Nobody wants to eat off of a dirty plate, and although dogs generally have a cultural reputation around the world for being “unclean,” that certainly is not true about Labradors! You want to pay attention and be considerate, think about your lab’s health, and use clean dog dishes when you serve your dog her daily entrée of dog food. Using unclean dog dishes for food and water is not only hard to look at, they can actually be dangerous for your pet.
Your dog can develop small, and sometime irritating or bleeding, bumps and pimples in her jawline, face, and elsewhere. These bumps are known as canine acne. Dog acne can be a very troublesome and painful condition, and one way to prevent this from happening is to use clean dishes.
Probably the best way to sanitize your dog dish is to wash it every day. Depending on what kind of dish you use, you may or may not want to put it in the dishwasher. It’s just as easy to scrub it.
Acquiring a separate sponge or cloth just for this purpose is a good idea, rather than using the same utensils that you use for your own dishes. Use regular dish soap, and make sure you rinse and dry well before preparing the next succulent meal of dog food for your pet. Avoid using harsh chemicals, scrubs, or bleaches when cleaning your dog’s food dishes.
It is equally important to make sure you wash and refill your Lab’s water bowl every day. Old, unclean water, teeming with bacteria, is not healthy for dogs to drink any more than it would be healthy for you to drink.
Taking the time to clean and sanatize your pet’s water and food bowls will help ensure they remain healthy. It also makes the food and water more appealing to your dog.
