I’m always interested in most things ‘dog’ related but I can also be very set in my ways.
I remember a friend raving about this automatic dog feeder she had purchased and I just dismissed it as the latest trend….a passing fad I thought and I’m pretty sure I said ‘They will never last’.
OK, I will admit that I was wrong. A year or so ago I realized these automatic dog feeders weren’t going away anytime soon so I started looking into them a little further.
It got me thinking, which is the best automatic dog feeder for a Cocker Spaniel? The WESTLINK 6L automatic dog feeder with a voice recorder and programmable timer is what I found to be the best for Cocker Spaniels.
If you are reading this you are probably asking yourself numerous questions regarding automatic dog feeders.
I’m going to run through the most often asked questions, hopefully, answer them in plain easy to understand English, no technical speak here.
Next, I will move onto discussing the feeders that made it onto my top 7 list after some testing.
Hopefully, after reading this you will be able to decide which automatic feeder is best for your Cocker Spaniel or whether you even need one at all.
What Is An Automatic Dog Feeder?
When I first heard about automatic dog feeders, I instantly dismissed them as gimmicky and for people who were too lazy to feed their dogs when it was feeding time.
I have since changed my opinion after seeing the benefits they can bring.
So what exactly is an automatic dog feeder?
Basically, they are designed so that you can feed your dog the correct portion size of food and do so at the correct time of day.
This is particularly handy if you are going to be away from your dog for a certain period of time and are unable to feed him at the usual times of the day.
Dog’s, especially Cocker Spaniels behave better with a routine and feeding them at differing times can lead to behavioral problems especially when it comes to food.
We all know that Cocker Spaniels love to greed food. The last thing you want to be ding is giving him his meals earlier or later than usual.
This will only confuse your poor pup and is a certain way to make him greed food during your own meal times.
Are Automatic Feeders Good For Dogs?
I’ve already touched on this but automatic dog feeders can have a very positive impact on your dog.
They guarantee he eats his meals at the same time every day. They also help control portion size.
This makes them great for helping keep your Cocker in a healthy weight zone and control his greeding.
How Do You Program An Automatic Dog Feeder?
The answer to this question is…..well it depends.
You see, there are two types of automatic dog feeders out there. One is programmable while the other uses the laws of gravity to dispense food.
Electronic programmable feeders will come with instructions but they are all pretty much the same to use.
Once programmed, they will dispense a certain amount of food at a certain time of day.
This is the type of automatic dog feeder I usually recommend.
The feeders that use the laws of gravity work by dispensing food and filling up the food tray.
Once this food is eaten and the holding compartment is no longer blocked, more food will be dispensed into the feeding bowl.
While this guarantees your pet will never go hungry, it also encourages overeating.
Like I said, as soon as the food is gone from the feeding tray, more food will be dispensed into the bowl.
If you fill your dog’s feeder to the maximum, in theory, he could eat his entire food for the day pretty much all in one go.
I’ve seen this scenario play out more than once and the end result is an overweight dog who is always greeding more food.
This isn’t always the case and some gravity dispensers are very good and may well work for your dog, depending on his nature.
Some dogs will stop eating when they are full. If that sounds like your dog then why would you want to pay $70 or more for an electronic feeder when you could get a gravity one for less than $20?
If you are unsure whether you need a programmable or gravity dog feeder, my advice would be to head on over to amazon and pick up the ridiculously low priced gravity feeder from Vanness, the AF3 model.
This feeder costs less than $5 dollars delivered (at the time of writing) and will help you establish whether your dog is a little greedy so and so.
Which Is The Best Automatic Dog Feeder For A Cocker Spaniel? My Top 7 Feeders
Hopefully, I have answered some of the questions you may have had regarding automatic dog feeders.
Now it’s time to dive in and have a look at which feeder may be best for you and your Cocker Spaniel.
This feeder is the 2nd most expensive on my list and usually retails for around the $70 mark.
Not really expensive although if somebody told me a few years back I would be willing to pay that much for a machine to feed my dog when I could do it myself, for free, I would think they were mad.
So what do you get with this offering from WESTLINK?
The feeder is large enough so that it can house enough food to feed the average Cocker Spaniel 4 meals per day.
