Slow-Feeding Dog Bowl Review

Daisy is a bit suspicious of her new
Outward Hound Fun Feeder slow-feeding dog bowl.

Is your dog a chow hound, determined to set speed records every time he eats his meals? Or perhaps you have a dog (possibly a large breed) that has problems with bloat or regurgitation.

If so, then your precious pet could use a slow-feeding dog bowl such as this one that we recently bought for our Labrador Retriever, Daisy. Here's my review of the Outward Hound Fun Feeder.

Daisy is a sweet girl, always curious, never wanting to miss anything that the humans in our family are doing, especially when it involves food. She's a begger who loves people food (and yes, I take full responsibility for that, but we're doing better). Her habit is to rush through eating her dog food so she can spend the majority of the dinner hour at my feet, waiting for me to cave in and share what's on my plate.

Fortunately, Daisy doesn't have a problem with bloat, but many dogs are prone to the condition. Bloat happens when dogs gulp their food, filling their stomachs with air and food, causing the stomach to twist or rotate. Bloat is a serious problem and can cause death, so it's important to take measures to slow your dog's input of food. Regurgitation, when food backs up into the esophagus and into (and out of) the mouth can be caused by medical issues, but eating too much, too fast is a common cause as well.

(Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.)

The ridges and valleys of the Fun Feeder bowl
forces the dog to eat more slowly as he
accesses small quantities of food at a time.

If your dog suffers from bloat or frequently regurgitates her food, a slow-feed dog bowl can be very helpful. How does it work? Look at the pictures I've included with this review. The ridges and valleys pattern in the Outward Hound Fun Feeder separates the food into small sections that require the dog to slow down and find the food, reaching into the narrow sections to eat just a few pieces at a time. In fact, the product information claims that your dog will eat up to 10 times slower with this bowl and, after using it with Daisy for a couple of weeks now, I have no doubt that that's an accurate figure.

Now when Daisy eats, she actually works her way around the bowl, slowly seeking out each section and each individual morsel of food. In our case, if I feed her at the same time I feed our family, we can eat in peace while she's peacefully eating. Plus, since digestion has already started, she's satisfied and feels full sooner which cuts down on the begging (yay!). Since the food is able to travel to the stomach a little at a time, the bowl certainly helps with prevention of the bloat or regurg problem.

Daisy slowly works her way around the bowl,
eating just a few morsels at a time.

Interestingly, Daisy seems to find the Fun Feeder entertaining. She tends to be wary of new things, and she did eye the bowl suspiciously at first, but when we tried it out with a small amount of food it didn't take long before she figured out exactly what she had to do to eat.

Another thought we had going into this dog-feeding experiment was that she might just use her big paws to tip the bowl and pour the food out onto the floor. Nope, didn't happen. This well-designed, well-made bowl has a non-skid rubber base plus it's heavy enough that I think even a much bigger dog would have a hard time tipping it over.

The bowl holds 4 cups of food (Daisy's daily ration is about 3 cups). The Fun Feeder is also available in a 2 cup capacity size for use with smaller dogs. Besides the flower-looking design (perfect for our Daisy) there's also a swirly and a maze design if you'd like to change up the food dispensing from time to time or for multi-dog homes.

I should add that the bowl is top-rack dishwasher safe, made from BPA, PVC and phthalate-free plastic. Designed in Colorado USA, manufactured in China. Available in three colors and two sizes.

Bottom line, Daisy and I award this slow-feeding dog bowl 5 stars. It works perfectly to slow her eating and she actually enjoys using it. Little does she know, it's good for her digestive tract, too. I hope your chow hound likes her new bowl, too.

UPDATE: It turns out that many dogs gulp their water, too, often leading to annoying hiccups or (worse) regurgitation of both food and water. By request, I've added a link below for a very well-reviewed anti-gulping bowl, also available in several sizes and colors. 

