How to Use Traveling Pet Bowls

When you are traveling, it's important to ensure your pet receives a steady supply of food and fresh water. Using specially designed traveling pet bowls will cut down on the potential mess of trying to feed your pet during a road or plane trip.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Expand your collapsible pet bowls. Most pet bowls intended for use during car and plane rides are collapsible to fit in luggage. You can expand them and set them up in your pet's crate or carrier. These bowls will stand taller and be somewhat wider than regular bowls, to prevent them turning over and spilling their contents.

2. Fill your traveling pet bowls with about one cup full of food and water. This is enough food and water to keep your pet happy for a while, but not so much that it will reach the brim of the pet bowls and be susceptible to spilling over the top while your pet eats and drinks. If your pet finishes off all of his food and water, you can always give him more later on in the trip.

3. Bring along a small rubber mat to put underneath the bowls. If there are spills, the rubber mat should catch them, which will make clean-up later a much easier experience.

4. Bring a brand of food that is familiar to your pet. Traveling is not the time to try out something new. Most pets are somewhat nervous and agitated during travel and giving them unfamiliar food may upset them even more. A familiar brand of food will help keep your pet calm.

5. Pack your dog or cat's regular food and water bowls if you want to make extra sure he adjusts well to his new environment. The more familiar you can make the final destination, the more comfortable he will feel after a long and exhausting trip.

Tips & Warnings

• To further minimize the mess that pets can create when they eat and drink while traveling, put the contents of a hydration gel pack in your pet's water bowl. Hydration gel packs are an excellent alternative to water, because they don't spill. The gel is 95 percent water and the rest is vitamins to keep your pet feeling energetic and healthy. Visit HydrationGel.com to order these packs online (see Resources below)
• The Kyjen Company manufactures an extensive line of traveling pet bowls for a variety of travel conditions (see Resources below).

[diggitydogg]

on 5/28/2009 Thanks for this information. Water spilling can definitely be a problem on road trips. The hydration gel packs are worth checking into.