By dog size
Automatic dog feeders for large dogs
A Producan automatic dog feeder has a 40 litre hopper — a whole 15 kg sack of dry food — and is made of 0.8 mm galvanised sheet steel, so it feeds a large dog eating 500 g a day for nearly a month and stands up to being knocked about or bitten. It's why it's used in breeding kennels and animal shelters, where the material really takes a beating.
Why won't an ordinary automatic feeder do for a mastiff or a German shepherd?
For three reasons, and all three show within a week of buying it.
The hopper falls short. Most dispensers on the market hold three to six litres: between one and two kilos of dry food. A 40 kg dog eats half a kilo a day, so it needs refilling every three days. A full Producan lasts a month.
Plastic doesn't hold up. A large dog doesn't eat delicately: it pushes the feeder, headbutts it with its muzzle, and some bite it. Plastic splits along the seam and from there damp gets in. The Producan feeder is made of riveted galvanised sheet steel, and it doesn't give way.
The auger jams with large kibble. Cheap dispensers dispense with an auger designed for cat food or small-dog kibble. With large-breed kibble it jams, and the dog goes without food without anyone noticing. Producan's mechanism is gravity feed and it's patented: the kibble falls by its own weight, so kibble size makes no difference.
How long does it last full, depending on the dog's weight?
With the 15 kg of dry food that fits in the hopper, and counting the daily serving recommended by most dry food makers:
| Dog | Serving a day | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Medium, 20-25 kg | ≈ 300 g | Around 7 weeks |
| Large, 30-40 kg | ≈ 500 g | Nearly 1 month |
| Giant, 50-60 kg | ≈ 700 g | Around 3 weeks |
| Two large dogs (double model) | ≈ 1 kg | Around 2 weeks |
These are guide figures: the exact serving depends on the dry food and the dog's activity level. It's covered in more detail in how much dry food a large dog eats a day.
What if I have two large dogs?
Both models have a double version: two facing outlets that share out from the same hopper, so both dogs eat at once without fighting over the spot. It's explained in automatic dog feeders for two dogs.
The specifications
| Capacity | 40L · around 15 kg of dry food |
|---|---|
| Material | Galvanised steel, 0.8 mm |
| Protection | IP65 · suitable for outdoor use |
| Servings | Up to 17 a day, programmable |
| Dimensions | 30 × 34 × 70 cm |
| Weight | 10 kg (single) · 13 kg (double) |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Feeding | 220V, plugged into the mains |