Whether you work downtown and bring your dog along, keep him/her in the backyard, or let them roam around your property always be sure they have adequate hydration.
A lot of different factors come into play, but a general rule of thumb is 10 ounces of water for every 10 pounds of weight.
The simplest solution may just be to fill up a stainless steel bowl throughout the day, and clean as needed (see our bonus pick below). But, that’s not always the best solution.
There’s a myriad of bowls that attach to crates or walls, with built in valves or systems for automatic re-filling.
We looked through nearly 50 different bowls and here’s what we came up with.
AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Dog Bowl
Farm Innovators Heated Pet Bowl
PetSafe Drinkwell Everflow Outdoor Water Fountain
What to look for before buying
Material. There’s pretty much 2 options here: stainless steel or plastic.
If you’re worried about BPAs, you should rest assured the bowls on this list are FDA approved for use by pets. However, you can check out this article that tells you exactly which types of plastics are safe.
Bowl height and location. Do you have a nice concrete pad outback to set the bowl on, or will it be in the grass or dirt? Do you know what the correct bowl height is for your dog?
Automatic filling. Most of the bowls below use a type of float or shut off valve that allows a hose, or bottle to be connected for automatic filling. But is that something you need?
These are just a few things to consider.
Top 10 Outdoor Dog Bowls
| Rank | Image | Name | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Dog Bowl | Amazon |
| 2 |  | Farm Innovators Heated Pet Bowl | Amazon |
| 3 |  | MidWest Snap’y Fit Bowl | Amazon |
| 4 |  | H2O Animal Hydration Tough Guy Automatic Waterer with Drain | Amazon |
| 5 |  | K&H Pet Products CleanFlow Filtered Water Bowl with Reservoir for Dogs | Amazon |
| 6 |  | PetSafe Drinkwell Everflow Indoor/Outdoor Water Fountain | Amazon |
| 7 |  | iMounTEK Ultra Hygienic Dog Pet Water Fountain | Amazon |
| 8 |  | Hagen DogIt Al Fresco Indoor or Outdoor Dog Fountain | Amazon |
| 9 |  | Aqua Buddy Auto Fill Outdoor Dog Water Bowl | Amazon |
| 10 |  | LavoHome Automatic Self Watering Indoor Outdoor Pet Fountain | Amazon |
| 11 |  | Easy-Clean Auto-Fill Water Bowl | Amazon |
Reviews: Outdoor Dog Bowls
These reviews provide a list of a few of the Best Outdoor Dog Bowls for the fur child lazing in the backyard or for the active dog on the go!
1. AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Dog Bowl
I almost hate to put an Amazon product at the top, but the truth is a plain Jane stainless steel bowl is probably going to be best for most situations. It’s also going to be the cheapest.
Given that Amazon will refund literally anything, sticking with their AmazonBasics brand is probably the smartest choice here.
Best for: low budget, simple solutions
2. Farm Innovators Heated Pet Bowl
I promise this is the last time we’ll say this, but this was another bowl that was tough to put so high up on the list, because it’s really intended for winter conditions. And we’re talking real winter conditions, not those 70 degree Florida winters.
This is the perfect hydration solution for areas where freezing temperatures are a concern.
The temperature of the Farm Innovators’ outdoor dog dishes is automatically controlled by 60 watt thermostat.
Powered by plugging into a standard 120-volt outlet the heavy duty plastic, 6-quart capacity bowl provides a source of water in any weather.
3. MidWest Snap’y Fit Bowl
It was difficult to list this as the best bowl on the list because it has a very unique function of attaching to a crate, and we know most owners use outdoor pens/cages as opposed to crates.
However, it got such high marks that our hands were tied.
Features a patented system of dog bowls for crates. The stainless steel, rust resistant bowls lock in place for transport. Grommet hangers secure the dog bowls and prevent contents from spilling.
Available in sizes ranging from 10 fluid ounces to 2 quarts the Snap’y Fit Bowl system is suitable for all breeds.
Best for: clipping to and outdoor dog crate
4. H2O Animal Hydration Tough Guy Automatic Waterer with Drain
The only downfall to this heavy duty polypropylene is it isn’t as heavy duty as it may lead on to be.
It’s got a neat design that includes a drain plug for easy cleaning and as long as a hose is connected to it (and turned on of course) then it will also act as an auto fill bowl.
It bolts to the wall with 2 lag bolts, and you can set the height so your dog doesn’t have to lean down to drink.
5. K&H Pet Products CleanFlow Filtered Water Bowl with Reservoir for Dogs
A silent, leak-proof doggie hydration system for indoor or outdoor use.
Designed to prevent splashing on floors, or walls the CleanFlow Filtered Water Bowl fills the drinking bowl from the reservoir at a rate of up to 130 times per hour. A replaceable charcoal filter removes impurities and keeps the water supply fresh.
The CleanFlow Filtered Water Bowl with Reservoir comes in three sizes:
- small: 80 ounce bowl, 90 ounce reservoir
- medium: 1.4 gallon bowl, 1 gallon reservoir
- large: 2 gallon bowl, 1.5 gallon reservoir
6. PetSafe Drinkwell Everflow Indoor/Outdoor Water Fountain
An automated system designed for use as an indoor or outdoor dog fountain.
The PetSafe bowl automatically refills to a 1.5 gallon capacity when connected to a water hose.
Packaged with a replaceable carbon filter this indoor/outdoor bowl also has a built in circulator to improve aeration and filter dirt and debris. The free flowing stream encourages dogs to drink more water.
7. iMounTEK Ultra Hygienic Dog Pet Water Fountain
Outdoor drinking fountain specially designed to prevent pets from consuming stagnant water.
The “Doggie Drinking Fountain” is constructed of strong, steel-gauge material and connects to a water source through a 41-inch hose included in packaging.
A “paw pedal” dispenses a continuous flow of water when depressed. Water pressure is adjustable. The IMounTek outdoor dog fountain is easy to use but training is required to teach the dog how to push the pedal.
8. Hagen DogIt Al Fresco Indoor or Outdoor Dog Fountain
More than a simple dog hydration system, it also doubles as an attractive home water feature.
Marketed to provide, “an air of tranquility and relaxation” while serving as “an oasis for thirsty pets” it could be considered the best of both worlds.
The illuminated fountain is elevated to offer an ergonomically comfortable pet drinking position. Standing 11” tall the decorative DogIt Al Fresco Dog Fountain holds 2.64 gallons of filtered, circulating water.
Suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
9. H2O Aqua Buddy Automatic Fill Outdoor Dog Water Bowl
Similar to #3 on our list is another H2O product.
This is the ground or floor version, so no need to lag bolts or drilling any holes. Just connect the sun resistant bowl up to a hose and you’re good to go.
10. LavoHome Automatic Self Watering Dog Fountain
The cool thing about this water bowl is it gives you the option of hooking to a hose or water bottle. It’s got an auto pressure shut off valve so it won’t overflow no matter what.
11. Easy-Clean Auto-Fill Water Bowl
Even though the above video isn’t the greatest, you can see the purpose of the Easy-Clean water was to improve the process of cleaning.
Bonus Pick: OurPets Right Height Water Bowls
All of the bowls above are made with special consideration to outdoor conditions.
Some are made for outdoor crates, or snow conditions, or have automatic water refill in case you leave your dog in the backyard during the day.
But sometimes just an old fashioned stainless steel water bowl works best. Or if it’s just going to be a temporary situation you may be able to double a travel bowl as an outdoor dog bowl.
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