Water fountains offer a more enticing way for dogs to drink than ordinary drinking bowls and rollerball-tipped faucets. These drinking stations provide a much cleaner and safer drinking area for puppies because of the continuous flow of water, preventing the formation of sediments in the bottom of the pan and keeping the drink tasting as fresh and clean as ever.
Selecting the best dog water fountain shouldn’t be too difficult, but with so many products, it can seem confusing. So if you are having some issues zeroing in on the most appropriate dog fountain for your canine friend, then have a look at our list of the best dog water fountains around. We've reviewed these products, so you don't need to spend hours searching!
A Quick Overview of Our Favorites
The 12 Top-Rated Water Fountains for Dogs
1 PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Plastic Dog Fountain
- 168-ounce water capacity
- Replaceable carbon filter
- Built-in water reservoir
- Dishwasher safe
- Great value for its price
The Drinkwell pet water fountain from PetSafe is one of the most trusted and revered dog fountains preferred by both veteran and novice pet owners. When it comes to providing their pets with the safest and cleanest drink, pet owners enjoy using this water fountain for households with multiple pets so that there’s always fresh, filtered water on the go.
The Platinum is a nifty dog water fountain that has a 168-ounce capacity, fully capable of quenching the thirst of several dogs for the whole day. Adding to the thirst-quenching capabilities of the Drinkwell Platinum is a reservoir that comes built into the chassis of the fountain. At any rate, you don’t have to worry about your pooch running out of fluid to drink during the day.
While it is made of plastic, you can feel safer in the knowledge that it is free from BPA and other chemicals. The spout is positioned high enough to allow for free fall while the bubbles that it creates at the bottom of the dish helps provide aeration for the drink. It operates exceptionally quietly, too, and comes with a highly audible sound to signal that its reservoir needs to be refilled.
- Alert for low water levels
- Quiet
- Replaceable filter
- Hard to clean
- Need to buy extra filters
- Low-quality filter
2 PetSafe Drinkwell 360 Plastic Dog Fountain
- 360-degree drinking area
- 128-ounce water capacity
- Removable and replaceable carbon filter
- Fully adjustable water flow caps
- Hygienic and safe stainless steel design
- Dishwasher safe
This second dog water dispenser from PetSafe boasts a unique 360-degree circular dish serving as a reservoir for the water that falls from its central tower. The Drinkwell 360 dog drinking fountain holds 128 ounces of fluid that gets circulated through its system. A removable and replaceable carbon filter helps make sure that debris and other particles will be filtered effectively, ensuring that your pet’s drink is as safe as it can be.
Adding to the safety of the 360 is its stainless steel construction which has antimicrobial properties. This helps remove any bad tastes or odors to make the drink more enticing. The Drinkwell 360 comes with a fully adjustable control cap so you can create a more efficient water flow; depending on the preferences of your canine friend. You can also change the way the water falls from the tower, giving you plenty of options to play with.
- Adjustable flow
- Catches and cycles water
- Made from stainless steel
- No splash protection
- Filter stops working quickly
3 Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Dog Fountain Raindrop
- Constructed of stainless steel with antimicrobial properties
- 60-ounce capacity
- Replaceable charcoal filter
- Dishwasher safe
If you don’t have multiple pets at home, you probably don’t need a bulky dog water fountain to quench the thirst of your pooch and keep them well hydrated. For households with just one pup, we recommend the Pioneer Pet Raindrop Stainless Steel Pet Drinking Fountain. Unlike other pet drinking fountains that allow for a larger amount of water to be stored, the Pioneer Pet Raindrop comes with a gently sloping dome where water can cascade down in a graceful manner.
The Raindrop also features a movable center spout so you can easily adjust the direction of the water flow, ensuring that the operation of the fountain is quieter and the flow is smoother. Its stainless steel construction looks and feels sturdy and can be also be placed in your dishwasher. The Pioneer Pet automatic dog drinking fountain also comes with a replaceable charcoal filter to help enhance the antimicrobial properties of stainless steel.