The feeder is very easy to program with clear easy to read instructions. I only had to read the instructions twice and I’m not the quickest of cats with technology.
One cool thing I did like with this automatic feeder is that you can record up to 10 seconds of your own voice.
The idea here is to record yourself calling on your dog the way you would for his mealtime.
When the timer on the feeder goes off, it will automatically play your voice calling your dog then dispense the food for him.
I thought this was a cool idea and helps keep your dog in his routine.
A few people I mix with on forums said the voice recorder confused their dog. After hearing their owners voice, their dog would eat their meal then start wandering around the house looking for their owners because they thought they were home.
I have security cameras at home too and we have never seen this happen with our pup.
- Capacity size 6L – up to 4 meals
- Each portion size is 10 – 12g
- Built-in voice recorder and speaker
- Built-in infrared helps to detect food locking
- Only suitable for dry food
- Can handle many shapes of food but each size must not exceed .39″ / 1cm
- Comes with USB cable for power
- Can also be used with D batteries which are not included
My Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars
2. AmazonBasics Self-Dispensing Gravity Pet Feeder + Waterer
I know I said I usually recommend a programmable feeder but I like to try and cover all angles, not just what suits me and my dog.
This feeder and water bundle were the first automatic feeder I bought. Well, an earlier version of this particular one anyway.
Although we now have the WESTLINK feeder, we do still use the self dispencing waterer.
Despite the cheap price when I bought it, think I paid less than $20, the feeder did exactly what it was supposed to do.
The materials that it’s made from don’t exactly seem the best quality but for the price I paid, what did I expect?
We used the feeder for a few months and noticed what we thought was a little weight gain……my Cockers always been a bit greedy.
I took him to the vets for his regular check-up. Yikes!! He had piled a few pounds on……and some more.
When we explained to the vet about the feeder, he recommended we went back to our old way of feeding him or try a programmable feeder.
As for the waterer. We have never had a problem with it although I would recommend you clean it quite often.
When we first got the combo pack I recall reading a few reviews saying they were getting mould inside the waterer.
I’ve never had mold but as I said, I do clean it quite often.
Overall I would say this is an ideal entry-level feeder and waterer, even if it’s just to see how your dog reacts with it.
You can buy the feeder and waterer separately if you only want one or the other.
- 2 – in – 1 bundle
- Feeder and waterer
- Available in small or large
- Feeder capacity: Small – 6pound, Large – 12pound
- Waterer Capacity: Small – 1 gallon, Large – 2.5 gallon
- Comes with AmazonBasics limited one-year warranty
My Overall Rating: 4.3 Stars
3. WOPET Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser
The WOPET automatic feeder is very simar to the WESTLINK that tops my list.
It is slightly more expensive but I only put this down to the fact that they offer a 24-hour professional service center as well as 365-day technical support.
The features and operating systems are just about the same as the WESTLINK.
- Capacity size 6L – up to 4 meals
- Each portion size is 10 – 12g
- Built-in voice recorder and speaker
- Only suitable for dry food
- Can handle many shapes of food but each size must not exceed .39″ / 1cm
- Comes with USB cable for power
- Can also be used with 3 D batteries which are not included
- 24 hour service centre
- 365 day technical support
My Overall Rating: 4.3 Stars
4. Bergan Petite Gourmet Feeder And Waterer Combo
A dear friend of mine has 2 sets of these feeders and waterers. One fore her Cockerpoo and the other for her cat.
She keeps both sets in separate rooms. Her Cockerpoo has his own living and feeding space, as does her cat.
This set up seems to work fine as both pets completely ignore each other’s food and water.
She loves the feeders but thinks the waterers are a little bit flimsy. I would have to agree and if you have a boisterous dog, Cocker spaniel maybe? He could very easily know the waterer over.
Still, if this is your first automatic feeder and you don’t want to go overboard with the money, this model is well worth a look at.
- Feeder capacity: 6pound
- Dry food only
- Waterer Capacity: 1.5 gallon
My Overall Rating: 4 Stars
5. PetSafe 5 Meal Pet Feeder With Portion Control
This feeder from PetSafe is very popular. Look at the reviews on Amazon or have a look on forums and you will see it mentioned many times.
