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Health & Fitness

Product Review: The Big Dog Fountain by Drinkwell, "The Original Pet Fountain"

"A Tasty Time-Saver," say Test Puppies

EverythingDogBlog #68: The Big Dog Fountain* by Drinkwell (‘The Original Pet Fountain”)

A Tasty Time-Saver

Fresh, filtered, circulating water - sort of like drinking out of the toilet bowl, except for the filtered part, isn’t it?

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A dog fountain? A dog waterer? What will they think of next?

But actually it is a time-saver for the human as well as being an exceptionally good product for your dog.

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Fresher, cleaner water – and water is so necessary for dogs and humans. Fountains aerate the water, making it better tasting so your dog will drink enough which is a good thing – healthy, even. Who doesn’t enjoy a bubbly, every now and then? Even your dog deserves a good healthy drink.

Meet Our Test Puppies

Our Big Dog Fountain by Drinkwell (http://store.petsafe.net/drinkwell-big-dog-fountain) came in the mail recently and we dog-tested it with our Test Puppies: Hannah (6 years old) and Dug, a real Test Puppy, weighing in at only 9 months. Hannah is a lovely, active, glossy black lab and Dug is a bubbly golden, named after the dog in the movie “Up.”

At first Hannah wasn’t too interested in drinking from the light blue fountain and I was beginning to worry since it was a hot, humid summer. I finally picked up her regular water bowl but monitored her carefully and, yes, within a few hours she took to the fountain like a - pardon the expression - “like a duck to water”!

Puppy Dug, on the other hand (see photo by JMcGowan), loved it from the get-go! He actually dunked his entire face in it and made a huge water puddle on the floor, but, within 20 minutes, calmed down and realized it was a fountain not a new toy. It’s a hit so far with the dogs and with us.

Refreshing Features

Actually the humans love this large, lovely (a very very light blue) piece of “sculpture.”

With the summer heat and the humidity on the east coast, our dogs drink a lot of water to keep hydrated. One nice feature of the Big Dog Drinkwell Fountain is the large capacity of water it holds (2 gallons, though smaller models are available), so we’re not constantly filling up the water bowl or finding it dry (bad human).

The water is kept fresh thanks to the circulating water (think: quiet waterfall) and optional filter, and any black specks of debris you may notice in the beginning are actually harmless from the new charcoal filter which removes any bad taste or odors from your tap water.

The water bowl is deep (5 inches), has a splash guard to prevent splashing and the clear one-gallon reservoir extends the total capacity to two gallons.  The flow speed can be controlled and the water intake grate catches any loose hair or kibble. Rubber feet prevent sliding.  Drinkwell thought of everything!

A video on the website explains how to clean the fountain (not necessary, though) and the instructions were so clear that even I managed to assemble the fountain and get it up and running quickly.

Recommendation

We recommend this 2-gallon size for homes with more than one pet or for big dogs (more than 50 pounds: hence, the name – Big Dog Fountain!). It is leak-proof with a chew-proof cord (for puppy households), is energy-efficient and can be washed in the dishwasher (with the exception of the clear reservoir).

Overall we are thrilled!

*I sort of won this item in a contest sponsored by Hills Pet Foods (www.hillspet.com), makers of Ideal Balance and Science Diet. Thanks, Hills! We probably would not have thought of getting a dog fountain without you but now we are sold.

Read more about it: http://store.petsafe.net/drinkwell-big-dog-fountain 

 

 

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