Pet Lodge® Automatic Dog Feeder | Chow Hound Outdoor Pet Feeder for Large Dogs | Tough Galvanized Steel | Made in USA | 50 Pound

Great quality

Came in the mail fast, had a slight dent but it didn’t effect its appearance much or functionality. 2/4 dogs learned within 5 minutes of showing them. I did have to put a little cat food in there for them to attempt it. Love it so far, bought to keep chickens out of the dog food

I have two dogs, a cattledog and a small rat terrier/chihuahua type. Initially both were weary or scared of the feeder, we didn't allow them to get food any other way than from the feeder to start out. This meant at first that during feeding times I had to sit with them and hold it open or slightly open it, sometimes gently nudging them into it with their head/nose to open it until they learned it wouldn't harm them and that at any time they could open it to get the food inside. My cattledog learned and mastered this after about 2 training sessions and the little dog took some more work. She was very scared/unsure about it so I went extra slow with her adding in treats to the food and holding it open for extended periods at first for her to just get used to eating inside of it, then I started smacking the metal while she ate (light and quiet at first, gradually louder) so she got used to noise and metal sound when eating/opening and closing. Once she was comfortable with that I started leaving it open smaller and smaller for her until she had to wedge it open more with her face to get to the food, after that she started to play with it trying to find a way to open it until she got the hang of nudging her head/nose into the door. So as expected just a little patience and soon they learned how to use it, they love always having food regardless of our schedules/life needs and we are delighted that they are taken care of even if we get home late or take a day trip. The feeder holds one of those massive dog food bags (25lbs or so) which is fantastic to double as storage. Flies have been around but I figure after I tape over the back screw holes (for securing/mounting) it should help get rid of them. If you have a small dog that is going to use this just be patient and keep in mind that to them this thing is massive, for us it would be like slamming your head into a 2-3 story house to get food. They will learn, making it the only way to get food greatly speeds the process though be responsible. I am not saying to starve them as you still need to set aside time to be there for meal assistance/training since they won't be able to eat any other way. After they know how to open it though you are free to put down your regular indoor bowl or normal setup. I am sure any dog can learn how to use it, just some require more patience and training than others.

I had the task of feeding animals every day, and I realized I could save time by buying one of these. Then I realized I could save even more time by buying two. This product constitutes a simple but effective idea: put food into a queue so that animals can eat it on-demand. This frees you from having to feed them every day. ------------------------------ Additional PROS: ✔ Dogs have to learn how to push the door open. (I had to teach ours.) This learning curve would appear to create a pretty convenient obstacle for pests, rodents, and even neighbors' dogs. One side note is that it probably isn't that bad if a rodent figured out how to open the door. You would then essentially have a honeypot in your yard, possibly making it easier for your animals to hunt it. Additionally, it might deter the rodent from looking for additional food in your house. ✔ Dogs stopped fighting over food and around food almost immediately. ✔ It is very easy to load food into the feeder. The top panel opens and the opening is big enough to make pouring the food easy and spilling the food unlikely. ✔ It has been rain-proof. It is constructed well enough and there are a couple of ledges that make it unlikely rain will ever enter the feeder. ✔ There are holes on the back of the feeder if you want to secure it to something, or even hang it above ground. ✔ Perhaps intuitively (or counter-intuitively), our dogs are growing leaner. To me it makes sense. If they know they can get food at any time, why gorge? ------------------------------ Some CONS to consider: ✘ The magnet system isn't perfect. I had to prop one so that it tilted forward a little bit. This was so the magnets would connect when the door closed. It wouldn't matter much if the door didn't close completely. It just looks better and makes it less likely unwelcome animals will find the food. ✘ Although one feeder holds a lot of food, I wish they made bigger sizes. (Update: It looks like they now have a 50-pound version: 50 Pound Chow Hound Dog Feeder .) ------------------------------ In SUMMARY, great idea and a good product. I would recommend buying as many as you're comfortable with to increase the amount of time between feedings. Likewise, I would recommend having a bunch of water bowls. ------------------------------ UPDATE: 2016 Our two feeders have been outside now for over three years. They're still going strong. We live in South Texas, and the weather can be hot and humid, and occasionally stormy. The only apparent deterioration is on the front doors. They've become grimy and discolored. My guess is that's the area that comes into contact with the dogs' heads. ------------------------------ UPDATE: 2018 Our two feeders have been outside now for over five years! The main point of deterioration is the front of the doors, but it's nothing major. It looks like some surface rust has set in, and the doors continue to acquire grime from the top of the dogs' heads. I know the grime can be cleaned off, and I believe the surface rust can be treated. What's very impressive is how the rest of the feeder doesn't seem to ever deteriorate at all. For instance, the top of the each feeder basically looks the same as when it arrived. We also discovered that this feeder is so simple, even a small puppy can learn how to use it. I showed one or two how to open the door, and it seems like they all learned from each other after that - in only a few days. I've tried to upload a video. The puppies in the video were still nursing, and in fact they had just barely developed any teeth at all.

Great feeder for my5yr old black lab. Bought a 2nd one too.Plus made in USA. Happy with purchase.

We have had a number of different feeding systems over the years, and so far this is the best we have had. The product is American made, sturdy, and coated to eliminate rust. It will easily hold the 25 lbs. it is rated for, and kibble feeds nicely down through the bin into the bottom so the dogs can eat. The top opens to the back, making it more secure from accidental opening by a frisky dog. We also like that the feeding door has a small magnet that keeps the door shut when not in use, but can be easily pushed open by even a small dog. This keeps birds and larger insects out of the dog's food, making for a healthier system. So far, it has proven rain proof, even in heavy rains. It has two holes on the backside that we used to mount the unit to our fence, placing the feeder close enough to the ground that the dogs can easily access it to eat, but not sitting on the ground when pests such as ants will find it. We recommend caulking around the unit once installed so that ants cannot get behind it and enter through the mounting holes or gaps. We have had several similar models in plastic, however, they subject to UV light deterioration, and the feeding doors do not close completely, making them more attractive to bugs and even some birds. We also had problems with the plastic units with puppies chewing them up. We think this is a great product and we are very grateful that Miller Manufacturing builds it.

Our st bernard eats like a beast . This is soooo wonderful to not have to go bring food out everyday, especially in canadian winters. Very durable, value for money is good. Size is good, could be a little bigger but for reg sized dogs this would be perfect. Easy to clean, water proof. Really enjoying this and we have had it over a year already

A un año de uso sigue en excelente estado.

Overall the product works great, allowing me to free feed my dogs while not having to worry about filling up their bowls every day. Unfortunately one of my dogs is too gentle with it and had to be trained to even eat out of it (she only does because I don't give her other options). She's sensitive and doesn't like to hear the door slam so she eases her head out and the magnet door doesn't end up closing all the way. Rodents are a problem where we live and I've seen them stealing dog food when it's left open. Works great for my other dog who doesn't care and loves to eat.

Fast Shipping and product works great.

Excelente ya no se comen la comida de mis perros los pájaros, y no se moja cuando llueve!