When buying pet dishes, consider the specific needs of your pet first. Think not only about the size of your pet, but how well the animal will be able to access his or her food and water. Health issues are also an important consideration when buying pet dishes.
Most pet experts advise on glass or stainless steel dishes. Plastic tends to scratch easily and even tiny scratches can foster the build-up of bacteria. This source of bacteria has been mentioned as a possible cause of canine and feline acne, or at least as a contributing factor. The acne starts as dark spots around the mouth and chin, but if the spots become red and infected they can be very painful for your pet.
Ceramic dishes are often more difficult to keep clean than glass or metal pet dishes. When buying pet dishes, it may be a good idea to forgo ceramic ones altogether in cases a lead-based glaze was used. Small, sturdy glass dishes may work well for cats and small dogs, although they aren't great for dogs who like to push their food dishes all over the floor.
Stainless steel dishes are smooth and usually very easy to keep clean, plus they're unbreakable. If you want to stop a pet from moving his or her dishes all over the floor, look for the weighted type of stainless steel dish. You can also look for rubber bottoms when buying pet dishes, but be sure the whole dish is easy to keep clean. Stainless steel pet dishes also fit in well with all types of kitchen decor. Some people like to add a cute or colorful laminated place mat that's easy to wipe clean under pet dishes.
Pick a spot without a lot of traffic or noise so your pet can eat without a lot of disruption. Cats may even stop eating if they can't easily access their food and this may be very dangerous, healthwise. If you have a dog with long ears or a very large dog, you can find specialty pet dishes to meet the health needs of your pet. When buying pet dishes for long-eared dogs look for types that keep their ears out of the water and food. For large dogs, look for raised dishes to avoid joint problems in the neck and shoulders from stooping to reach pet dishes on the floor.