Many dogs are messy drinkers. Large-jowled dogs like Saint Bernards and Mastiffs can be especially messy because water that runs off the tongue during drinking is both trapped and diverted by jowls, often allowing the water to drip outside of the water bowl soaking the surrounding floor. Exhuberant breeds like Laboradors can be equally messy due to speed and excitement when drinking.
My Saint Bernard fits this category. In addition to the messiness of the physics of his mouth, he appears to enjoy dripping excess water, letting as much flow through his jowls as possible. I tried many ideas to keep the area around the water dish clean including using a rug as a placemat, changing the size and elevation of his dish, and placing the dish in a larger container to capture the water. Despite my attempts, my laminate floors were beginning to buckle by his water bowl. I began to fantasize about inventing a dish set in a conic stand that allowed the dripped water to flow back into the bowl and save my floors.
A bit of research revealed tht my fantasy product already existed! The Neater Feeder is designed to capture drips of both water and food in a tray in which traditional stainless steel dishes sit. The tray fits on top of a reservoir desined to hold spilled water. The upper tray is vented and sloped to allow water to flow easily to a lower receptacle. There is a also a four-inch enclosure around upper tray that prevents water (or food) from falling out of the upper tray and also serves to direct the pet's head into the bowl and keep the animal from shaking around too much and spilling while eating or drinking.
The Neater Feeder is available in four sizes to be usable by any size cat or dog. Additionally, leg extenders can be purchased separately to raise the dishes for the safety and comfort of taller dogs.
It took a few days for my dogs to be comfortable with the enclosure, but with a bit of encouragement, they adapted well. My floors have been very dry ever since; the Neater Feeder has literally saved my floors! Naturally, it is more expensive than a simple stainless steel or plastic dish, but it is well worth it in comparison to replacing your flooring!
