A timed pet feeder is a device that releases a specific amount of food at specific times, even when you’re away. This is especially helpful for pet owners with hectic schedules or those who are away from home, as it aids in managing feeding schedules, controlling portion sizes, and ensuring consistency. But are there some situations when an automatic pet feeder is not suitable or does more harm than good?

The Pros of the Automatic Pet Feeder

1. Consistency

It ensures your pet’s feeding schedule remains consistent, regardless of your availability. This means the automatic pet feeder enables routine for your dog, which is important for all dogs, but especially those who are anxious.

2. Portion Size Control

By specifying serving sizes, you can ensure your dog doesn’t eat more or less than it should. This is very useful for pets needing to lose weight or follow a specific diet.

3. Keeps Food Fresh 

Keeps pet food fresh by preventing moisture, insect infestation, or food spoilage. Also, compared to open bowls and free-feeding systems, this minimizes mess.

4. Smart Technology Options

 Certain automated pet feeders incorporate microchip technology, allowing only identified pets access to the food. You can also connect them via your phone, so you can feed your pet, observe its eating patterns, and receive notifications through the app.

The Cons of the Automatic Pet Feeder

1. Only For Kibble

All automatic pet feeders work with kibble (dry) dog food. If your dog doesn’t eat kibble or you don’t want to feed them kibble, then there aren’t a lot of options for you. There are some wet food automatic feeders, but they’re all designed for either cats or small dogs, because of the portion size. 

One of them is the Petlibro, and people have been satisfied. But there are some disadvantages:

• It is too high, which can be an odd position for small dogs to eat from (and cats)
• A paid subscription is not necessary, but you will need it if you want all available data
• Portion size is too small

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2. Lack of Human Touch

One of the best ways to maintain a good relationship with your dog and to be the boss of your home is to give a dog a schedule and security. And the way to do that is to give your dog food on time. 

It’s more than just “I give you food”, but a time to connect even more with your dog. It’s also a perfect opportunity to see if everything’s alright with your dog. Did their eating habits change? Do they avoid kibble and eat only wet food or homemade food? Maybe they have teeth problems, digestive issues, and so on.

3. Batteries

You need to charge the automatic pet feeder regularly and in case of a power outage, you’ll need batteries. However, issues happen as with any other device, so the automatic pet feeder can just stop working. This shouldn’t be the main issue, but it depends on the product and, unfortunately, the price. 

The lower the price, the more issues it can have. From quickly losing power to motor dysfunction. Sometimes it happens that the automatic feeders just don’t disperse food at all. Of course, these things shouldn’t happen, but we have to be ready for the possibility.

4. Some Don’t Like The Noise

And finally, it’s a minor issue, but there are people who complain about the noise. Specifically, the noise when the food hits the bowl or makes any other sound to show the food is out so that the pets could hear it and come eat.

What Automatic Pet Feeder Is The Best?

The best automatic pet feeder is the one that suits your needs. Look through several options and find the one that is best for you. That means we have to take these things into consideration:

• Portion size: depends on how big your dog is. A Newfoundland dog will need a bigger portion size than a Shih Tzu.
• Cleaning: is it easy to clean? While most are easy, some can be especially challenging to clean properly.
• Number of meals: if your dog needs over two meals a day, check if it’s possible to adjust three or four smaller meals.
• Price vs quality: even though the more expensive automatic pet feeders have better quality and more options, all that glitters is not gold. 

Some pet feeders with the highest number of positive reviews are:

1. PetSafe: The biggest complaint from people is that the instructions are not very clear, so you have to read everything carefully. The price is $95.95.
2. PetLibro: The mentioned wet food automatic pet feeder has its dry food version. They also come with a camera so that you can see your pets through your phone app. If you’d like this option, it costs more: $149.99. The basic 5L option is $75.99, and the smallest basic (no camera) option is (currently) $62.99.
3. Molly&Cody: This one is great for large dog breeds. It also has the option to set over three meals a day, including snack time. The Wi-Fi option is $169.