QUICK LINKS: 
eBay has excellent prices on slow feeder dog bowls
Outward Hound's Fun Feeder from Amazon
Anti-Gulping Bowl (to slow down drinking or eating)

~ Susan Deppner
Read more of my reviews

P.S. A slow-feed dog bowl is a great gift idea for any dog owner! 

Thank you for pinning and sharing with other dog owners.

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

 

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Totes For The Bride

A Bridal Tote (When you know she will need it)

We were thrilled last month when our daughter's special guy popped the question and she said, "Yes!". So, now there is a wedding to be planned and I am already thinking ahead. Obviously, my daughter and her fiance will do most of the planning so that their day will be perfect for the two of them, but there are things that I can prepare for that they may not think of. For instance, I know that a tote for the bride will be something that she will need but won't think of.

I love my daughter dearly but she did not inherit my organizational gene. Then again, she might have but has suppressed it because I drove her crazy as a child with my lists for everything! Let's be honest, on her best day she forgets stuff like what she needs from the grocery or a shopping trip. She makes more trips than necessary because she didn't write down what she really needed to get which results in not having the very thing she needed to cook or perform a task with. I can't tell you how many times I have seen "that look" come over her face and I will say, "What did you forget, Sweet Pea?"

Knowing this about my lovely daughter, I think that a special Bride's Tote will be one of the gifts that I can give her for the wedding. The morning of the wedding, I can help her pack it with all of the things she will need to take to the church. You know like make-up, slippers to wear while getting dressed, hair supplies, tissues and all sorts of bridal necessities. (I'll make a list!) This will not be a day for her to realize that she forgot something that she will really need!

Lillian Rose Bride Tote

I like the sample shown above because it is a nice size and has some inside pockets for placing small items in. I also like the simplicity of it. The tote looks pretty sturdy and should hold everything she will need to take in order to get ready to walk down the aisle.

There are many options when it comes to a bridal tote and you can even get ones that are for the wedding party. I might suggest that to my daughter as a gift for her attendants but that will be up to her. She can get one that matches the one I give her or she can pick one that is totally different. There are so many sizes and styles to choose from. I do plan to look on Zazzle also because I know there will be some unique and different styles to choose from there.

I plan to give this tote for the bride to my daughter at one of the showers that will be held for her. I'll pack it with some fun things and use it as the "gift bag" so to speak. There might be a few things that I think she will need for the day of the wedding but I'll also put things like her favorite lotion, bath salts and spa type items that she can pamper herself with before the wedding.

As I have begun my search for the perfect Bride's Tote, I have noticed that it is important to read the descriptions and the reviews. Sometimes, pictures are deceiving as to size so make sure the tote will be a good size for your bride. Construction (sturdiness) is important. I noticed on a few that I thought were pretty nice that the people who purchased them were disappointed because the tote was not of good quality so pay attention to all of those things.

I already know that she will be a stunning bride on her special day and if I can help her not be stressed about little things, well, that is my job as the Mother of the Bride. Along with her super organized Matron of Honor, we will help her get through the preparations and be able to walk down the aisle knowing that she didn't forget one thing.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge

The Replacement Wife, by Eileen Goudge, attempts to answer the question, “How would it work out practically if a wife with a terminal illness tried to select the one her husband should remarry after her death?

Camille is a professional and very successful matchmaker. She has been to the weddings of many happy clients. So when she learned her cancer, which had been in remission, had returned and even spread, she began to lose hope that she would live to see her two children grow up. Her doctor gave her a 3% chance to live, and that was only if she submitted to another stem cell replacement transplant. She was not sure she wanted to go through that kind of fight again with so little chance of winning.

She is so upset by the prognosis, that she stops off at a bar on the way home. Her physician husband Edward has left a message saying he has to work late again, and she knows the children are home alone, with her fourteen-year-old daughter in charge of her nine-year-old brother, Zach.

