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  Drinkwell Big Dog Pet Fountain By: Drinkwell Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 21 More Information Great product for pet lovers :)  On: 2008-10-06I bought this to further spoil my already pampered pets. We have two larger dogs (50-60 pounds each), and 2 adult cats in our household. All are in pretty good physical condition, so I didnt purchase this to see any real improvement in serious health conditions, just a better change in overall water intake and general health. Especially for one of my cats, who doesnt drink much water. I purchased this elsewhere for $50 including shipping. I think its well worth the price. Anyway, it arrived a few days later and it was very easy to install. I put in the filter, filled the tank with water, plugged it in, and turned it on. Although I did install the filter, I cant attest to the water filtration quality because we use filtered R/O water already. My first impressions: -The footprint of this isnt too large, when you consider its intended for larger animals. We had a large stainless steel bowl before, and this doesnt take up much more room than that. -Although I think its not a bad price for what you get, I do wish it wasnt all plastic. But this isnt a complaint really; I knew what I was getting. It took a lot of sniffing and staring at this thing for all my pets to get used to it. The cats were first to drink out of flowing water, but both dogs still seem to prefer the bowl and occasionally feel adventuresome enough to drink out of the flowing water. I notice that they do drink a lot more water, especially the cats. Our older cat drinks *much* more water than before, and has more energy as a result. Ive only had it a week or so, but the dogs are getting used to it gradually so Im happy with it. I read a review here that the water level got too low. I have not had this problem yet - just the opposite. There is a "fill" line, and our water level stays right around that fill line without me filling it much. The dogs seem to have no trouble drinking from that water level, so unless you have dogs that drink an extreme amount of water at one time, or you really dislike replenishing the water one or twice a day, I really dont think this will be a problem. One other major complaint Ive read about this product is the noise level. Honestly, I dont understand these bad reviews about the noise level. Since this is a machine, a little noise is expected. There is a little knob for flow setting. I have it on the lowest flow setting. You know those desktop fountains with the rocks and flowing water? It sounds exactly like those; just a constant stream of water. Some say you cant hear this over the TV. My TV is 20 feet from the fountain, in a great big open room, and I can watch TV without even noticing this thing. There might be some lemons out there that are really loud, but the one I had (even on the highest flow setting) is NOT loud at all. No more than those little rock fountains. Overall, I think these are a good investment. It really gets all my pets drinking a lot more water than they did before. It keeps the water continuously cold, and I dont notice the water getting dirty. I have only had to clean it once in the week Ive had it, and I think thats sufficient. Its a water fountain for my pets, so it really doesnt have that many functions or expectations from me - just so they drink more water. It accomplished that, and I have no big beef with it, so I gave it 5 stars. Its not all that complicated. If you want your pets to drink more clean, cold water, and you can spare $50, this is a good addition to your home. Im glad I got it. :) Awesome product... On: 2008-09-30This product is great for my 3 samoyds and 2 cats. Only problem is it does need to be cleaned weekly cuz of the food droppings..otherwise saves me on changing water bowls. More interesting to drink from than the toilet  On: 2008-09-20Finally a water dish my dog finds more interesting than the toilet. The only negative is it is more time consuming to clean than a regular dish. It has to be taken apart once a week to remove dog hair and other debris that gets caught in the mechanism that circulates the water. Its not difficult to do and cleaning the dish takes less than five minutes. NO more drinking from the toilet! On: 2008-08-29I got this product because my dog liked drinking from the toilet!!! YUCK! no one likes a wet seat!! The drinkwell fountain did the trick. He likes cold running water and therefore likes his fountain. As the other reviewers say sometimes you get a foamy slober island. I dont care. And as for filling it, not a big deal. It is very easy to fill and holds plenty of water. We like to add icecubes to the bowl! He loves it and thankfully does not drink from the toilet anymore!!! Wonderful - answers to some problems raised On: 2008-08-22I use this for a lab mix (70 pounds) and 4 cats. It is great. The filters are just fish tank filters, and I have been able to buy in bulk on line from a fish supply store. I, too, found debris in the drinking bowl (dogs are definitely messier than cats!) but an easy way to clean it out is to "catch" the stuff using a fish tank net (a small one used to catch fish). This has saved me from having to empty and clean every other day. If the flow is kept