My bullies are messy eaters: ideas needed to limit the collateral damage!

sheshistory

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Jul 11, 2010
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Bentley, Linus, Truman
Linus and Truman (and probably most bulldogs) are very messy eaters. The area around their bowls is always disgusting, which isn't a problem on the floor since I have mats underneath them. However, as bulldogs do, they ALWAYS push their bowl against the wall and therefore I have food and food particles and accompanying muck all over my walls and baseboards.

I just replaced my baseboards and would like to have an alternative to my weekly scrub session with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

Does anyone have any suggestions for bowls or a feeding apparatus that limits the mess at mealtime? We've tried non-skid bowls, non-skid mats, deeper bowls, moving bowls, and now I'm at a loss.

Thanks in advance any suggestions!
 

bullmama

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Linus and Truman (and probably most bulldogs) are very messy eaters. The area around their bowls is always disgusting, which isn't a problem on the floor since I have mats underneath them. However, as bulldogs do, they ALWAYS push their bowl against the wall and therefore I have food and food particles and accompanying muck all over my walls and baseboards.

I just replaced my baseboards and would like to have an alternative to my weekly scrub session with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

Does anyone have any suggestions for bowls or a feeding apparatus that limits the mess at mealtime? We've tried non-skid bowls, non-skid mats, deeper bowls, moving bowls, and now I'm at a loss.

Thanks in advance any suggestions!

Do they eat near each other? Perhaps if they are in different areas they won't feel the need to attack the bowl like its the last morsel of food they will ever get...

Mine are the same so I'm experimenting on feeding apart to see if it helps. I believe there is no hope for Molly though, Mrs. Wonder tongue will make a mess no matter where she eats lol


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2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Honestly, never had an issue. Nitschke ate so slow and neatly... Banks does not let a morsel go to waste, not does Cheli. so there area is pretty clean. Now, if only I could get Banks to be as good with the water bowl.
 

Davidh

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We feed all the girls in their crates, so no mess. They never really made a mess though. Buddy eats in the kitchen on a rug and no mess either, if he does drop a piece when he's done and we let the girls out Missy or Lucy will Hoover it up..
 
OP
sheshistory

sheshistory

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Bentley, Linus, Truman
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  • Thread starter
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Do they eat near each other? Perhaps if they are in different areas they won't feel the need to attack the bowl like its the last morsel of food they will ever get...

Mine are the same so I'm experimenting on feeding apart to see if it helps. I believe there is no hope for Molly though, Mrs. Wonder tongue will make a mess no matter where she eats lol


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk :)

They eat on the opposite sides of the kitchen so I don't think it's that they are in a hurry for fear the other one will get to it, they're just messy! It's not the random kibble that I hate picking it, it's the "muck" that seems to get all over the walls around the bowls.

Truman sounds like Molly! He's a mess when he does ANYTHING because of that big, sloppy tongue!
 

bullmama

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The outside of the bowl is messier than the inside!!! Lol


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk :)
 

JeannieCO

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Mar 11, 2011
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Boy I'm no help here. Jack is my messy eater, not Wilson or Emma. Jack drops kibbles all over the floor as he's eating, I mean like 30 plus kibbles at a time. Emma doesn't drop any and Wilson may drop just a few here and there but he's a slow eater too. I'm absolutely no help here.
 

wheezer

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I have come to the conclusion that bullies can be slobs!!! LOL
 

anatess

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I got those black rubber/plastic mats from PetCo that has raised sides. First, it prevents the mess (dropped kibble, dropped meat, water, etc) from flying off the mat, second it prevents the bowl from sliding off the mat. The mat has rubber sides and bottoms so it doesn't skid. And to clean it, I just wipe it down with antibacterial wipes. It's a big, big help.

The rest is just training. I trained the dogs to eat over their bowls/mat instead of running off with their food.

i have a video of the mats in the Raw Food section under the thread title "Neat and Tidy PMR Dinner". I used those same mats when I was still feeding kibble. You can see there how it stops the bowl from sliding off, so I feed them in the middle of the kitchen and I've never had to worry about my baseboards or walls.

Maybe this will work for you too?
 
OP
sheshistory

sheshistory

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Jul 11, 2010
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Bentley, Linus, Truman
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
I got those black rubber/plastic mats from PetCo that has raised sides. First, it prevents the mess (dropped kibble, dropped meat, water, etc) from flying off the mat, second it prevents the bowl from sliding off the mat. The mat has rubber sides and bottoms so it doesn't skid. And to clean it, I just wipe it down with antibacterial wipes. It's a big, big help.

The rest is just training. I trained the dogs to eat over their bowls/mat instead of running off with their food.

i have a video of the mats in the Raw Food section under the thread title "Neat and Tidy PMR Dinner". I used those same mats when I was still feeding kibble. You can see there how it stops the bowl from sliding off, so I feed them in the middle of the kitchen and I've never had to worry about my baseboards or walls.

Maybe this will work for you too?

Thanks for the great suggestions.

I have tried the mats with the black non-skid feet and raised sides and they push the bowls right off that - they must be special. :) But I think there's something to this idea of relocating the bowls and mats away from the walls. I might try maybe feeding them by their crates or somewhere else so that even if they make a mess, I can easily clean it.

Also, to be clear, they're not making a mess because they're bad or anything. They eat all the food. It's just this brown muck that they produce when they eat somehow gets EVERYWHERE!!!

I was also considering one of those raised feeders? Anyone ever try one of those?

Thanks again for all the suggestions thus far - it sounds like I have a weird problem and a couple of messy bullies! :bully:
 
D

DaisyBulldog

Guest
:sarcastic::rofl::lmaoboy::LMAO: OMG, someone else with a messy bulldog!!!!!! Daisy has been a challenge in this department, eating with such gumption she moves her bowl all over the room, and yes, splatters I don't even know what on the walls and carpet. I tried using ceramic bowls that would be too heavy to move, but they gave her a terrible case of acne. I tried a raised feeder, but that also seemed to aggrevate her chin. And neither stopped the slobber residue. I ended up devising a solution that has worked nicely. I took a very large piece of cardboard (off a big box), folded it, and then covered it with part of an old sheet. Half the cardboard rests against the wall, and half on the floor. The bowl stays put better, and the slobber ends up on the sheet, which I can then throw in the washer. TA DA!!!!

IMG_4730.jpg

Here, found a pic. I have taken away the raised feeder, as I said. It ain't the prettiest thing, but it sure protects the walls and carpet.
 

Twice

My Bully Gave Me Wings
Feb 3, 2012
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Woodbridge Township, NJ
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Abby (my Sweetie Head 10.24.11-11.23.12) and Otis
I use those cheap, cloth dish drainer mats. The ones I get are like 4 bucks at Shop Rite and are already folded in 3. One of the fold sides I stick up against the cabinets where they eat. When they are done I throw it in the washer and keep it folded until their next meal. I also use them under the water bowls. It helps keep at least a little of my floor dry
 

truffle shuffle

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Dec 23, 2012
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Chunk
You could spritz the wall with a little water, and then stick some plastic wrap to it, and then just peeel it off and re-stick every couple of days. It's ghetto-fab but you'll have clean base-boards :)
 

anatess

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Jul 26, 2011
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Bullie (RIP) & Angus (RIP)
I read somewhere that English Bulldogs are high risk for bloat. If thats true then raised dishes is not recommended. I'm not very sure how accurate this is as I never considered raised dishes. Might be worth looking into though.
 

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