How to Stop Your Dog From Tipping the Food Bowl: 7 Steps

Updated on Mar 15, 2024

There are many reasons why your dog might be tipping their food bowl over, from it not being sturdy enough to them eating too quickly to not liking what’s inside. It could be a simple solution, or you may have to make a few changes. Either way, there are a few steps that you can take to prevent them from tipping their food bowl. Let’s jump straight in to find out more.

The 7 Steps to Stop Your Dog From Tipping Their Food Bowl

1. Make Sure Your Dog Is Eating in the Right Environment

This might sound strange, but the place that Fido eats can affect their eating habits. If they don’t feel comfortable where you feed them, either because they think that you or another pet might take their food away or because it is next to a loud washing machine, they might be trying to wolf their food down. In the process of trying to inhale the food, they will probably knock their bowl over. Find a secluded and safe space that they can eat their food in peace and you might find that they slow down.

2. Train Them Not to Tip

It might be a simple case of them being naughty, and puppies often do this. If you think this could be the reason, keep watch as they eat, and if they purposefully tip it over, a firm “no” is needed. If they manage to tip it over, remove the bowl and the spilled food and leave them. Wait for around an hour and try again. Slowly, they will learn that by tipping the bowl, they lose their food.

3. Use a Heavier Bowl

Image Credit: dogboxstudio, Shutterstock

Your dog might be tipping their bowl over on accident, and if so, they might need a heavier bowl. If this is the case, look for a ceramic bowl or a weighted bowl that they will not be able to tip over easily.

4. Use an Elevated Feeding Station

Alternatively, you could choose an elevated feeding station. This way, the bowl stays put in the stand. This is only an option for larger dogs unless you want to build a ramp up to the feeding station.

5. Place a Rubber Mat Underneath

Some owners find that placing a rubber mat is enough to stop their pups from tipping their bowls. This is likely only to work with smaller dogs who haven’t got a lot of power behind their nudging noses.

6. Use a Slow-Feeder Bowl

If your dog eats far too quickly or changing their eating areas didn’t calm them down, a slow-feeder bowl is an option also. By squishing their food into the nooks and crannies of the bowl, they have to work harder to reach it, which in turn slows them down.

Or, if your dog is anything like this English Bull Terrier, Sid, they might not have the patience for it! But, thankfully, it works for most dogs.

7. Change Their Food

It could also be because they don’t like what you are putting into their bowl. Although, if they are eating it off the floor, this probably isn’t going to be the reason. If you feed them human foods and spoil them throughout the day, they aren’t likely to eat their boring kibble.

If you are going to try this option, be sure to transition them slowly and buy a small bag of kibble just in case they don’t like that one either.

Optimize the benefits of your dog’s diet with our calorie calculator here.

The Wrap Up

Some of these simple steps will work, but some of them won’t. It’s a case of finding out which ones work for your pup. Often, the first three steps are the most common reasons for dogs tipping their food bowls over, so you should try these ones first.

Good luck!

See also:

Featured Image Credit: Jaromir Chalabala, Shutterstock