Feeding Schnauzer & Puppy Separately

Keeping a resident dog's food away from a new puppy — or vice versa — is one of the first practical headaches people hit. Is it the Schnauzer who's the food thief, the puppy, or both trying to raid each other's bowls?

That changes things significantly. If she's on a prescription low-fat diet for pancreatitis, the puppy's high-calorie food isn't just annoying — it's a genuine health risk for her. We need a solution that locks her out of the puppy's bowl reliably, not just inconveniently. How old is the puppy, and does the Schnauzer wear a microchip or collar?

Perfect — microchip is exactly what you need. My recommendation is the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder. It reads your Schnauzer's microchip and keeps the lid closed when she approaches, so only the registered pet can access that bowl. You'd set it up for the puppy's feeder, meaning the Schnauzer physically cannot get into it even if left unsupervised. It works with standard 15-digit microchips and has a decent-sized bowl that suits a Lab pup at that age. The lid closes smoothly — not a slam that'll spook a young dog — and it runs on batteries so placement is flexible.

For that I'd actually just use a raised feeder or feed the Schnauzer somewhere the puppy can't reach yet — a worktop, a chair, a baby-gated room. At 10 weeks a Lab cross won't be jumping up for a while. That buys you several months before you need a second tech solution. Once he's bigger and bolder, you could add a second SureFeed registered to the Schnauzer only, but right now elevation is free and instant.

Yes — the bowl lifts straight out and is dishwasher safe. The mat underneath is also removable. The lid mechanism itself just needs a wipe down. For a mucky Lab puppy it holds up fine.