Author: Shawn Mack
Doggo ownership is a labour of love. There are many facets of canine upkeep, and dog food storage is just one piece of the food-dispensing puzzle. Of all the many fragments that make up mutt maintenance, why are we devoting the next few hundred words to food containment? Surely feeding the dog itself is a more pertinent pastime.
We reiterate: food storage is all part and parcel of the food-dispensing package. Think of it this way: a human’s gotta eat, but food is no good to them if it’s left unsealed or unrefrigerated. Stale or spoilt food is unpalatable at best and inedible at worst. We need to keep food in good nick lest we all become sick!
Dogs have castiron stomachs, and they can likely handle germs a little better than we can. However, that doesn’t mean we should store their food without care. Pooches prefer fresh food, and it’s always a good idea to practise food safety, regardless of the creatures or tolerances involved.
So, how should we store their food, and how can we optimise freshness? Spoiler alert: by storing dog food in a container. (Irony alert: containers will preserve food—which, in this sense, makes them the actual opposite of a spoiler.) Read on for our top five recommendations.
Before we open up this topic
Let’s get a handle on what makes a great dog food container. After all, if all such things were created equal, we wouldn’t have to write posts like this one that say what’s suitable to hold a dog’s breakfast and what’s actually a dog’s breakfast (figuratively speaking, of course).
The makings of a good dog food container are waterproofness, easy maintenance, and a tight lid. You’ll want something waterproof so that the contained food will not grow mould or other toxins. You’ll want something easy to maintain so you can clean away said toxins or any food residue between uses. A tight lid will not only lock the dog food in freshness but also assist in keeping out moisture and pests—be these creepy-crawlies or your dog themself.
A plastic container
When it comes to storing dry food, plastic containers are king. They have everything you need, from waterproofness to a tight lid. These containers come in different shapes, and you can even use a plastic cereal container, which assists you in pouring your dog’s kibble. Alternatively, you can use a more straight-up-and-down variant and pair it with a pet food scoop.
If you leave the lid open, though, that’s on you.
A metal container
If you’re anti-plastic, metal containers can be a great alternative. They tend to be high-quality, and there are varieties specifically designed for dog food. This particular example from Morezi is great because it’s made from durable, coated carbon steel, and it encases food in freshness due to the rubber seal around its lid. Because this container is specifically designed to stash doggy food and treats, it comes with built-in handles as well as a pet food scoop. Its minimalist design makes it a lot more aesthetic than a plastic container.
On the downside, the minimalism of this model is not exclusive to its design. Its size is on the smaller side, too. If you buy dog food in bulk, a cost-effective plastic container with a ‘maximalist’ capacity may be more your speed.
A repurposed rubbish bin
Though this recommendation may sound trash, hear us out. If you have an old rubbish bin, don’t go bin-ception and throw the bin in the bin. Reuse it! Not only is this storage solution cost-effective, but it’s also an eco-friendlier alternative to adding hard plastic into landfill. The only times we would advise against using a repurposed rubbish bin as a food receptacle are as follows:
- If you don’t have a cabinet in which to store one
- If it has a loose lid
- If it doesn’t have a lid at all.
Having read the first portion of this post, you’ll know why we harp on lids so much. You need to seal the meal deal, so to speak. If there are any literal cracks in your plan, this will grab your dog’s lidless gaze. Give the dog an accessible inch and they will gobble a mile per minute.
A Mason jar
Another storage solution on the smaller side, a Mason jar is a great place to store dog treats. You could also use multiple Masons to store food by category. (If you have a cat, that pun was not intended. But Mason jars can be a great way to separate the kitty kibble from the doggy delicacies.)
A treat bag
Having contained our container recommendations to four types, it’s now time to deviate from the established criteria. Are treat bags the stuff of bulk storage? No. Are they handy? Absolutely. Equip yourself with a treat bag and you’ll have all your walking accessories at your beck and call (and your dog will fall into your stride as a close second). Even if your dog is not training, treats are still nice-to-haves. They can be great if you want to reward positive behaviours or if you want to acknowledge that your dog is a good boi (and, yes, you are allowed to be biased here).
Stylish Hound’s Treat Pouches have room to store all your training essentials.
In terms of treat bags, our top recommendation is Stylish Hound’s Treat Pouches. Pair these with a strap and you’ve got a handy-dandy cross-body bag to store all your training essentials. These bags are available in five different designs, so there’s something to suit everyone!
High-five for perfect storage
That, our doggo-adoring friends, is a wrap! We hope we have shed a little light on why these five storage solutions are top-dog. There are many factors that a quality container make, and to contain this information would have been selfish. So long as you’re sealing the food in freshness in a way that’s inaccessible to non-humans, you’re doing fine. And if you want to continue the good times outside, bring a treat bag along on your next walk.
Now that you’re up to speed, it’s time to get shopping! Which container are you going to treat yo self—or, more accurately, your dog—with? We can’t wait to see your top five picks. High-five to dogs, high-five to treats we can use to appease dogs, and high-five to perfect storage of said treats. We hope you find the food-storing facility that you desire. And…Add To Cart.
