You’re Probably Not Cleaning Your Pet’s Food Bowls Enough
In this edition of The Recommendation, Wirecutter’s pets expert shares some of the most surprising facts and hacks they’ve uncovered over the years.
I’ve shared my home, my bed, and my paychecks with pets for more than two decades. There’s little I find more rewarding than hanging out with these furry, funny creatures. But for all the joy they give us, living with dogs and cats also requires us to figure out their unique and unexpected needs (and to develop some odor-management skills).
These are some of the most surprising facts and hacks I’ve learned over the years, both as a pet caretaker and as Wirecutter’s pets writer, that may help you keep your best animal friends safe, happy, and healthy:
- If you work from home, you might be disrupting your dog’s natural sleep schedule. A behaviorist we spoke to for our guide to the best dog beds saw an uptick in canine behavior problems during the pandemic because people were home more. Frequent disruptions to their daytime snoozes can actually dysregulate a dog, and that might cause them to act out. Your dog might benefit from being crate trained so they can snooze the day away in a separate room, especially if you’re home with them all day. That way, they’re not popping up wondering if something super fun is about to happen every time you uncross your legs.
- Buckling up is just as important for pets as it is for the rest of your family. This one is perhaps the hardest to hear, but it’s true: Your pets should never ride loose in the car. They can turn into a projectile in an accident, injuring themselves as well as human passengers. Your buddy also risks getting eye injuries from road debris if they’re hanging their head out the window (sorry, pups!). Cats and small dogs are safest in a soft-sided carrier, and big dogs do better in hard-sided kennels or crash-tested harnesses that attach to the rear seatbelt.
- You’re probably not cleaning your pet’s food bowls enough. While some dogs love to eat rotten food from the sidewalk, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to the bacteria that can build up in dirty dishes. Food and water bowls should be washed ideally every day — or at least weekly. If you have an automatic feeder, the hopper where the food is stored should also be cleaned at least once a week.
- If you’re getting pet insurance, don’t wait. Rates for pet health insurance often vary by breed and age, and younger animals are usually charged lower monthly premiums. A pet’s breed, size, and location also factor in — and with vet bills rising, an insurance plan may be worth considering.
- Cats are dehydrated most of the time. Cats evolved in arid environments, meaning they’re likely to be at least a little bit dehydrated, especially if they’re eating a dry food diet. You could try giving them water from a faucet or a dedicated pet fountain, but one of the best ways to keep them well-hydrated is to give them wet food or add some water to their kibble.
- Be prepared to become a full-time security guard. When I first adopted my dog, Dave, I quickly learned that he could jump over even a six-foot-tall fence, especially if there was a tempting fox or cat on the other side. (I extended our fence higher but also put a GPS tracker on Dave’s collar, in case he somehow managed to scale that, too.) Inside the house, Dave was better behaved, but I know tons of other dog people who’ve had to set up all manner of gates, crates, and blockades to prevent canine break-ins, break-outs, and straight-up larceny.
- “You don’t pick a cat’s bed — they do,” says my colleague and fellow pets expert Brooklyn White. Her cat loves to sleep on clean laundry, naturally. My own three cats preferred to lounge around in cardboard boxes or on top of the book I was trying to read. If you dare to introduce a dedicated bed for your feline overlord, here are some options to get you started. And if you’re wanting to get a cat bed that’s also a bit of a gift for yourself, too, my colleague Joshua Lyon has found a cat tree that’s so good-looking, it’s something of a statement piece.
