Need an Auto Water Bowl for Dogs? Top Picks Here!

Okay, so I've always had this problem with my dogs, especially in the summer. They drink a TON of water, and I was constantly refilling their bowl. It felt like I was spending half my day just making sure they had enough to drink! I looked at a bunch of automatic water bowls online, but they were either super expensive or looked really flimsy.

So, I decided to just make one myself. I'm no engineer, but I figured, how hard could it be, right? It's basically just a container and a way to refill it automatically.

The Plan

First, I needed a big container for the water. I found this old plastic storage bin in the garage – you know, the kind you use for storing Christmas decorations or whatever. It was pretty sturdy and held a good amount of water, so I cleaned it out really well.

Then, I needed something for the actual water bowl. I used a regular, large stainless steel dog bowl that I already had. The trick was figuring out how to get the water from the big container into the bowl, and to do it automatically.

Putting It All Together

I grabbed a plastic water bottle – a big one, like a 2-liter soda bottle – and cut a small hole near the bottom. The idea was that the water bottle would sit upside down in the dog bowl, and as the dogs drank, the water level would drop, letting more water flow out of the bottle until it equalized again. Gravity, baby!

This is where it got a little tricky. I needed a way to keep the water bottle stable and upright inside the bowl. I rummaged through my junk drawer and found some old plastic brackets and zip ties. I used those to kind of rig up a support system, attaching the bottle to the side of the bowl. It wasn't pretty, but it seemed to work!

I then placed the whole dog bowl setup inside the larger storage container. I filled up the big container with water, making sure the water level was high enough to cover the hole in the water bottle, and slowly inverted that water bottle into the steel bowl. You should see some bubbling as the water fills the bowl, neat!

Testing and Tweaks

Of course, the first time I tried it, it didn't work perfectly. The water bottle kept tipping over, and water was spilling everywhere. I had to adjust the brackets and zip ties a few times, adding more support until it was finally stable.

I also realized that the hole in the water bottle was a little too big, so the water was flowing out too quickly. I ended up making a smaller hole, and that seemed to do the trick. Now, it refills at a nice, steady pace.

The Final Result

It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but my DIY automatic water bowl actually works! My dogs have a constant supply of fresh water, and I'm not constantly running back and forth to refill their bowl. It's a win-win!

If you're looking for a cheap and easy way to keep your dogs hydrated, I definitely recommend giving this a try. It might take a little bit of tinkering, but it's totally worth it. Plus, you can feel good about yourself for building something with your own two hands!