Personally, I absolutely hate the look of it. Not sure why it just doesn’t sit well with me.
You may love the look and design? Seems like plenty of people do.
Or maybe it’s the price? Very similar in the functionality of the WESTLINK and WoPet, this is barely half the price of those two.
Despite this being a very popular product, I only know one person who has one of these feeders……and she loves it.
- PERSONALIZE MEALS: Set feeding times in 1-hour increments automatically serving up to 5 meals a day
- GREAT FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FUR BABIES: Each bowl holds up to 1 cup of dry dog or cat food
- WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: Schedule smaller meals to help keep your pet healthy
- EASY TO CLEAN: BPA-free plastic food tray is top-shelf dishwasher safe
- BATTERY OPERATED: Runs on 4 D-cell alkaline batteries (not included)
- U.S.-BASED CUSTOMER CARE: Let our pet product experts help; we’re available Monday through Saturday to answer your questions at 1-800-845-3274
- QUALITY GUARANTEED: PetSafe brand has been a trusted global leader in pet behavior, containment and lifestyle innovations for nearly 30 years; we help pets and their people live happy together
My Overall Rating: 4 Stars
6. PetSafe Simply Automatic Healthy Pet Feeder
If I was going to change my pups feeder I think this one from PetSafe would be the one I switched to.
I know 4 different people who have this particular model and they have nothing but good things to say about it.
- PEACE OF MIND: Additional source of power for the Healthy Pet Simply Feed helps provide peace of mind that your pet is being fed
- LESS BATTERIES: The adaptor helps save money on the cost of batteries; use the adaptor as the main source of power and batteries as a backup
- PROGRAMMABLE FEEDING: Conveniently schedule up to 12 meals for your pet; best for cats and small to medium dogs
- FLEXIBLE MEAL PORTIONS: Schedule 1/8 cup to 4 cups depending on your pet’s unique needs
- SLOW FEED OPTION: Schedule smaller meals to help prevent stomach upset for pets who eat too fast
- PET-PROOF: Dispenser helps keep food fresh and prying paws from stealing food; the clear lid lets you see when it’s time for a refill
- EASY TO CLEAN: BPA-free plastic components and stainless steel bowl are top-shelf dishwasher-safe
- U.S.-BASED CUSTOMER CARE: Let our pet product experts help; we’re available Monday through Saturday to answer your questions at 1-800-845-3273
My Overall Rating: 4 Stars
7. Roffie Automatic Dog Food Dispenser With Multiple Options
Ok, so this particular one I have never seen in person. My cousin, who lives in Salou, Spain, recently bought one and swears it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
I was only going to do a top 6 list but she insisted I put this on my list.
Here’s what the manufacturer says and be sure to see customer opinion on Amazon.
- LIFE SAVER – Dogs and cats like to have fixed feeding schedules. With 6.5L food grade storage containers, Roffie pet feeder can make sure that your pets get fed while you are away from home 2 to 4 days.
- AUTOMATIC FEEDER – You can schedule up to 4 meals per day and record a custom message for your pet by pressing and holding the MIC button for three seconds to begin recording a message played as each feeding dispenses. (e.g. Here, Doly! Come and eat, boy! Good doggy.)
- KEEP YOUR PETS HEALTHY – With built-in programmable timer and two food dispensers, you can schedule each meal time and program a unique portion size to keep your pets healthier. The feeding amount can be adjusted in 5 or 10-gram increments, depending on the dispenser you use.
- NEVER MISS A FEEDING – The automatic cat feeder is powered by power adapter and 3 D-size batteries. In case of power outage, the feeder will continue to function on 3 D-size batteries to assure your pet never miss a feeding. (Batteries are NOT included)
- USER FRIENDLY DESIGN – Top Lock design and built-in program panel can prevent pets from changing settings with the paws and opening the hopper cover to overthrow the food. Removable food container and FDA food bowl structure are easy to clean.
My Overall Rating: 3.9 Stars
Conclusion And Final Thoughts
Well, that’s the end of my recommended automatic dog feeder list. If you are certain you want to try one of these feeders, I strongly recommend you try one of the cheap gravity ones first.
They might be all you need. Pointless spending almost $100 if you don’t have to.
Remember, read reviews or go to your local pet store before buying anything online.
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