Keeping your pet sufficiently hydrated is very important for the well-being of the animal. There are different options for giving water to your pet, such as water bowls, water dispensers, and dog water fountains.
Pet water fountains provide a steady stream of clean water for your pet to drink from. They save you as a dog owner the task of having to constantly refill your pet’s drinking bowl, especially if you have a pet that constantly gets the water in its bowl dirty. Many people believe that the look of clean flowing water encourages or attracts your pet to drink more water, which is actually a good thing.
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How to choose – take a look at these key features
- The capacity of the device – each pet drinking fountain will usually have a different capacity, with some being bigger than others. Of course, the bigger the device that you are getting is, the more expensive it will be. If you have a dog that drinks water a lot, or one that plays a lot and gets dehydrated easily, then you will be better off going for a fountain with a larger capacity.
- Filter availability – most of these products will usually have carbon filters to filter dirt and remove bad tastes and odors. Some can even have more than one type of filter. It is always best to check if the one that you are buying has a filter before buying it.
- Additional features – there are other additional features that you might or might not be interested in, such as a water level window, and LED lights. Some fountains have a water window level that allows you to monitor the level of water in them and top it up as needed. Other ones have LED lights that may also allow you to monitor the water level in them, and also provide an aesthetic look, plus it lights up the device.
- Ease of cleaning – the fact that fountains ensure that water is kept clean longer does not mean that they cannot get dirty. Once in a while, you still have to clean the device, and so it is best that you get one that can easily be cleaned.
Some people complain that the ones they have are not so easy to clean as some of them have nooks and crannies that may be hard to reach. - The sound level of the device – these devices make noise when working, but the sounds are usually not so loud that they’ll be annoying. It is actually a sort of hum. However, if you are the type that does not like noises of any sort, you will be better off getting one of the ones with a very low sound level.
10 best dog water fountains
The devices below are the best ones for keeping your pet’s water fresh for long and having water available for the animal always, even when you are not around:
1. PetSafe Drinkwell multi-tier dog drinking fountain - best outdoor dog water fountain
You can use this device for more than one pet as it has a big capacity and can hold enough water for up to three pets. It has an activated carbon system that prevents the water from having an odor and is perfect for dogs of all ages because of its upper bowl and lower bowl. Pets that are old or those that have arthritis-related problems do not have to bend to use the device, but can easily use its upper bowl.
• Capacity: 100 oz
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 2.38 pounds
• LED light: no
2. Veken 100 oz/3 liter pet fountain - best LED lights dog fountain
As the name of this device suggests, it has LED lights installed in it. The lights, which you can easily turn on and off, together with a transparent window in the device, allows you to monitor your pet’s water level too. It can be used for multiple pets if you have them, as they can drink from the fall itself, the upper bowl, or the lower bowl, depending on which one picks their fancy.
• Capacity: 3 liters
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 2.45 pounds
• LED light: yes
3. Veken pet fountain, automatic water fountain and dog water dispenser - best silent dog fountain
This very quiet device (it has a sound level below 40 decibels) is perfect for you if you have small or medium-sized pets. It comes with three replacement filters and a silicon filter.
The three filters are a non-woven fabric, ion exchange resin, and activated carbon. The stylish product has three flow designs which are the flower bubble flow, the flower waterfall, and the gentle fountain.
• Capacity: 84 oz/2.5 liter
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 1.54 pounds
• LED light: no
4. PetSafe Drinkwell 1/2, 1, or 2-gallon pet fountain – Best customizable dog water fountain:
It comes with two filters, a carbon filter, and a foam filter to remove odor and bad taste in the water.
• Capacity: 1 gallon
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 3.48 pounds
• LED light: no
5. iPettie Kamino LED light pet water fountain, ultra-quiet automatic water dispenser – best large capacity dog drinking device
It has a transparent window and LED lights that allow you to see the water level in the device so that you can replace it as soon as needed. You can turn off the LED light or put it on as often as you wish. It also has a white carbon filter and a back sponge filter which prevents bad tastes and odor from forming on the water.