- Space-saving design
- Dishwasher safe
- Antimicrobial properties
- Loud
- Has to be regularly cleaned
4 PetSafe Drinkwell Pagoda Ceramic Dog Fountain
- Safe and hygienic ceramic construction
- Elegant design as an interior décor piece
- 70-ounce capacity
- 2 levels of drinking platforms
- Replaceable carbon filter
The PetSafe Drinkwell Pagoda deserves a place in this list of the best pet fountain for dogs because of the highly safe and hygienic ceramic that it’s made of. The fountain’s non-porous surface makes it exceptionally easy to clean and sanitize, however, what makes the Pagoda dog fountain unique is its two drinking platforms. This enables taller dogs to drink from the top layer while smaller breeds and puppies can quench their thirst on the bottom section. Great for households with multiple pets, either platform can provide clean and fresh water as the Pagoda is fitted with a carbon filter that you can replace as needed.
The fountain only comes in a small 70-ounce size, though. So it may not be the ideal solution for households with lots of pets. Nevertheless, the free-falling nature of the water flow can help oxygenate the drink, killing susceptible bacteria by introducing oxygen into the mix, and providing a much safer fluid for your pooch to take.
- Hygienic construction
- Suitable for large breeds
- Easy to clean
- Doesn’t hold much water
- Needs to be disassembled to be cleaned
5 IPETTIE Tritone Ceramic Pet Drinking Fountain
- Easy to install and maintain
- Purifies water completely whilst removing all odor and bad taste
- Three-stage water purification system
- Low noise, low energy consumption pump
This specially designed, attractive-looking, and environmentally friendly pet drinking fountain from IPETTIE is the ideal product for dogs and cats to enjoy. It’s made from a natural ceramic material to provide enjoyable, healthy, and safe water. Ceramic is extremely hygienic, and this reinforced porcelain will not fade over time, so you’ll be able to keep the stunning white color as long as it’s properly cleaned.
The lotus-shaped design of this non-toxic water bowl will blend in nicely with any modern décor in your home, unlike other pet fountains that can look out of place no matter where you store them. With a 2.1-liter capacity, your pets will be able to quench their thirst all day before you change out their water again in the morning. The large capacity of this product makes it a great addition to a home before you go on holiday if you aren’t taking your pets with you and have hired a sitter, instead. That way, you can always be sure that they have water.
- Modern design
- Low voltage
- Easy to clean
- Disassemble to clean
- No reviews
6 Trio Gato Outdoor Dog Fountain
- Comes with a leak-proof copper valve that greatly reduces the movement of the device
- Has rubber friction pads to cushion further movement
- Sturdy and heavy-duty
- Durable
The pet water sprinkler from Trio Gato is a robust, heavy-duty, highly efficient water dispenser. Designed for dogs to have fun and enjoy their thirst-quenching moments whenever they need a drink, this product takes hydration to new places. It gives your dog and other pets playful, delightful and enjoyable moments when carrying out their important hydration functions; ensuring better health and vitality.
This water fountain product comes in a form that is easy to disassemble, maintain and install in your yard. Its heavy-duty build is designed for all breeds of dog, and the product’s heavy gauge steel ensures long-lasting performance. It also features a leak-proof copper valve, as well as friction pads that are made of rubber – this greatly reduces the movement of the product when it’s in operation. Your dog will quickly learn how to operate it with the paw pedal.
Installing this doggie water fountain outdoors is no hassle at all. It comes with additional adaptors and connectors as well as a 2-way Y-hose connector that connects to your water mains! The control valve on the yellow splitter allows for better water pressure regulation, too.
- Easy for pets to use
- Makes hydration more fun
- Additional adaptors included
- Water wastage
- Might be confusing to install
7 Wonder Creature Lotus Dog Water Fountain
- Three water system modes
- An inbuilt LED light that adds decoration
- Dual filter system
- Avoids frequent water replacements
Perhaps one of the most common household water fountains, there are a number of sellers online who advertise extremely similar products. We’d like to highlight the Lotus Pet Fountain and Water Dispenser sold by the brand Wonder Creature, which provides an ideal way of ensuring that your pet takes in only filtered, hygienic, safe water when they drink. This innovative 2.5-liter product has a large enough capacity for several pets to drink from it daily, though you should still replace the water once a day to keep it fresh.
It provides three water stream modes and has a 360-degree multi-directional water stream that comes from a cute flower-head design. This method of dispensing water motivates your pet to drink more than they would from a bowl of still water because it activates the wilder part of your pet’s instincts that tells them that running water is safer to drink from. This will ensure that your pet stays healthy and devoid of any kidney-related diseases that come from dehydration.
