The 7 Best Travel Dog Bowls in 2023 | Top Picks

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended international vacation, there are plenty of details to iron out before you start traveling.

If you’re taking your four-legged friend with you, there are even more things to consider – including choosing one of the best travel dog bowls for your pup to drink from while on the move. 

What Are the Best Travel Dog Bowls?

More and more businesses are now accommodating travelers with dogs, which can open up the range of experiences you can have with your canine companion.

Of course, you’ll want your dog to be just as comfortable and cared for as any other friend joining you on a vacation. For that reason, it’s vital to provide easy and convenient water access.

This can be accomplished in a few ways, but there’s no simpler strategy than finding the right travel bowl for the job.

If you’re wondering which is the most appropriate choice for your situation, keep reading for a list of our top picks to help you narrow down the field of contenders.

Our Top 7 Picks for the Best Travel Dog Bowls:

1. Best Overall: Guardians Travel Water Bottle and Bowls
2. Best Design: Xerath Silicone Collapsible Bowl
3. Best Construction: Ruff Products BarkBowl
4. Best Portability: Winsee Collapsible Dog Bowls
5. Best Value: Meanplan Portable Dog Bowls
6. Best Features: Lucky Tail Dog Travel Bag
7. Best Portability: Cudly Portabowl

Maybe you’re planning for hikes through the wilderness or it might be a relaxing getaway, but any outing with your dog needs to include all of your pet’s necessities.

Your pet requires frequent hydration, so choosing a clean and easy-to-carry water bowl is a must. Before we get to our list of leading contenders, let’s specify exactly which travelers our advice is intended to help.

Why You Need a Travel Dog Bowl

Dog owners who only engage in casual activities with their dogs might not see the need for a travel dog bowl. If you always board your pet when you head out on a trip, there might not be an immediate desire to purchase a bowl other than the one you use at home.

Nevertheless, these products can offer a great deal of convenience for anyone with a dog. For example, even a trip to the dog park can result in your dog needing a drink of fresh water.

Having a portable bowl on hand will allow you to control exactly how much access your pet has to a water source.

In addition to simply providing a convenient vessel for your dog’s water, some of the items on our list of top picks also come with other intriguing options and features. Keep reading to determine which is the best choice for your pet.

Best Travel Dog Bowls: Our Top 7 Picks

There are several overarching factors we focused on when compiling the list below. No matter which of the individual designs you find most compelling, you can take comfort in knowing that it has a reputation for durability, value, and functionality. 

1. Guardians Travel Bottle and Bowls – Best Overall

If you want to make sure that your dog will always have access to something to eat and drink, this is a great option. It comes with a container that will hold clean food and water separately.

Open the respective spouts and pour some out in one of the two collapsible bowls that come attached. It’s easy to remove the bowls so you can fill them up, plus you can just take the bowls separately if you don’t need a supply of food and water.

In the end, this is a convenient setup that will serve any dog owner well while traveling a significant distance.

Of course, some reviews have pointed to the possibility that water can leak out of the bottle if it is not securely closed. While the container holds a decent amount of water and food, that means it might not be the best option if space is especially limited.

Otherwise, the materials used appear to be high quality and the innovative bottle offers some functionality that some of its top competitors don’t provide. 

2. Xerath Silicone Collapsible Bowl – Best Design

The problem with traditional bowls is that you must choose whether to use one for food or water. That means carrying two bowls around if you plan to offer something to eat and drink at the same time.

This clever design, however, has addressed this possible limitation. It’s made of durable silicone and is divided into two sections. This allows you to pour a significant amount of water into one side while keeping it completely separate from the food contained in the other.

Carrying just one bowl with you while traveling makes it easier to keep up with everything and will allow you to feed your dog even quicker than before.

It’s a lightweight product, which makes it especially easy to tote during a long walk or in almost any other circumstance.

Of course, that feature can also be a hindrance. Some owners have complained that its thin construction makes it prone to collapsing under the weight of the water.

It might also be easier for some dogs to tear apart than some more sturdy options on our list. Nevertheless, this is a sufficiently sturdy product for most uses and provides a simpler solution than ordinary food and water bowls. 

3. Ruff Products BarkBowl – Best Construction

If you’re traveling with a rambunctious dog that frequently chews through toys and other materials, this might be a great option for your next trip.

It’s also built to withstand the dings and scratches that might occur when it is packed away in a backpack or suitcase. This product also boasts a sleek look and a design that allows it to fold up to the most compact size possible.

When fully extended, this bowl has high sides that will allow you to fill it with plenty of food or water for almost any breed. While it offers just about anything a dog owner might demand in a travel bowl, only one comes in an order.

By the time you purchase one for food and another one for water, it’s likely that you’ll be spending more on the pair than some other options on our list.

That cost does get you a capable and convenient bowl to keep your dog fed and hydrated during any type of trip, though. In the end, this durable product provides plenty of bang for the buck.

4. Winsee Collapsible Dog Bowl – Best Portability

Here’s another alternative for anyone who hopes to purchase an all-in-one solution for food and water. The great design combines everything you’ll need for feeding time, meaning everything can be packed up and easily carried whenever it’s not in use.

One of the best features is the connected mat. This silicone construction not only provides protection for the floor, but it prevents skidding on slick surfaces and can help keep spills to a minimum.

The product is constructed of lightweight materials, which could make the bowls more prone to collapsing or tipping over under the weight of food or water.

Instead, the design adds a layer of sturdiness that will allow almost any dog to eat and drink without spilling any of the contents.

The material itself is easy to clean, but it can be trickier to dump out old food and water when compared to separate bowls. Furthermore, some buyers have pointed to the plastic rim of the bowls as one area where the construction isn’t as high-quality as elsewhere.