• Capacity: 101 oz/3 l
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 2.28 pounds
• LED light: yes
6. Veken, dog water fontain – best automatic pet water fountain:
The device comes with three replacement filters, plus a silicone mat. It is ideal for small and medium-sized dogs and has three flow designs including flower bubble, gentle fountain, and flower bubble. It is also quiet enough not to be a major distraction.
• Capacity: 2.5 liters
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 2.16 pounds
• LED light: yes
7. PetSafe pet drinking fountain – the best drinking device for small and medium-sized dogs
It has a foam filter, together with a 3 layer charcoal filter for keeping the water clean and removing bad odor and taste from it.
• Capacity: 450 oz
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 11.62 pounds
• LED light: no
8. Dog H2O pet water fountain with dental care tablets – Best translucent fountain for medium and large dogs
It has activated carbon filter, and three dental care tablets. Its translucent feature enables you to monitor the water level of the fountain and add more water when needed.
• Capacity: 200 fl oz/6.3 quart
• Open bowl design: yes
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 2.4 pounds
• LED light: no
9. Step on sprinkler, toy for big and small dogs – best sprinkler for all dog ages
This toy attached to a hose and at the press of the required button, will sprinkle water for your pet to drink from. Many dogs love the ingenuity of the device and will quickly learn how to use it.
• Capacity: infinity
• Open bowl design: no
• Carbon filter: yes
• Weight: 9.6 ounces
• LED light: no
10. DOGNESS healthy and hygienic water drinking fountain – best ultra-large LED fountain:
It has a transparent window and LED light so you can see the water level of the device and top up the water as required. It also comes in green, pink, and white colors. The ultra-quiet device has other features too and will let you know when the water level is low with a red light as opposed to the normal blue light when the water is still much.
• Capacity: 3.2 liter
• Open bowl design: Yes
• Carbon filter: Yes
• Weight: 1.2 pounds
• LED light: Yes
Why a water fountain is good for your dog
- It encourages your pet to drink water: Flowing water is quite attractive to many pets, and they will normally gravitate towards it to drink. A water fountain for dogs provides flowing water on a small scale and will be attractive enough to your pet to make the animal drink water as often as needed.
- They are stylish: These devices have a classier look to them than regular dog bowls and can provide an aesthetic look to your home.
- They are healthier to use than regular dog bowls: Because the water in the fountain is running, it is always kept fresh, and so your dog will always have access to clean water. The growth of microorganisms will not be an issue because of the water’s circulation. The majority of these devices even go a step further in ensuring that the health of your pet is not compromised as they have carbon filters and even other filters for filtering the water and eliminating bad taste and odors. Aside from getting rid of dirt and odors, these filters also help to filter dirt from the water.
- They can hold a larger volume of water than traditional pet bowls: These devices are able to hold enough water so that you do not have to bother as often as you would have done with dog bowls to refill it.
How to get your pet to drink from a dog water fountain
All dogs are individuals, and so, while many dogs will gladly drink water from a fountain, others may be a little hesitant to do so. If you buy a new fountain and your pet seems reluctant to drink from it, you can get the animal to do so with a little training.
First, introduce your pet to the device so that the animal can get a feel of it. Then fill the device with fresh clean water and gently lead your pet to it and encourage the animal to drink from it. if the dog does not want to, make a cup with your hands and scoop some of the clean water from the fountain into them, then offer it to your pet.
As your dog drinks from your hands, slowly move them towards the device until they reach it so that your pet can drink from it. If your pet does that, praise the animal and then reward it with a treat for good behavior.
Water fountain alternatives
If you decide that a water fountain is not the device for you and your dog, you can get a dog water dispenser instead, as they serve a similar purpose. Water dispensers are automatic, meaning that they provide fresh water for your pet even if you are not around.
Conclusion
The importance of giving your pet enough water cannot be overemphasized. Water is very beneficial to dogs, just as it is beneficial to humans too, and will keep your pet healthy and hydrated. In fact, failure to give your pet as much water as it needs can cause serious complications and even death in the long run, and nobody wants such a horrible fate for their beloved pets.
This is why it is good that you get a drinking fountain for your pet. With dog drinking fountains, you do not have to stress yourself topping up your pet’s water as before. Neither do you have to worry about forgetting to give the animal clean water as the device will keep water fresh longer.