The dual filtration system combined with the replaceable activated carbon charcoal filter guarantees absolute water purity devoid of foam, food particles, hair, and dirt. It comes with an inbuilt LED light that adds decoration and beauty to the whole water dispensing experience. The device is easy to disassemble, install, maintain, and clean. There may be other, similar products on the market, but none are as superior as Wonder Creature’s.
- Entices your pet to drink more
- Quiet
- Provides filtered water
- Filter gets clogged easily
- Awkward to refill
8 Dog Mate Large Fresh Water Drinking Fountain
- 200 fluid ounce water capacity
- Extremely quiet operation
- Polymer-carbon filter for filtration
- Energy efficient
- Low energy power supply
- 10 foot cable length
With two levels of drinking, for taller and smaller dog breeds, this drinking fountain is ideal for multi-pet households. A high fluid capacity of 200fl ounces means there’s plenty of water for all of your pets, even if you’re out at work all day or need to have a quick stopover somewhere and won’t be home until late.
Dog Mate’s water fountain is energy efficient, so you don’t need to worry about your pet’s water fountain burning a hole in your wallet, as the low energy power supply does everything you need as efficiently as possible. A 10-ft cable length means you can place this almost anywhere around your home, as long as there’s a mains plug socket to connect it to. You could use an extension cord, but we like to think that 10ft is enough cable. The best feature of all is certainly the polymer-carbon filter, which ensures your pets receive the best quality water they can drink.
- Extra-long cable
- Large water capacity
- Two drinking levels
- Hard to clean
- Pump gets blocked
9 NPET Dog Water Fountain
- Holds 3 litres of water
- Suitable for multiple pet households
- Modular design with transparent exterior
- 3 fountain modes for different drinking preferences
- High-density activated carbon filter for ultimate water purity
The NPET Water Fountain is the perfect household fountain for cats and dogs. It holds 3 liters of water, which is great for households with several pets that need access to clean, running water throughout the day. This pick also boasts three different water flow options, allowing pet parents to opt for a wider waterfall to enhance the oxygenation of the water; a fountain mode that mimics that of a natural spring and allows your beloved pet to return to nature; or the leaf-shape mode that will encourage your pooch to drink more water. The latter is a particularly useful option during those hotter summer months to help your dog avoid health issues.
Thanks to its transparent design, this water fountain allows you to see when the water needs to be refilled, ensuring that your pets will always have access to fresh and clean water. The design is modular in nature, which makes it easy to install and clean. Made with finely polished resin and non-toxic, BPA-free materials, this product is safe for your animals and puts their health and wellbeing first. The specialized filter offers multiple filtrations by using a high-density activated carbon filter.
This model strives to ensure ultimate water purity and high oxygen content to ensure that your pet stays healthy and hydrated. Users have commended this pick on its great value, spacious design, and alternative fountain settings. Customers can also purchase filter replacements as needed.
- Three fountain settings
- See-through design
- Easy to clean
- Pump gets blocked
- Hard to assemble
10 Veken Pet Fountain Water Dispenser
- Includes silicone mat
- Comes with three spare filters
- Multi-directional design
- Available in gray or blue
- Ultra quiet pump motor
- 2.5 liter capacity
While most pet fountains are round, the Veken Pet Fountain Water Dispenser is a lovely cube shape that can be pushed flat against any wall or gently nudged into the corner of your living room. Round fountains can be a bit awkward because they can’t sit flush against a wall, but this automatic dog water fountain doesn’t share that issue.
Crafted in plastic and easy to clean, the Veken Pet Fountain showcases a calming gray or blue color that will suit any home. The water is pumped up from the white bowl through the top of the daisy fountain head, flowing down in several directions. This makes the product perfect for homes with more than one pet because there’s space for other pets to drink at the same time.
It’s simple, affordable, and comes with a matching silicone mat to help prevent knocks and spills. The filtration system is entirely replaceable, too. If anything ever happens to it, you just need a new water pump, which are sold on Amazon. The product also contains replacement carbon filters so that you won’t need any extras in the near future.
