When it comes to keeping our pets happy and healthy, having the right pet essentials—from food and water bowls to high-quality dog food and treats, interactive toys, and smart feeding tools—makes a big difference. Whether you’re managing a daily dog feeding routine, traveling with pets, or caring for multiple animals, the right dog supplies and pet supplies help simplify everyday life for you and your furry family.

We currently feed five dogs and one cat, so we’ve learned a lot about what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to dog feeding supplies, multi-pet household feeding tips, and preventing dog food aggression and resource guarding at mealtime.

In this post, we’ll dive into the dog essentials we use and love, including our favorite slow feeding solutions for pets, and how we use slow feeder bowls for dogs, interactive dog toys, and chew toys for dogs to keep feeding fun and functional. Plus, we’ll share the best water bowl for multiple pets, our go-to pet water dispenser, and must-have no spill dog bowls and portable pet bowls for travel—perfect for RV life, van living, or any small-space setup.

🥣 PET FOOD BOWLS

We use separate food bowls for each pet and only feed once a day—minus a few well-deserved treats, of course. Each cat or dog has their own bowl, and we keep feeding time calm by separating them into different areas or rooms: one in the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, etc… — Johnny the Cat always eats in his case!

This not only encourages slower eating, but it also helps reduce stress and food guarding behaviors. Nobody likes having to protect their dinner, and pets are no different. Giving them space at mealtime ensures everyone gets their fair share and feels safe while eating.

✅ Tip: Feeding your pets in different areas can prevent food aggression and support better digestive health by allowing them to eat at their own pace.

💧 PET WATER BOWLS

While we separate their food, our pets do share one water bowl—both cats and dogs. Over time, we’ve tested different types of pet water bowls and customized our setup for each space — whether we are at the condo, on the road, or staying stationary at the RV Park.

At first, we used just one regular bowl, but with five fur babies, it was nearly impossible to keep up with refills. So, we recently upgraded to a gravity-fill pet water bowl that holds more and automatically refills as needed. It’s perfect when we’re stationary in our RV travel trailer or at the condo and makes sure fresh water is always available.

👉 Gravity-Fill Pet Water Bowl

This is a great solution for multi-pet households. It cuts down on how often you need to refill and ensures your pets always have access to clean water.

🐾 No-Spill Pet Bowls for Life on the Move

When we’re on the road, we’ve also tested:

For van life, when we are traveling in the RV — we use a soft-sided no-spill type of water bowl that has curved edges to help keep the water from spilling and is great for when we are traveling in the RV Van (although we found this a little harder to keep clean).

  • Soft-sided, no-spill bowls with curved interiors that reduce sloshing and are RV-friendly (but they can be harder to clean).

And we have a water bowl that sits in a base for the water to catch around the rim so it will not get on the floors, or seep into the RV Van walls and cabinets!

  • No-spill stainless steel bowls with a rimmed base to catch overflow and keep the floors—and cabinets—dry.

Both options are great for minimizing mess, especially in small spaces like an RV or camper van.

Dog Bowls

>> Get Our Favorite Dog Bowls

Dog Bowls with Mat

>> Dog Bowls With Mat

Collapsible Dog Bowl

>. Collapsible Dog Bowl

Silicone Non-Spill Bowl

>> Silicone Non-Spill Bowl

🧠 INTERACTIVE PET TOYS & FEEDERS

Our animals get bored just like we do—especially with the condo, RV travel trailer, or van life, where space is limited. So, we like to turn feeding into an activity as well as to encourage them to eat more slowly by using:

  • Slow feeder bowls
  • Food-dispensing puzzle toys
  • Hard chew toys (like bones or scented ropes)

These enrichments keep them mentally stimulated, encourage slower eating, and help prevent scarfing and tummy issues. Plus, it’s a fun way to sneak in a little playtime and keep them from swallowing their food!

🍽️ Dog Food & Treats We Love

We’ve tried a lot of dog foods and treats over the years, and these are some of our favorites:

Dog Food (Fresh Pet)

>> Get Our Favorite Dog Food! 

Dog Training Treats

>> Get Our Favorite Dog Training Treats

Blue Buffalo Health Bars

>> Blue Buffalo Health Bars

Greenies Dog Dental Treats

>> Greenies Dog Dental Treats

Flavored High-Calorie Nutritional Gel for Dogs

>> Flavored High-Calorie Nutritional Gel for Dogs

🦴 CHEW BONES (FOR CHEWERS)

Roland was a big chewer when we first brought him home. We had to invest in special dog bones to save our stuff! We found some great flavored bones that don’t stain or flake but slowly wear down over time.

They come in a range of sizes and flavors to suit different dogs—and the others love them too. For sensitive stomachs, we also use digestive-friendly bones, though they don’t last as long.

Recommended Chew Options:

Giving your pets appropriate chew toys not only keeps them occupied, it also helps prevent destructive behavior and supports oral health.

Nylabone Power Chew Toys

>> Nylabone Power Chew Toys

🛍️ Shop Our Pet Essentials

Want to see everything we use? VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE for all our favorite pet products, RV-friendly gear, feeding tools, treats, toys, and more.

Don’t Miss A Thing…

💯 Meet Us: Since Adopting Birdie we’ve acquired 4 more Rescues in our crew! Currently, we have 5 Dogs and One Cat! You can meet all the animals here!

🐾 Follow Us: Also, don’t forget to follow @BirdiesDoghouse on Social Media via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube! Plus, subscribe to the Newsletter for email updates!

🛟 Help Us: Help Birdie on her mission to save more fur babies’ lives just like we did hers! Remember sharing is caring so please spread the word! You can also SHOP our store, and DONATE for the paws!

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