it’s hard to keep clean.

So any advice?

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**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-dog-feeder-waterer-advice/411565/2 "2007-07-13T01:02:02Z")

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I have one of [these](http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441779167&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025542&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&bmUID=1184288300331&itemNo=4&In=Cat&N=2025542&Ne=2) for my cats, except mine is dog-sized. I like it because I don’t have to fill it every 5 minutes (I have 8 cats) and the cats like it because they don’t like to drink still water. I take it apart once a week and give it a good cleaning. With a large dog like yours you’ll probably have to fill it once a day. Also, don’t place it close to the food bowls - my cats got food in the fountain until I moved the food bowls away from it.

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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-dog-feeder-waterer-advice/411565/3 "2007-07-13T01:12:21Z")

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Well you could always trade in your 90lb Lab for a cat…

I have the same watering trough **Snakescatlady** has…and our Rhodesian Ridgeback drinks out of it constantly…however, if he is in eyeshot of one of our siamese attack kittens when he decides to take a slurp - he get’s chased and swatted. For a big dog 100-lb he’s a wimp when it comes to the cats…maybe because he’s alone and they run at him in tandem.

Anyway back to your issue.

Are you leaving for a long period of time? Or is this for a daily regimen?

It’ll be tough to keep the dirt and grime out of a watering trough for a dog like a lab. they are always nosing around evrerything. I’d recommend if you are planing on a long leave of absence have a friend stop by…Or buy him one of [these](http://www.lawnkingnursery.com/barrel_fountain.jpg) - awe wait scratch that…being a lab he’ll probably try and get in it.