- Large water capacity
- Two color options
- Includes replacement filters
- Filter blocks easily
- Weak fountain flow
11 INSTACHEW Puresmart Automatic Pet
- Control via your smartphone
- 4 levels of filtration
- Alexa and Google Assistant compatible
- Set drinking times for your pet
- Check water levels from anywhere
- 84-ounce capacity
A whole new level of pet fountain products is here with INSTACHEW’s Smart Pet Fountain. Puresmart is a water fountain with an accompanying smartphone app that lets you control the flow of the water from absolutely anywhere. You can schedule your pet’s drinking times, leave the fountain running, or turn it off entirely.
The fountain can be connected to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and pet parents will get push notifications straight to their smartphone to let them know when its time for their pets to have another drink. With four stages of filtration, your furry friend will have much cleaner water than what comes out of your tap. You can also keep track of the remaining level of water through the app, which is great for trips away when you have a dog sitter and are worried about not being around for your pup.
Ultimately, this is a new generation of pet water fountain that is most suited to pet owners who enjoy innovative technology and smart home devices.
- Control from your phone
- Large water capacity
- Quadruple filtration system
- Can only be hand washed
- Difficult set-up
12 Petsafe Drinkwell Multi-Tier Water Fountain
- Quiet operation
- Easy to clean and suitable for dishwasher cleaning
- Two tiers for better accessibility
- Filtered water
- 100-ounce capacity
- Robust design
PetSafe have created a wide, two-level water fountain for your pet to enjoy drinking from everyday. It has a huge water capacity at 100 ounces, giving households with multiple pets exactly what they need to replace the many water bowls currently lining the walls. Instead of letting your pets’ water dishes take up a bunch of floor space, replace them with one robust water fountain that several of them can use at once.
As well as having a large water storage capacity, this pet fountain is dishwasher-safe. That’s not usually a feature that we see in pet water dispensers, so it’s a true treat to see from PetSafe. The Drinkwell multi-tier pet fountain is comprised of a tall, smaller bowl sitting above a larger bowl, with a ramp where the water can fall onto as it escapes the smaller upper tier. Excellent for older pets that don’t like to move too much when drinking or have trouble reaching standard water bowls.
- Great for pets with joint issues
- Low voltage
- Dishwasher safe
- Unattractive color
- Uncommon carbon filter – harder to replace
Best Dog Water Fountains: Buying Guide & FAQs
Picking the right pet water fountain for your pooch should be a pretty straightforward endeavor. You only need to make sure that the water is circulating through the system and you’re good to go, right? Add a touch of something elegant and you’ve got a dog water fountain that looks more like modern décor than an automatic dog water dispenser.
Sadly, this is not the case if you really want to provide safe drinking water for your pet. The only way you can ensure you’re getting the right product is to spend a little bit more time researching some of the essential elements of a good pet water fountain.
Things to Look For When Buying
Materials Used
You have quite a handful of choices here. The three most common materials used in pet fountains include stainless steel, ceramic, and plastic or vinyl. Stainless steel and ceramic are more expensive, although they provide exceptional properties when it comes to safety and hygiene. Plus, the look of either ceramic or stainless steel can definitely add to the appeal of your home. This is not to say that a plastic water fountain for dogs cannot be as elegant. Plastic fountains can be cost-effective, which is great for a household on a budget, and they can often have fun and cute designs. However, to really optimize the advantages of plastic pet water fountains, you will need to make sure that it doesn’t contain any BPA or other harmful chemicals that are often used in the manufacture of such products.
Filtration Mechanism
Two of the most common filtration systems in such products are charcoal and carbon filters. Most people think that these are essentially the same. While it is true that charcoal contains carbon, it also has residues of oxygen and hydrogen since it is typically made from pyrolyzing wood. It is the unique structure of charcoal that gives it its amazing adsorption capabilities. This allows it to attract pollutants and other microscopic debris in the water as a means of filtration.
Carbon, on the other hand, is an element just like oxygen and hydrogen. By itself carbon doesn’t have any intrinsic filtering properties. However, many manufacturers have come to use the terms ‘carbon’ and ‘charcoal’ as one and the same. They brand their products as containing carbon, not charcoal, since the idea of using a byproduct of wood burning is simply unnerving to most people. Carbon, it would seem, offers a ‘safer’ profile for the product.
What this means is that products that are labeled as having a carbon filter are essentially talking about activated charcoal filters for the simple fact that there is no such thing as a pure carbon filter.