Her memories flash back to her own childhood. Her mother had died when Camille was only fourteen, the same age as her daughter Kyra. Camille's father was a traveling man, gone three weeks of every month. Only their live-in housekeeper Rosa, who could barely speak English, was there for her and her eleven-year-old sister Holly. Her grandmother Agnes lived on the other side of the country. Agnes called often, suspicious that her son never seemed to be there. Camille had manufactured an imaginary friend of her mother's so she could give Agnes a name when she demanded to know who besides Rosa was looking after them. She was afraid of having herself and Holly reported as being left on their own and placed in foster care. She found herself taking charge of the household the way her mother had, making sure her father remembered birthdays, meetings with teachers, etc. She never wanted Kyra to have to go through what she did.

Camille's husband Edward had been a rock to her during her illness. But that illness had also disrupted their relationship to the point where he no longer looked forward to going home. Camille's illness had been in remission so long he now felt things were finally able to go back to normal. While Camille had been getting her bad news, he'd been visiting a travel agent, getting information on places they might vacation to celebrate their approaching 20^th anniversary. He felt that could be a new beginning for them.

When Edward and Camille were finally alone after the children went to bed that night, Edward was devastated by Camille's news and he urged Camille to fight for her life. Camille was reluctant since there were no new experimental drugs she qualified to try. She had another plan. She decided she would use her professional skills as a matchmaker to find her replacement as Edward's wife and as a mother for her children.

Edward was not receptive to this idea. He insisted he only wanted Camille. He was not eager to remarry. She insisted the children needed a stable life and someone there for them when they came home. She envisioned them coming home to an empty house as their dad continued to work late almost every night. She didn't want Kyra to have a childhood like hers. She insisted Edward come to the next “meet and greet” she threw for her single clients so that he might find someone. It all seemed very logical to her.

What she hadn't counted on was the human element. People like making their own decisions. She also hadn't counted on getting into a new drug trial that put her cancer back in remission. You will have to read the book to find out what happened to all concerned.

The plot intrigued me. What married woman with children would not wonder what would become of her family if she died? But I also wondered how trying to play God with relationships in this situation would work? It's one thing to know and even hope your husband would remarry. It's quite another to try to find another woman to marry him shortly after you are gone, and have her spending time getting to know your husband and children while you are still alive and watching everything -- even to have her along on family vacations.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is intrigued with human drama, how relationships, marriages and families work, and what cancer patients experience not just physically, but emotionally. I believe the author took a question – How would it work if a wife picked her own replacement? – and turned it into a well-thought-through novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, though I might have wished for a different ending.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Have a Party with Your Bear Day

There are a bunch of bear-related celebration days throughout the year.  Lets review of few of them, beginning with the upcoming Have a Party with Your Bear Day on November 16th.  It's not clear whether the creators of this day meant a stuffed teddy bear, a toy bear, someone dressed in a bear suit, or a real bear! If you happen upon a real bear, use caution. :)  

Perhaps it would be best to just READ about a real bear, such as in this interesting story about the magnificent Grizzly Bear by Sylvestermouse, after you finish the party with your favorite stuffed bear.

The Teddy Bear Picnic

This 'bear-party' day is not the same as the Teddy Bear Picnic Day, celebrated on July 10th.  Since this day occurs in the summertime, it's the perfect time to grab your favorite stuffed teddy bear, pack a picnic lunch, and enjoy some outdoor fun with your teddy bears, family and friends.  Everyone could bring their favorite teddy bear!

Check out the Teddy Bears' Picnic (Classic Board Book) on Amazon.

  Special 'Bear' Days

 

Pastel Plush Baby Bear with Bib

Teddy bears are very important to children (young and old) and they deserve recognition.  There are a variety of special days throughout the year set aside to celebrate these cuddly bears, plus bear-related days for fictional bears and real bears.