Overall, however, this is a highly portable design that provides plenty of reason for any dog owner to at least consider it among the top contenders on the market.

5. Meanplan Portable Dog Bowls – Best Value

While silicone is a popular material for creating travel dog bowls, it isn’t the only option available. In fact, opting for this polyester product might be a compelling way to save a few bucks.

Arriving with a pack of two large bowls, any dog owner will be able to easily unpack each one and fill it with plenty of food and water for pets of almost any size. Of course, the polyester exterior might not be everyone’s favorite look or feel.

It could become stained or ripped, although it appears to be constructed well enough to make it through pretty much any typical outing.

The way it folds up isn’t quite as neat and tidy as some other collapsible bowls, though it’s convenient enough and doesn’t take up much space when in this state. If you’re more interested in function than form, this is an intriguing and affordable item to consider.

6. Lucky Tail Dog Travel Bag – Best Features

Some travelers prefer setting out with as many supplies as possible. This can be a huge benefit if an unexpected issue arises during the trip.

In addition to anticipating potential complications regarding your own luggage, this travel kit will make sure that your dog has everything necessary for a few days away from home.

In addition to sturdy bowls for food and water, this package comes with plenty of space for food, water, toys, and treats.

Keep everything neat, tidy, and secured in this zipper travel bag. It provides a lot for the money, though some reviews noted that its stitching isn’t the highest quality and the zipper can become stuck or broken after heavy use.

If you’re looking for a convenient and spacious travel bag for your dog’s stuff, however, this is one option that should definitely be on your short list.

7. Cudly Portabowl – Best Portability

While it’s true that any top picks on our list of travel dog bowls would naturally be easy to carry, this one is especially convenient. It includes a bowl for food and another one for water, both of which collapse and zip up in a handy case.

Its small size also makes it easily portable, although that comes at the expense of room inside of each bowl. This might mean that your dog is too big to get enough food or water with just one serving.

If you want to make sure you can carry your dog’s bowls almost anywhere without taking up precious space, though, you’ll definitely want to consider this product.

Finding the Best Travel Dog Bowls for You

As with any travel product, there are a few things that all dog bowls should offer in order to be considered a top contender. We’ve included a short list that reflects the primary factors we considered when compiling our recommendations.

Design

Whether you’re hoping to save as much space as possible or keep your options open by including a range of innovative accessories, there’s likely at least one option on our list that fits the bill.

Design is also an important element when it comes to cleaning up and storing the bowls, so be sure to check for all the features you’ll need before settling on a particular brand and model.

Value 

It might be tempting to just purchase the least expensive travel dog bowl available. After all, it’s just a container for dog food and water, right?

While your dog might be happy to eat and drink out of just about anything, you’ll want to ensure that it meets the needs and specifications of any upcoming trips.

That being said, there are several great options for under $20, so you won’t need to drop a significant amount of cash on a relatively simple product.

Safety

Keeping your dog safe should be a top priority when choosing any pet accessories. Only choose dog bowls made of food-safe materials. Fortunately, industry regulations make it easy to find an option crafted out of the appropriate material.

You’ll also want to ensure that the bowl is made of sufficiently sturdy stuff so it won’t create a possible choking hazard.

Size

Portability is a factor when choosing almost any travel-size product, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice functionality. 

Some of the options on our list collapse to a small size while providing plenty of room for enough food or water to satisfy even the largest breeds.

Of course, if your dog is relatively small and won’t be eating or drinking a significant amount at any one time, it might be a good idea to find one of the smaller products for even more convenience. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials should the bowl be made of?

Although many of the top picks in this category use silicone construction, there are other materials that can provide a sanitary place to leave food and water for your dog.

In the end, virtually any product available for purchase is tested and created for safety. Considering the weight and ability to keep each bowl clean are among the other issues to address when determining which material is best.

How should you transport your dog’s travel bowl?

If you choose a bowl that doesn’t come in a specially designed carrying case, be sure to keep it in a piece of luggage or a backpack that won’t become unnecessarily dirty.

Before packing the bowls away, be sure that they are adequately cleaned and completely dry to avoid mold or mildew.

Keeping a container of food and a bottle of water will make it easier to fill the bowls up at meal time, but be sure that everything is sealed up tightly to reduce the possibility of spills.

Can you use a travel bowl for daily feedings?

If you’re looking for a particularly convenient way to use your dog’s travel bowl, it might make sense to use it around the house and simply collapse it when the next trip starts.

Since most high-quality options will stand up to frequent wear and tear, there’s no reason that such a plan won’t work. It’s worth noting, however, that these bowls can typically tear or rip much easier than metal or plastic bowls meant to remain in one place.

How much should you pay for a great travel dog bowl?

Since these products are often made of inexpensive and lightweight materials, the majority of them can be bought for a relatively small sum.

Of course, several options come with unique features and accessories, so be sure to take everything into account when determining whether a preferred product provides sufficient value.

What are some possible problems to consider?

Even the most ingeniously designed product will have at least a few potential shortcomings. Among the common issues some buyers have reported is that free-standing bowls can often tip over when a dog uses them, thus causing food or water to spill onto its surroundings.

Additionally, any item that is made of especially flimsy material can often collapse or tip over from the weight of their contents. 

So, What’s the Best Travel Dog Bowl?

When you’re planning a trip with your pet, it’s important to provide all the necessities. This includes bringing along an appropriate bowl for food and water. The right product might vary depending on how you plan to use them.

If you plan to use it frequently or during an extended trip, it’s probably a good idea to spend a bit more on a more robust and sturdy design. For a quick weekend trip or just occasional use, however, a standard collapsible bowl made of silicone is probably sufficient.