Dog Bowls for Maltese and Malamute

Having a Maltese and an Alaskan Malamute in the same house means you're dealing with two completely opposite feeding needs — a tiny dog who should eat close to floor level, and a large breed who'll strain their neck and risk gulping air if they're eating from the ground. Bowl type and height genuinely affect digestion and comfort, and getting this wrong can cause anything from mild discomfort to bloat in a big dog. So tell me a bit more: how old are your two, is the Malamute a fast eater, and what are you currently using for each of them?

That's a really common setup but it's not working well for your Malamute. A large dog eating fast from floor level is a recipe for gulping air, and in deep-chested breeds that raises bloat risk. He needs a raised feeder at a height where his neck is roughly level — for a Malamute that's usually around 30–35cm off the ground. Does he have any joint issues, or is it mainly the speed eating that concerns you?

Right, so the priority for him is slowing him down and getting that bowl off the floor. For your Maltese, a standard bowl at floor level is genuinely fine — small dogs don't need elevation, and raising it can actually make them strain upward uncomfortably. So you need two separate setups rather than one combined solution. For your Malamute, I'd go with the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl in the large size, placed on a raised stand at around 30cm. The slow feeder maze cuts eating time dramatically — owners with fast large-breed dogs consistently report going from 20 seconds to 3–4 minutes, which is exactly what you need. Pair it with a basic elevated stand like the Pawsome Pets adjustable raised feeder so you can set the right height. For your Maltese, just a good stainless steel bowl on the floor is all she needs.

There are combined units but they tend to compromise on one thing or the other — either the slow feeder insert is too shallow to really work, or the stand height is fixed at a level that doesn't suit your dog. Buying the slow feeder bowl and stand separately means you can dial in the exact height and replace either part independently if one wears out. The Outward Hound large slow feeder is also considerably cheaper than the combined elevated slow feeder units, and it genuinely works better because the maze is deeper.

Exactly. For a small dog with no specific concerns, a stainless steel bowl — something like the Petface stainless bowl in a small size — is the right call. Easy to clean, durable, doesn't harbour bacteria the way plastic does. Keep it on the floor and you're sorted. Your main focus is getting the Malamute's setup right: Outward Hound large slow feeder bowl on an adjustable raised stand at around 30cm. That will make a real difference to his digestion and your stress levels at mealtimes.