Strength (based on dog size and length of trip)
Most of the bottles we tested are of different sizes. The weather, the size of your dog, and the availability of water during your adventure all factor into choosing a water bottle capacity. It is often difficult to determine how hydrated your dog is before going out; we can’t ask a dog to “climb a camel” before an adventure like your human friends. We always like to carry more when possible.
We usually use small bottles for our medium-sized dogs on short walks in cool weather. On hot summer days, we choose a high-capacity bottle or bring extra water to refill the dog’s bottle as we go.
Leaky construction
We tested each bottle for leaks during normal use. No one wants to waste precious water on a long trip or have it spill all over their pack or car while on the road. A good water bottle for your dog should be able to be carried without leaking. Most of the bottles we tested have O-rings and gaskets that provide a tight seal and prevent leakage when stored.
We left the bottles upside down on the tissue paper overnight, and none of them leaked. We based our leak rate on how the bottles perform in the field and how much water is lost filling and draining the bowls after the dogs have finished drinking. Our rating system ranges from 0-10, with 10 indicating the best leak-proof construction and least water wastage during use.
One-handed operation
Most of the bottles we tested require two hands, with locks and buttons that must be pressed or turned. Between holding laces again disposal bagshaving a single handed design would be desirable. There was only one bottle we tested that was truly one-handed: the MalsiPree Leak Proof Portable Dog Travel Bottle. The rest required some help from the second to turn the bowl for the dogs to drink or turn the lock. We didn’t find the two-handed operation to be the key for us, as most of the time spent with the bottles was using weight when walking while being clipped to a leash or belt.
Easy to clean design
Anything that can go straight into the dishwasher will be easy to clean and sanitize. With many models of water bottles that recycle unused dog drinking water for later use, it is important to clean the bottles thoroughly between uses. Most of the bottles we tested have small parts that come apart for easy cleaning and, most importantly, they can go straight in the dishwasher.
Built-in container against squeezing and draining
The bottles we tested can be put into several different categories. A regular bottle has a separate container similar to what dogs use at home. There are squeeze and drain bottles that have a straw that draws water up as you squeeze, fills the silicone bowl that flips up, and returns it to the bottle when you release the bottle. There are also tilt-to-fill models with flap designs that use gravity to fill flaps or containers and then use gravity to return to the bottles.
This usually comes down to personal preference and whether you’d rather have a squishy bottle that you squeeze to quickly fill the bowl or tilt and fill the water the normal way. Tilt-and-fill bottles usually have hard cases, made of stainless steel or hard plastic.
Material safety (BPA-free, food-grade silicone)
We didn’t test any bottles that we wouldn’t use ourselves. When shopping for a dog bottle, it’s important to look for materials that are safe for humans, and most brands will display that information prominently on their websites.