I've seen these raised-bowl designs before, and the first thought I've always had is: dogs (and cats) have claws. Trendy Pet's website says that shiny raised platform is made out of something called "Celtec". A Google search turns up "Celtec" as, basically, glorified PVC.

Um, doesn't that scratch? A nice design, but if you buy one, I'm thinking steer clear of white. (Have you ever seen how obvious scratches are on a white plastic iBook?)

Where, oh where, is stainless steel when you really need it?

I've got a raised food/water bowl combo for my dog, but it's made of wood. It's a godsend. My dog's arthritic joints aren't tested as much and since he has a much harder time tipping the bowl over, there are hardly any food spills to clean up.

We did select CELTEC because it offered the properties that we were looking for. It is light weight, same color throughout and does not absorb water. In regards to slight scratches and dents the material, being an expanded PVC, can be heated with a hair dryer or heat gun and the scratch or dent can be blended out. The material is very easy to clean and any standard household cleaner can be used.

The two little guys in that first pic are ADORABLE! I want to kiss their little noses!

Looks like it would be easy to clean under.

so what did dogs used to do the last million years? put their food on rocks or tree stumps? seems a bit much.

one of my dogs is quite lazy and prefers to lay down and eat. my other dog did this for awhile too when he was younger.

Not the right height, but...

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/look-vintage-wine-boxes-as-dog-bowls-061654

"heather leaf"...they didn't live as long. Imagine the aches, pains, & digestive problems you would have after years of bending over to eat.

I use a raised bowl. It has a few added bonuses -- the pup doesn't push it around like he did with his floor bowl, he doesn't spill as much and the raised height keeps the critters away.

Considering my dog inhales his food in about 20-30 seconds once it has been set down in front of him, I highly doubt that 40-60 seconds of him hunching over per day are really going to affect him that much. Of course, he just swallows the kibble without chewing it at all, which probably isn't good.

Do cats benefit from raised dishes and bowls as well? Just curious since they're so short to begin with.

I've been using this the Trendy Pet feeder for 2 years and it doesn't have any scratches on it. I have it in black, with 3 bowls. I use the middle bowl for water and the 2 side bowls for food.

My dogs seem to like eating from it because they can eat standing up without having to strain their necks and I also like the looks of the feeder itself.

Right, heatherleaf; those are silly. Dogs aren't people. Dogs and cats are genetically engineered to eat and drink from ground level.

Right on heatherleaf and quiltmaster. Our Weimaraner always has her nose to the ground smelling everything and anything. Raised feeders are fine, but if you think you are being "ergo" for your pet, you are silly and rather ignorant about how dogs live.

With apologies to the true believers out there, I think the benefits of raised bowls (for the dogs, that is) are imaginary.

As with most pet gizmos, it's designed to appeal to the owner, not the dog. You, the owner, might find it convenient if your dog is less likely to tip over or play with its food & water bowls when they are part of a large stand. You might also find it a bit easier to fill or clean the bowls b/c you need to bend over less. But from the dog's perspective, I doubt whether 1 in 20 would care.

heatherleaf, quiltmaster, and robertcraig-

If you have a large breed dog (I happen to have Great Danes), raising your dogs bowl is very important. Please keep in mind that dogs were genetically engineered by humans to look a certain way, behave a certain way, ect. You don't find Poodles running around in the wild.

Raising your dog's food, especially for large breeds, is important to keep their stomach from flipping (which can also be caused from eating too quickly and running around after eating). What basically happens is their stomach flips, not allowing food to exit or gases to exit and blows up. Simple steps like keeping your dogs food up higher, allowing them to eat slowly, and not allowing them to run after eating can prevent this.

While yes, dogs in the wild may not need something fancy, like raise bowls, certain breeds do. And you don't have to go and buy a something super expensive. Our Great Dane eats off a step stool. Our miniture dachsund though, doesn't need it.

My Weimeraner is a large breed. Her nose is to the ground constantly. She eats in less than 1 minute.

Do whatever you want to do, I say.

My lab's food and water is raised at home. When we travel, I just bring along her bowls. I have noticed that she coughs a lot while eating at ground level, but she never does it when eating from the raised dishes. Just my two cents.

robertcraig- if you don't believe me, talk to your vet about it. It's really unhealthy for a dog to eat quickly. Eating fast can cause Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus... especially among Weimeraner.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1571&articleid=402
http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/GastricDilatationVolvulus/
Instead of spending money on an expensive bowl, my neighbor put tennis balls in her dogs bowl to slow his eating.

I am not trying to come across as an @$$. So many people's pets die or are badly injured due to something easily preventable.

We use foil covered old phone books to lift our dog bowls. And yes, we saw a great improvement in her after-eating habits after she had the bowls raised - less coughing, burping, she ate slower, and her poop was better digested.

This isn't trendy, our various vets have all talked about it for at least 20 years now. I think I'd trust licensed professionals over blog posters trying to be witty, but hey, that's just me.

Very informative That70sHeidi.

I wish they would make non-drool water bowls that are elevated. My dog gets about 1/8th of her water in her mouth so we have to use a double lipped bowl, and they just dont make them in taller versions. I have looked everywhere! :(

When her dish was on the floor, my puppy would quickly eat her mixed wet and dry food, and then wander around slightly gurgling and making choking sounds for a bit before finally getting comfortable. Although she was hesitant at first, she has now taken quickly to a raised dish and no longer has difficulty after eating! I am a total convert not for any new age-y reason, but for simple fact that its easier for her to eat. In fact, we don't have anything fancy, just a box under her preexisting double-dish holder.