on the lowest setting, the motor is much quieter. Great Product Improvement On: 2008-08-17I had the previous version of the Drinkwell that held about a quart to half gallon less. The dogs (2 corgis) love this one the same as the the last one. One drinks from the flow and the other drinks from the basin. This unit is MUCH quieter than the previous one and I was able to re-use the water reservoir from the previous unit (one stays on the unit and the other stays next to it full.) People who visit think it is rather remarkable plus it makes it easy on our pet sitter. We purchased this unit because the other unit (5 years old) began to puddle from a leak around the motor and on occasion the impeller motor would stall (broken fins.) This unit has been running for over two months now and isnt exhibiting any quirks. Cleaning the unit isnt difficult and we get about 90 days out of the filter. Id buy another and recommend purchasing it. Works well, but you have to clean it often... On: 2008-07-20The fountain works very well, but needs to be cleaned almost weekly. Food particles get in the water (just like in a regular water dish) and without regular emptying and rinsing, it gets really gross. Also, watch out for mold issues. I have to disinfect at least every 2 weeks if not every week. The reservoir (unless constantly kept full of water) starts to get a moldy smell, so make sure to wash it every time you refill, or you will be giving your dog moldy tasting water. ALSO!! IMPORTANT!! The reservoir is NOT dishwasher safe. Im sure that was in the manual, but I didnt bother to check apparently because I now have a warped and useless reservoir. Over all though, if kept clean, it works well and really does encourage proper hydration. And is very quiet. Updated: Great water fountain for larger dogs On: 2008-07-18I am updating my original review. I have just recently put the water fountain back out. 4 out of 5 of my dogs are drinking eagerly out of it. Maybe I didnt give them enough time to adjust at the beginning. I have also been filling the jug with ice water, so maybe that is making a difference? In any case, they are now using this as the main water bowl. The Shih Tzu still wont drink out of it, but I think thats because she has diva syndrome. Below is original review: I usually have 5 dogs in my house. I have 3 of my own, who are small to medium sized dogs (largest being 50 lbs). My sister has two dogs, one a lab/collie and the other a golden retriever mix, who spend the day at my house with their posse while were at work. I bought this water fountain for two reasons. The first reason was to have a constant supply of water for all 5 of the dogs. The second reason was to try and entice my Shih Tzu to drink more water. She has been having problems with crystals in her urine since January of this year. This water fountain is a great addition. But only my sisters dogs will use the fountain. I didnt think things through in that the well for the water has a rather high edge. My dogs (being smaller) really have to get close to the well and stick their heads down to get to the water. They arent as interested because of this. They prefer their old water bowl. The fill line is not too close to the top of the well. But thats because it is designed for larger dogs. (I bought the large fountain thinking it would be the right way to go with 5 dogs). This fountain is the perfect fit for larger dogs. Im very pleased with it otherwise. Its not noisy, just a low humming sound. The trickle of the water can be easily adjusted. It was also very easy to put together. I would recommend this product, and have done so to my friends with big dogs. Great water fountain for larger dogs On: 2008-07-18I usually have 5 dogs in my house. I have 3 of my own, who are small to medium sized dogs (largest being 50 lbs). My sister has two dogs, one a lab/collie and the other a golden retriever mix, who spend the day at my house with their posse while were at work. I bought this water fountain for two reasons. The first reason was to have a constant supply of water for all 5 of the dogs. The second reason was to try and entice my Shih Tzu to drink more water. She has been having problems with crystals in her urine since January of this year. This water fountain is a great addition. But only my sisters dogs will use the fountain. I didnt think things through in that the well for the water has a rather high edge. My dogs (being smaller) really have to get close to the well and stick their heads down to get to the water. They arent as interested because of this. They prefer their old water bowl. The fill line is not too close to the top of the well. But thats because it is designed for larger dogs. (I bought the large fountain thinking it would be the right way to go with 5 dogs). This fountain is the perfect fit for larger dogs. Im very pleased with it otherwise. Its not noisy, just a low humming sound. The trickle of the water can be easily adjusted. It was also very easy to put together. I would recommend this product, and have done so to my friends with big dogs. CLOGS with debris from dry dog food Needs cleaning often!  