On the road with your pet? You need a travel water bowl!

If you are constantly on the road or on the move, you need a good travel water bowl so that you can take along your dog or cat. Maybe you want a portable, no spill water bowl so your pet can drink while you drive!

There are many shoddy travel bowls and travel dishes on the market so you need to pay attention. We’ve said it many times before on Pet Comfort Products: you get what you pay for. In general, a portable dog water bowl won’t cost much money. Please spend a couple of extra dollars for the quality.

A good travel dish will be easy to clean and use. It should last and last, even after repeated uses. You should be able to hand wash the portable dog bowl without any worries. If the dish will be used for both food and water, you might want to make sure that you can clean it in a washing machine, but that isn’t critical. Hand washing is usually quite sufficient, just be sure to look for material that is stain resistant.

Nearly all travel water bowls can be collapsed. They are usually made of fabric which makes them easy to fold and store. They are good for both dogs and cats. Keep in mind that they are generally lighter and smaller than regular water bowls so that can be a challenge if you have a larger animal. But that's the tradeoff: small but portable.

Interestingly, not all fabric bowls are water resistant. Some are meant just for food but not for water. Be careful when you make your purchase. If the fabric dish isn’t waterproof, you obviously can’t fill it with water for your pet. The best fabric bowls can be used for both water and food. Simply turn it inside out, if you only have one with you.

If you like to hike or backpack with your dog, fabric bowls are a good choice. We recommend that you find a water bowl that has a ring or clasp so that you can attach it to your bags or backpack. It is very easy to lose these bowls if you aren’t careful.

Like a heated pet dish, the travel bowl should be durable and strong. Quality is critical. It will be folded and unfolded perhaps hundreds of times. Also, many dogs and cats like to play with fabric dishes. Sometimes the travel water bowl becomes a travel pet toy. You’ll have to demand some obedience from your pet or the dish could get ruined quite quickly.

Some travel water bowls are splash proof. Naturally these bowls are not flexible, foldable fabric. Instead, splash proof bowls are made of plastic. They have been engineered to resist splashing and dripping, even when your pet is aggressive. There aren’t many good plastic travel bowls on the market, unfortunately.

Our final recommendation is that you consider buying at least two travel water bowls. Most active people have at least one for home and one for the car. They are relatively inexpensive but they are extremely convenient.