Don't let your dog go hungry when you're away; check out the wide range of Automatic Dog Feeders available for sale.

Why Use an Automatic Dog Feeder?

While no dog should be left alone in the house for more than a day or two, having an Automatic Dog Feeder can take some of the burden off a pet sitter or family friend who agrees to check in on your dog while you're out.

Types of Automatic Dog Feeders

Depending on your needs your dog's eating habits; you'll find a variety of products available for the purpose.

A common type of automatic feeder is the bowl with a rotating lid. Similar to a regular dog food bowl, the product is divided into compartments that you fill up before you leave. The plastic lid has an opening that only reveals one compartment at a time. Once you program the device digitally, the lid will rotate over time and reveal a new compartment with fresh food. This type of feeder is ideal for owners who are gone all day at work, or who will only be out of town for a couple days. The bowls don't have a large capacity, and usually hold four to eight meals only.

Another automatic feeder looks similar to a gumball machine, with a storage jar on top of an attached bowl. You program the feeder and, at certain times of the day, a chute will open and allow food to fall into the attached bowl from the storage jar. You can set the time frames and even the amount of food that is placed in the bowl each time. This feeder is ideal for longer trips because it has a larger storage capacity.

While the two feeders above allow you to control how much your pet is eating at each meal, you can also find less-expensive feeders that don't include the programming capabilities. There are even heavy-duty galvanized metal canisters that can hold up to 50 pounds of dry dog food; the storage compartment opens up into a tray where your dog eats his fill.

No matter which type of Automatic Dog Feeder you choose, you'll need to help your pooch get accustomed to the device before leaving for your weekend jaunt. If the mechanical pieces or strange noises frighten or confuse him, he may not use it and that means trouble. Introduce him to the feeder several days before you go. Most dogs won't have a problem adopting the product once they see that their dinner is the reward.