10 Best Travel Bowls for Dogs (and 3 Alternatives!)

To date I’ve made 5 cross country road trips with my two dogs.

I am literally an expert in discovering all the things not to do while traveling with dogs, which has (not surprisingly) helped me narrow down all the right things to do.

Including which travel bowls are the best. Not just for traveling, but for hiking, camping, and pretty much any other trip where you need to pack light.

My favorite thing about the Outward Hound bowl is it is literally 100% collapsible into a myriad of different shapes.

You’ll notice a lot of the silicone bowls on the list will fold or collapse flat, and that’s great, but the “cloth” bowls by Outward Hound (and also Ruffwear) can be folded, pressed, squished, whatever you need to stuff it in your dog’s pack or harness.

Rank	Picture	Name	Where to Buy
1		Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl	See it on Amazon
2		Prima Pet Collapsible Silicone Food & Water Travel Bowl	See it on Amazon
3		Healthy Human Portable Dog & Pet Travel Bowls with Lid	See it on Amazon
4		Lixit Waterboy Travel Water Bowl	See it on Amazon
5		Dexas Popware for Pets Single Elevated Pet Feeder	See it on Amazon
6		Fozzils Solo Pack	See it on Amazon
7		Dexas Popware for Pets Collapsible Travel Cup	See it on Amazon
8		Ruffwear Bivy Bowl	See it on Amazon
9		Kurgo Collapsible and Portable Travel Dog Bowl	See it on Amazon
10		Ruffwear Quencher Bowl	See it on Amazon

A few notes about the above list

A lot of the collapsible silicone food and water dog bowls are very, very similar. For example, take a look at each of the following:

Look familiar?

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing (or a good thing), I’m just pointing out for the sake of this post A LOT of dog bowls appear to be identical. In which case brand loyalty or brand awareness may play a role in choosing which one to go with.

For example, when all things are the same I’m partial to Ruffwear and Kurgo even though they’re a bit more expensive. I just know they’ll stand behind their product. And I know they are always testing their dog gear with actual dogs and dog owners.

Dog Travel Bowl Reviews: A Closer Look

I’m not going to go over all the bowls on the list in depth, well…because…they’re bowls. I’ve already talked about my favorite and rest are pretty self-explanatory, except for two.

#4 Lixit Travel Dog Water Bowl

The Lixit Waterboy is basically the “unspillable” dog bowl. This makes it great for road trips.

You don’t have to pour it our and keep refilling. Just fill it up and toss it in the car. When it’s empty, fill it up again.

The water level is dispensed to prevent splashing even if tilted.

#5 Dexas Popware for Pets

Dexas Popware offers a line of collapsible dog bowls designed to expand for use then fold up for convenient transport and storage.

The product is made for easy travel and is perfect for trips away from home. Constructed of durable, dishwasher-safe plastic, the Popware for Pets bowl is suitable for both food and water.

These portable dog bowls are offered in two sizes; small (8 ounce capacity) or large (20 ounce capacity) and there are four different color options to choose from.

They’re not going to pack quite as tight as any of the other bowls on the list, but if you prefer an elevated water bowl for your dog, this is the perfect travel version.

3 Alternatives to Traditional Dog Travel Bowls

#1 Ziploc bag

I’ll never forget the day I was emptying the dishwater at my mother-in-law’s house and discovered she washed her plastic sandwich bags.

I’m not sure if I was more shocked they didn’t melt in the dishwasher or that people actually washed Ziploc bags. Either way, the point is plastic bags can withstand a lot of punishment without leaking.

Above I mentioned the how you can squish up the Outward Hound bowl so it’s super easy to store. Well…plastic bags are even easier.

If you’re worried they’ll break or leak, just carry a couple.

The only downfall is they aren’t exactly great for the environment.

#2 Small stainless steel bowl

If space or weight isn’t an issue, then any small stainless bowl is still a great option.

They dry quickly, they’re more hygienic, dishwasher safe, and relatively inexpensive.

#3 Swim cap

No, this won’t make your dog the next Michael Phelps, but Swim cap, like plastic bags, are super cheap and super easy to pack away.

Any Speedo swim cap works well.