Noise Levels
You may also want to get a product that will not create too much noise. This is important as the sound of the motor running can interfere with the restful sleep of your pooch. Therefore, it is critical that you look for a unit that has quiet operation. Also, the splashing of water can be quite annoying, unless you’re going to turn it into a soothing sleep aid. If not, there should be a mechanism where the fall of water can be broken to facilitate a gentler flow.
Ease of Maintenance
As much as possible, the various components of the device should be easy to remove, clean, and reassemble or replace. If it can be cleaned through your dishwasher then that would definitely be a big plus. Be aware than many of the pumps in pet fountains need to be cleaned out regularly. Pet hair gets caught in them over time and blocks the motor, which causes it to stop working.
Why is Water Important for My Dog?
Water is a vital part of any dog’s daily requirements. Inside a dog’s body are a series of chemical reactions that require fluid to occur. Without a watery environment, many of these chemical reactions will simply not take place. If this happens, then our pooches will not be able to utilize the various nutrients that you have given them through their food. Eventually, this will lead to health issues. Not that a lack of water wouldn’t already cause problems. In fact, your dog will deteriorate faster from lack of water than lack of food – just like humans do.
Water is also important for the regulation of body temperature, which dogs aren’t good at. For humans, if our body gets too hot, we sweat to get rid of the excess heat. Dogs don’t perspire, they pant. As they pant, they are slowly releasing carbon dioxide and moisture into the outside air. This helps them lower their body temperatures. Unfortunately, this often isn’t fast enough to help lower down their body temperatures to normal levels. As such, they will require plenty of water; especially after intense physical activity, playtime, exercise, or long exposure to the sun.
How to Get Your Dog to Drink Water
Pet parents understand how important water is to the health of their dog. Here are some tips for you to consider if you’re having trouble getting your dog to drink more:
- Place several water bowls or drinking fountains around your home, especially in areas where they frequent. However, just make sure that this is not located in the same area where they usually eat or poop.
- Make sure your pet will be able to drink without having to strain their neck. That is why a water fountain is ideal since the spout is already located at a higher position.
- Add some natural flavoring in your canine friend’s drink, such as chicken or beef flavored broth. This helps provide a more enticing flavor for your pooch, making them want to drink more.
- If you’re not using a water fountain, make sure to change their water at least every 2 hours to prevent it from going stale and providing your pooch with fresh, clean water. It is for this same reason that water fountains are very useful as it minimizes frequent water changes.
- Clean your pooch’s container. Over time, sediments can form at the bottom of the dish which can make the drink quite unpalatable.
- Consider giving your pooch wet or canned dog foods as these typically contain 70 to 80 percent moisture. You can also try giving them treats that are rich in water such as watermelons. Just don’t give them the seeds or the rind, though.
Everyone needs water to survive, even our dogs. Dog water fountains are preferable to conventional bowls as these provide safer, healthier, and more hygienic drinking water for our pets. It also minimizes the hassle of changing the water. Choosing the right dog water fountain is easy. You can start with our list of the best dog water fountains or check out some of our tips on the selection of an appropriate product for your dog.
Sources:
- Dr. Katie Grzyb, DVM, Dehydration in Dogs and Cats: How Can You Tell If Your Pet is Getting Enough Water?, PetMD
- Water and Your Dog’s Health, WebMD
Frequently Asked Questions
The majority of dog water fountains contain a motorized water pump that sits at the bottom of the fountain. The device pushes a stream of water up into the opening of the fountain, causing it to flow out of any available holes in the design. Somewhere along the way, there is usually a filter that the water passes through.
Even though it’s temping to leave water in a fountain for longer, you should still change the water every day and check the pump for debris and pet hair. Bacteria can still enter the fountain, even with the filtering system. Fresh water is always best, and you won’t know how much your pet is drinking unless you open the fountain and check the level (unless you buy a clear fountain, of course).
Certainly! There’s no real difference between a dog or a cat water fountain. They’re just marketed towards particular household pets so that pet parents can find the products using keyword searches. You’ll find that all of your pets enjoy drinking from a water fountain. If you do have multiple pets, we suggest a larger capacity water dispenser.
Slime occurs because of your pet’s saliva. When they drink, their saliva is introduced in to the water, and passes through to the reservoir. It’s completely normal, but it can’t be stopped. In fact, it’s one of the reasons that you really should regularly clean the fountain.