• January 18 is Winnie the Pooh Day
• February 27 is Polar Bear Day
• March 16 is National Panda (Bear) Day
• July 10 is Teddy Bear Picnic Day
• September is 'Save the Koala' Month
• September 9 is the annual National Teddy Bear Day.
• October 12 is Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day written by our Review This contributor Olivia Morris
• November 7 is National 'Hug a Bear' (stuffed bear) Day
• November 16 is Have a Party with your Bear Day 

Many teddy bears have become famous, including Paddington Bear, Rupert Bear, Pudsey Bear, Smokey Bear and, the most famous and my favorite, Winnie the Pooh (who has his own special day on January 18).  

Favorite Teddy Bear

Baby Bears in Crochet

My son's first teddy bear was forever his favorite stuffed animal. He acquired him as an infant and they were 'inseparable' all through his early years. He named him simply "Teddy".  He looked a bit like the ones shown above.

Party Time with your Bear

A Collection of bears on Etsy

Any of these bears ~ or your own favorite teddy bear ~ would enjoy a party on Teddy Bear Party Day every November 16th.



*Note:  For an in-depth description of the crocheted bears featured in this article, check out "A Parade of Plush Teddy Bears" on the Crochet-Crafts-Critters blog.

*(c) Wednesday Elf 11/14/2015. Updated 11/16/2024

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Site Review: House of Rumpley - Home Decor Site

When we first step into any house, we know almost instantly if we feel at home, and everyone desires a home.  

People who have to go to work everyday need a refuge from the stress of the workplace, and that place should be their home.  For those of us who work from home, we need areas of the house where we can go and find our refuge.   We all desire to create just the right balance in a house where every member of the family can feel at home.  That is what you will find in the House of Rumpley. 

From the kitchen to the den, to the bedrooms and bathrooms, you will find wonderful decorating ideas, as well as DIY projects, which happen to be among my own personal favorites.

Let's take a peek through some of the doors at the various rooms and floors in the House of Rumpley.

The Kitchen in the House of Rumpley

As I would do if I were touring any home or department store, I will start in the kitchen area. My own home kitchen is painted blue, so I am instantly drawn to the article about Red Kitchen Ideas.   I love the idea of adding touches of red in my kitchen, but Bev goes further than just recommending small red appliances.  She actually explains the effect the color red has on all of us and why we would desire including it in our kitchens.

I also loved the coffee decor post!

Be sure to take a look at the other fun ideas Bev "rounds up" for us on the Decorating Kitchens floor at House of Rumpley.

More Decorating Ideas from House of Rumpley

While the kitchen demands my immediate attention, the other rooms of our homes are equally as important when it comes to beautiful decor.

There are fabulous ideas for Decorating Family Rooms, Living Rooms, and Decorating Kids Rooms, but don't miss out on visiting the bathrooms in this house.  While there are several really beautiful suggestions for bathroom decor on House of Rumpley, the ideas that really caught my attention were the ones that made me howl with laughter.  I do love a home that is filled with laughter!  You simply will not believe where the toilet brush is hidden.  I am laughing even as I write this article and remember the most unusual accent piece in this bathroom.  (No, I'm not going to tell you!  You have to look for yourself.)

Decorating by Themes in House of Rumpley

When decorating our homes, there are times when we want a consistent theme.  House of Rumpley has you covered there too.  With themes like "Granny Chic Decor", Decorate with Red, White & Blue", and "Steampunk Style Home Office", anyone would be intrigued to explore the depths of these decorating styles and suggestions.

I may not be a "granny" myself, but I gotta tell you.  That Granny Chic Decor has my name written all over it.

The House of Rumpley Network of Sites

Now, we have explored a few areas of the foundation site of House of Rumpley, but I do want to take a few minutes to delve deeper into the complete network of sites.

The House of Rumpley network includes several sites and Bev aptly describes the different areas of her site as floors in the House of Rumpley.  I love that description!  It immediately brings to mind a home with multiple levels or my favorite department store with several floors.

Like many families and homes, the House of Rumpley has expended and grown over the years.  Just as members of any family can be found at various addresses, different "floors" of the House of Rumpley network are found online under different url addresses. They each have their own "personality" or topic, but they are all equally wonderful and fun to visit.

House of Rumpley Website Review by,

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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