Joel Brown has a simple message for pet owners: Using an elevated food bowl throughout your pet’s life helps improve digestion for dogs and cats.
“So many issues for dogs and cats can be addressed by elevated feeding,” says Brown, the founder of Jovial Pet and inventor of the JoviBowl. “I don’t think there’s been enough research done on all the health benefits it can provide.”
JoviBowl’s creation
Brown, an avid designer, and woodworker, first created the JoviBowl to make mealtimes easier for Enzo, his Jack Russell terrier, when the dog wore a “cone of shame,” after he tore his cranial cruciate ligament. “The post-surgery recovery was brutal,” Brown says. “Eating became more than a chore … it was stressful for both of us, the difficulty of removing and replacing the cone after feedings became a living nightmare.”
Brown searched for a solution that would allow Enzo to eat while wearing the cone but couldn’t find anything.
“I decided to create a solution for us, a feeding system that would allow him to eat comfortably while he continued to wear his cone,” Brown says. “This was the first step in creating JoviBowl. Throughout three years of continuous development and speaking with many other pet parents, I discovered numerous benefits from a feeding system like this. Furthermore, I realized how JoviBowl could provide a better feeding experience to pets of all ages and sizes, and in the long term, have a real impact on the health and happiness of all pets.”
After Enzo’s death, Brown adopted a blind dog named Loka and found using Enzo’s elevated bowl also helped her eat. “Again, the JoviBowl became an amazing solution for a struggling dog,” Brown says. “Because of our success stories, I decided JoviBowl is a solution that all struggling pet parents should have access to.”
Meeting a variety of needs
The JoviBowl is customizable for all dogs because you can adjust both the height and the tilt. The removable stainless steel bowl is dishwasher safe and holds 2 cups of dry food or 17 ounces of liquid. The feeder’s base is covered with thermoplastic rubber to create friction with the floor to prevent sliding and scratching.
“It can be the only bowl you ever buy,” Brown says. “It can get you from puppyhood to adult and through good times and bad.”
The JoviBowl is the only elevated bowl that allows dogs wearing cones to eat without discomfort, something most dogs have to do at some point, even if it’s just while recovering after being spayed or neutered.
The bowl also makes it easier to eat for dogs with disabilities like blindness or difficulty swallowing and helps dogs as they age or develop arthritis.
Using an elevated bowl also reduces mess and the risk that pests or a competing pet will get into your dog’s food.
Reduce neck strain
Eating from a bowl on the floor can increase neck strain for larger dogs or dogs that suffer from arthritis.
Canine arthritis is common as dogs age. It’s essential to feed your dog the right food and monitor his weight to keep him healthy.
Using an elevated food bowl also can help dogs that struggle to stand by, making it easier for them to reach their food bowl.
And the JoviBowl helps dogs that have trouble swallowing or those that sometimes regurgitate their food.
Help short-headed dogs
Dogs classified as brachycephalic or short-headed often have trouble breathing. Breeds considered brachycephalic include bulldogs, pugs, Pekingese, Boston terriers, and Shih Tzus.
Because these dogs have difficulty taking deep breaths, it’s essential to closely monitor them during exercise. You also should consider walking them using a harness rather than a leash and collar to reduce the risk of tracheal collapse.
Feeding brachycephalic dogs using an elevated food bowl also reduces neck strain for these dogs.
The bottom line
The JoviBowl is a high-tech solution to help your pet eat whether he’s young or old, big or small, healthy or sick. The bowl can help dogs with arthritis and joint issues as well as short-headed dogs that have difficulty breathing.
“Most dogs have a difficult time eating at some point,” Brown says. “Using an elevated bowl makes swallowing easier.”
Sara B. Hansen has spent 20-plus years as a professional editor and writer. She’s also the author of The Complete Guide to Cocker Spaniels. She decided to create her dream job by launching DogsBestLife.com in 2011. Sara grew up with family dogs, and since she bought her first house, she’s had a furry companion or two to help make it a home. She shares her heart and home with Nutmeg, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Her previous dogs: Sydney (September 2008-April 2020), Finley (November 1993-January 2008), and Browning (May 1993-November 2007). You can reach Sara @ editor@dogsbestlife.com.