On: 2008-06-29This "big dog" water fountain is NOT as advertised! First, the water level stays WAY too low for our two big dogs - we have to keep filling it manually. Second, the fountain is LOUD, so be prepared for that. Third, if you decide to remove the cord to the fountain (for peace and quiet) the water all runs out the bottom. Only option is to leave the big long heavy cord attached even if it is unplugged, or cut the cord off under the bowl. Worst of all, the filter CLOGS with the crumbs of dry dog food, dog hair, etc, that dogs naturally slobber into water, so the water does NOT stay clear. Weve had to disassemble and clean the unit three times in two weeks. Didnt expect that. ON the plus side, it is a stable water bowl that will provide a few days water if you are away. Pretty expensive, tho, for what you get! Buy a big heavy flat bottom ceramic water bowl instead. Wonderful in SO many ways!! On: 2008-06-20I purchased this product for two cats and a dog. The dog is a medium build dog (smooth fox terrier). Prior to purchasing this item one of the cats was very particular and would not drink from anything except the bathroom sink or bathtub. She constantly cried for us to turn the water on for her. The other cat never drank from a bowl or asked for water from any other source. I became ill and had to have a few surgeries while my husband was deployed and found that I didnt have the energy to keep up with the watering habits of the three animals. I also had to switch from wet food for the male cat because the smell caused me to be sick which caused me to worry about his lack of water intake. This product has helped me save my energy for other things! Even with three pets drinking from it I only have to clean/refill it every other day! The once very vocal cat no longer cries for other water sources to be turned on and the male that didnt drink water at all enjoys it. The motor is fairly quiet and the sound of the water flow can actually be very relaxing. I love the product and as long as I have pets will never be without one again. I highly recommend it! Great Product On: 2008-05-09My dogs love the fresh, cool water this fountain provides to them all day long, even in the heat of Southern California. Quiet and convenient On: 2008-03-17Quiet and Convenient. Works without problems and has a good capacity. One dog and 2 cats drink from it. Was bought for our medium sized dog but it seems like the cats enjoy drinking from this just as much as the dog. My pets love this product! On: 2008-02-01I have 2 cats and a dog, and one of the cats love drinking from the faucet. As a result from Drinkwell, she doesnt hop on the kitchen/bathroom counter anymore! I decided to purchase the dog version, as it holds more water and doesnt spill easily. I am extremely please with this fountain and recommend to anyone who has dogs as well as cats. great, as long as you don't mind the floating drool island On: 2007-11-23Weve had this thing about a week now. Its definitely got our older dog drinking more water, which is why we got it. Its not quite as great as I hoped, though. For one thing, I dont see why they didnt make the reservoir larger. We still have to fill the thing up once a day or so (though wed have to do this at least as often with our old water bowl). They could have easily doubled the size of the water reservoir without making it awkwardly large. For another thing, the water tastes good to our dogs, but it looks kind of unappealing. I somehow hoped that since the water was pumped through a filter continuously, it would be crystal clear. Its free of hair, but it has an enormous floating island of drool on it. The problem is that the water intake for the recirculation is on the bottom of the basin, but since drool floats on the surface, it just builds up until you skim it off or clean the thing out. Im sure they could have designed it so that some of the water intake came from the water surface. But like I said, the dogs dont mind. The water is much less gross than our water bowl would get (besides the floating drool island). The third thing about it that could be better is that its not super quiet, even on the slowest setting. Its not that bad though; we have it in the kitchen, and we never turn the thing off. Its a bit of white noise that doesnt interfere with watching TV in the living room or anything. But if youre concerned about noise, you should be aware itll make some. Despite these quibbles, I still give it 4 stars. It gets our dog drinking more water, which is good for him. One last thing -- the instruction manual makes a big deal of cleaning out its various parts weekly. I think buying the brush kit (and some extra filters) to go with it is a good idea, instead of having to go back and have a second set of things shipped to you the next week (if you dont have a pet store local that sells the extras for this thing). i LOVE LOVE LOVE this product On: 2007-10-10This is a great product. I have a dog in chronic kidney failure, and the vet has suggested he increase his water intake. This has made life SO much easier! No longer will he pass the bowl because the water isnt fresh enough. Before, I was changing his water bowl at LEAST four times daily to encourage him to drink. Now, he will drink whenever he gets the urge. It may just prolong his life! I have three beagles (all are medium sized dogs, about 20 or so pounds each) and a Labrador (about 70 pounds) and this tank needs refilling just ONCE daily for me. My filters last me about a month, I will