What is a dog water fountain?
A dog water fountain is a bowl equipped with a reservoir and a device for spouting water to mimic a flow of natural water or tap water.
There are several models of these water dispensers for dogs:
- electric water fountains that work by plugging them into the mains (those discussed later in this article),
- manual water fountains operated using a pedal that the dog must activate himself.This type of fountain is more of a puzzle game for dogs or a fun way to refresh your animal in summer and outdoors than a real accessory to quench your thirst. Connecting to a garden hose, they require training on the part of the master before use and do not replace a bowl of fresh water which, let us remember, must be left permanently available to the dog.
NB: there are also battery operated water fountains.
The water fountain: for which dogs?
The electric water fountain can be used by all dogs. It is particularly indicated in dogs that:
- need to drink more. Indeed, with its circulating water which tends to capture the dog's attention when it passes by, water fountains tend to encourage the dog to drink more. They are therefore particularly useful in all dogs during heat waves, in older dogs who feel a little less thirsty and more prone to developing chronic kidney failure, in dogs suffering from urinary stones or even in dogs prone to recurrent infectious cystitis,
- are sensitive to the smell of chlorine in tap water. By circulating water, water fountains oxygenate the water and thus promote the evaporation of the chlorine it contains. Some models of dog water fountains are also equipped with activated carbon filters whose role is to eliminate tastes and bad odors from the water.
How to choose a water fountain for your dog?
Water fountains for dogs, there are all colors and shapes. But, beyond the aesthetic aspect of this accessory, several practical and technical criteria must be taken into account when making your choice:
Tank capacity
There are several models of dog water fountains with tanks whose capacity varies from 1L to more than 10L. This capacity is therefore to be adapted according to the size of your dog or the number of animals that will be brought to drink from this fountain.Choose a fountain whose reservoir has a capacity greater than your pet's daily water consumption so that you only fill it once a day. For information, a he althy dog drinks a maximum of 90ml of water per day and per kg of body weight.
The presence of an anti-splash device
It can take the form of a large enough bowl and/or a ramp for receiving water.
The ease of maintenance of the fountain
When making your choice, be sure to choose a fountain whose elements can be easily dismantled so that they can be cleaned more easily. Good hygiene of this accessory is indeed essential in order to avoid the development of germs in your pet's drinking water. If you live in an area where the water is particularly hard, also find out how often and how to descale the appliance,
The stability of the fountain
Before your purchase, check the stability of the fountain. This is a safety issue: your dog must not be able to knock it over at the risk of being electrocuted in contact with water with the accessory's power supply,
The ability to adjust the water flow
Some models of water fountains offer the possibility of adjusting their water distribution flow, which can be interesting for fearful dogs who will hesitate to drink water if the water flow is too high for them. them,
The sound of the fountain
Before setting your sights on a water fountain model, find out about the sound level of its pump. Models that are too loud will tend to scare sensitive dogs and hurt your ears if placed in a living room in your home. Models that are too noisy will therefore have every chance of not being usable.Some models of water fountains, called smart, have an animal detection device and only start when the dog is near the fountain.
The presence or not of a carbon filter
The models of water fountains that are equipped with a carbon filter have the advantage of eliminating bad tastes and odors from the water. On the other hand, these filters must be changed regularly because, otherwise, they are the seat of important microbial developments likely to contaminate your animal's drinking water. When purchasing, find out how often these filters need to be changed and how much they cost so that you don't have any unpleasant surprises later. In any case, make sure that your water fountain has a filter/grid that retains suspended impurities in the water so as not to reduce the life of the device and to keep the water perfectly clear. for your pet.
The prices of a dog water fountain
The prices of a dog water fountain vary greatly from one model to another. This price depends on the brand, the design of the object, its functions, its materials and its capacity.
The price range generally ranges from 20€ for the cheapest to 60€ or more for the most expensive.