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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 2:49:00 GMT
My dogs do eat twice a day. But like caz2golden mine is a multi dog household and raw fed. So for us your idea would not be practical. Hope our comments will help you decide how to go forward with your project.
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Post by swoots on Oct 10, 2014 2:57:49 GMT
Hi Tina
Just been reading about what others think and I know that if I was a dog owner it would not be something that I would buy.
There is one thing that was not been mentioned and that is the cost of this gadget. What sort of price were you looking at as you must have an idea.
I have two cats and I know that I wouldn't leave them for days on their own. It is bad enough when we do have to leave them on their own when we do go out. Someone mentioned about toilet breaks what happens then with a dog at least with cats they have the use of a tray or can go outside .
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 3:06:59 GMT
I wash his food and water bowls every day. I can't think of a reason I would need a machine to feed him as I don't like him eating while I'm not there to supervise. I guess your pet eat twice every day, before you go to work and after you go back, right? if you can programmed the meal times and dispensed food for each meal, meanwhile, you can see your pet eating through phone APP connected with camera in feeder, how do you think? So the camera on the feeder would allow me to watch my dog choking on a bone or starting to bloat whilst I am at work miles away? Sorry to be negative but maybe this will save you lot of time and energy on a product that might not be a best seller. I always supervise my dogs' meals and immediately remove anything uneaten as I don't want to attract flies. However, I am intrigued, about how the bowl would be cleaned after the pet has eaten all his ration.
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Post by alfiemummy on Oct 10, 2014 7:44:14 GMT
Was just going to say that exact thing zahada! How am I supposed to stop him choking through an app? I won't even give him a chew stick when I leave - he gets two small kibble biscuits and that's it.
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 9:54:05 GMT
What pets do you have or regularly care for Tina?
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 10:06:56 GMT
There's another reason why I wouldn't allow access to food when I am not there. The dogs get excited about food, we have had guarding issues. Hence we now follow a strict protocol. Each dog is reminded that feeding times are not frenzied free for all, but time to relax with his portion with plenty for each dog. There is no whining, barking, jumping, pacing, no urging me to get on with it when the food is being prepared and the dishes go on the floor.
Each dog then has to give me a soft calm eye contact before they can eat.
So feeding times, in our house, are also training sessions. Every day, twice a day.
Very interesting thread.
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Post by alfiemummy on Oct 10, 2014 10:14:26 GMT
It could come in handy for some dog owners. One of the dogs I walk has bladder crystals and is on a special diet, it makes him throw it up if he has it in 2 meals so he has it in 3 with one at lunchtime after I walk him. It's part of the reason they get me to walk him.
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 10:27:10 GMT
It could come in handy for some dog owners. One of the dogs I walk has bladder crystals and is on a special diet, it makes him throw it up if he has it in 2 meals so he has it in 3 with one at lunchtime after I walk him. It's part of the reason they get me to walk him. I take it he is on a diet meant to dissolve the crystals? So in a few week's time he will not have the crystals and be back to his normal food and feeding times? Anyway you are there to fulfill his lunchtime needs? Do you think his owners would be happy to replace you with an automated feeder? And no walk?
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Post by alfiemummy on Oct 10, 2014 10:29:53 GMT
zahada he's actually on a permanent diet for the crystals. No they wouldn't replace me (i hope lol!) as they need me to walk him to provide extra exercise on their work days.
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 10:37:22 GMT
So, I wonder, who the intended market is for this product? I think the Americans are more into mechanisation and automation than us in the UK. We love the personal touch! And physical touch not cyber touch!
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 11:50:12 GMT
What I find interesting in this thread is our responses without knowing the cost. Now, who would use the feeder if it was free? Would you enter a competition to win one?
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Post by caz2golden on Oct 10, 2014 12:03:48 GMT
No I would not enter a competition to win one for free.
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Post by caz2golden on Oct 10, 2014 12:10:46 GMT
Another thing to consider is material its made of.
Have you investigated which materials leach chemicals?
Plastics are often listed as problematic for leaching chemicals that can cause medical issues. There are a few ok ones. But how many people check what plastic the bowls are made out of. As I cant hold long scientific names in my head I use the simple answer avoid plastic bowls.
Though thats not to say that cheap metal or ceramic bowls are any better (they can also be problematic).
My dogs feed from ceramic or metal bowl.
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Post by zahada on Oct 10, 2014 12:23:21 GMT
My dogs eat out of metal bowls. The food doesn't stay there long. LOL.
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Post by alfiemummy on Oct 10, 2014 13:35:47 GMT
What I find interesting in this thread is our responses without knowing the cost. Now, who would use the feeder if it was free? Would you enter a competition to win one? Of course I would enter a competition to win one - it's free! Does that mean i would actually use it? No. Still interested to know how its self cleaning or have I missed that bit?
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