rinse and reuse them as much as I can. The pump is SILENT, and you will hear a gentle trickle. You can barely notice it, I only hear it when my house is totally silent. But COME ON, it is a FOUNTAIN for gosh sakes. I didnt expect silence from running water. That is an impossible feat. And, the dogs LIKE to drink from the water like they like to drink from a hose. They prefer the "stream" over the bowl. AND, like the other reviewer, this is a great product at a GREAT price (52 dollars!) so I will probably be placing an order for another one. :) LOVE IT! Okay I guess, so far so good, but somehow wanted more  On: 2007-09-21I have had it in use for about 3 months now. It works as advertised. Its going to be hard to find a replacement filter element easily, locally, it turns out. I dont want to have to mail order and pay shipping everytime I need to replace the filter, which is probably 2 months ago. :( So I guess its going to end up as a water dispenser, without filtration, in the long run. :/ I have 2 great dane puppies, one drinks from it all the time, and the other one prefers the bathtub (i have to turn it on of course :). Its also too low for a big dog, so I have it on a small table, so that the drinking height is more natural for my large breed. The one that uses the Big Dog, is a slob, so I have to clean it free of dirt and debris almost every other day. And the saliva foams up in the fountain flow, and floats at the top of the water surface, and looks nasty. So I have to clean and refresh water every day or two. So if you were planning to have a water dish that maintains itself for a week or more, i think you will be disappointed, if you care about clean, fresh water for your big dog. This may not be a problem for smaller breeds and cats that lap up the water and dont make a mess like big dogs do. It seems kinda flimsy plastic and I dont expect it to last forever, and the aquarium pump type tiny motor that spins the propeller to flow the water may not last, but well see. A simple device, and works simply. Far from perfect, but works as advertised. good for 1 big dog On: 2007-09-09The only recommendation I will make is to get one filter per big dog. I have two 80 lb. dogs, and have to refill the water filter about 3 times every two days. It is worth it because I love the idea of my doggies having pure, fresh, clean water !! I am procrastinating on buying the 2nd one, but will soon. The local dog store price was 90$ and I got mine on amazon for 60$ shipping included !!!! good for 1 big dog On: 2007-09-08The only recommendation I will make is to get one filter per big dog. I have two 80 lb. dogs, and have to refill the water filter about 3 times every two days. It is worth it because I love the idea of my doggies having pure, fresh, clean water !! I am procrastinating on buying the 2nd one, but will soon. The local dog store price was 90$ and I got mine on amazon for 60$ shipping included !!!! Great Addition to the Houshold (3 dogs, 2 cats) On: 2007-06-11I have been using the fountain for a few weeks now. It holds 2.5 gallons of water, I use bottled water to fill it because thats what we drink, so Im not worried about the filter replacement. In fact.. I dont think the filter is all that useful or purposeful. (A regular charcoal filter that the water flows around) honestly.. I dont think Ill every buy a replacement.. using bottled water as I said I feel its not really necessary! Once a week I clean it out.. I did not buy the cleaning kit, again doesnt seem necessary. I use the hose sprayer on my small kitchen sink to turn it upside down in and spray every crack & crevice with our hottest tap water setting for a few minutes. Works great, no scrubbing necessary. The flow rate adjustment is great too.. fast flow or slow.. .the slow setting makes the least water trickling sound, we dont even hear it, and the fast is like any soothing home water fountain. 2.5 gallons lasts our pack of 2 medium 1 large dogs, and 2 housecats about 1 week.. I may add a little to the bowl before the week is over now that its summer but not much. I let it run down a bit low and then clean it. I would recommend buying it, and may buy another for our covered outside area as well. Great product On: 2007-02-16This product is great for all three of my dogs two are medium sized and one small dog...plus 3 cats. Just make sure to fill it up every week. Big Dog Fountain On: 2007-01-09Ive been very pleased with this fountain. I placed it beside my "Catit" cat fountain, which needs refilling less often now-- Im assuming because my big dog prefers the Big Dog fountain. My cats also like it, sometimes to drink from, sometimes just to watch. I like that it holds a lot of water. Its a bit noisy, I hear the water running all the time, that might bother some. Dogs (and Their Humans) Love It! On: 2006-12-10We have 3 Scottish Terriers and they LOVE this thing! Scotties love fresh, running water to drink, but dont like getting water in their face. With this fountain, they get the fresh, filtered water they like, without having to worry about it getting in their face. The filter also helps clean out the debris they bring in on their beards! The large reservoir means I am not constantly refilling their water dish. I would highly recommend this product. |
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