6 of the best automatic dog feeders to keep your BFF fed on time

These automatic feeders keep your doggo on a regular feeding schedule — and make your life so much easier.
Top Pick
Petnet SmartFeeder Automatic Feeder
The ultimate smart-home pet feeder for pet parents who want to stay in-the-know and be worry-free about their pet’s habits and health.
Best For Little Dogs
PetSafe EatWell 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder
An easy-to-use, 5 portion feeder that’s perfect for smaller pups.
Best For Dogs Who Eat Too Fast
PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Feeder
With custom portion sizes and a slow-feed function, this is the perfect feeder for dogs that like to gobble their food a little too much.
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As much as we all love our dogs, there are times when we unfortunately have to leave them home alone. Whether you have to stay late at work one night, or your dog walker calls in sick, it can be tough on both you and your dog to be apart for very long. But there is one thing that we can do to help make life a little bit better for them: can get them on a regular feeding schedule. 

Not only is eating at the same time every day just healthy for your dog, but it can also make your life easier as well. After all, a dog that eats on a schedule poops on a schedule — meaning you’re less likely to come home to an accident. Regular eating also helps you notice if something is wrong with your dog’s health because often the first sign that your pup is sick is a lack of appetite. 

This is where automatic feeders come in handy. They will allow you to set up a routine that keeps your dog fed at the same time everyday — regardless of whether you’re home or not. Plus, some feeders come with a whole host of other perks to make being apart easier for both of you — from video cameras, to phone status updates, to fun food games that keep your dog entertained.

So whether you’re just looking for help to keep your dog fed everyday or you want something special that delivers more, here are seven of the best automatic dog feeders to fit different household needs.

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Image: Chewy
The Good
Compatible with Alexa • Notifies via the app the meals served • Alerts to low food levels • Measures portions based on dog’s age, weight and level of activity • Provides the ability for you to order more food • Easy to clean with dishwasher-safe bowl • Keeps food fresh with air-lock
The Bad
Pricey • Requires WiFi connection and compatible phone for many of its smart-features • Not recommended for dogs over 60 pounds • Must be plugged in • Works best with round kibble
The Bottom Line
If you want a feeder that does it all and keeps you up to date along the way, this is the feeder for you — as long as its price fits your budget.

1. Petnet SmartFeeder Automatic Feeder

The ultimate smart-home pet feeder for pet parents who want to stay in-the-know and be worry-free about their pet’s habits and health.
  • Features: Smart Feeder, Pairs with app, Amazon-echo compatible
  • Capacity: 5 - 7 pounds of food depending on kibble size
  • Portion: 1/16 - 1/12 cups
  • Max programmable meals per day: Unlimited
  • Requires: Built-in rechargeable battery powered by USB; compatible smartphone (iOS or Android), standard WiFi connection of 2.4 GHz.
If your dream is to build the ultimate smart home, then you need an automatic pet feeder that can keep up — and Petnet is the only one that really can.  This feeder is WiFi-connected and pairs with an app, so that you can schedule mealtimes and track eating habits. It’s also Alexa-compatible, so you can simply tell your Echo to give Fido an extra serving if he looks like he needs it. If you’re new to being a pet parent, the SmartFeeder can also help you out. Just enter information about your dog — such as their breed, age, weight and activity level — it will give you recommendations for the healthiest food portions and feeding schedule. It will also notify you if your food supply is running low, and will even offer to place the order for you.
But it’s not just the fancy smart features that are great. This feeder  has a durable food lid that locks so your dog can’t break into it for extra snacks. Amazon customer jhender85 writes:
“I've tried all manner of pet feeders [....] with each one, my 20lb dog figured out how to destroy it and hit the kibble jackpot anywhere from a few hours to just a few days.  [...] He couldn't crack this one. Try as he might (and he tried) it stood strong. Now, to hedge my bets after his first few attempts, I did use some bungee cords to secure the top and secure it to the wall, but I'm confident he wouldn't have gotten in even without it. The app is great, it gives piece of mind the feedings were happening and let me know when something went wrong. I did hear of people complaining about jams with non-round food, but I ordered the free inclined base and never have any issues.”
The Petnet is also incredibly easy to keep clean, with a detachable, dishwasher safe food bowl and a food container that can also be removed for cleaning. 
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Image: chewy
The Good
Programmable to schedule up to 12 meals a day • Flexible meal portions • Slow Feed Mode prevents eating too fast
The Bad
Not good for large dogs • Can be easily knocked down by pets
The Bottom Line
Have an overweight pet? This feeder helps with proper weight management and improved health by giving your pet portioned feedings.

2. PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Feeder

With custom portion sizes and a slow-feed function, this is the perfect feeder for dogs that like to gobble their food a little too much.
  • Features: LCD screen with 5-button navigation, digital timer, Pause function
  • Capacity: 24 cups
  • Portion: Programmable from â…› cup to 4 cups
  • Max programmable meals per day: 12
  • Requires: 4 D-cell alkaline batteries (not included) or power adapter (sold separately)
Some dogs love food so much that they gobble it up in barely the blink of an eye. While this might sound adorable — after all, most things dogs do are adorable — eating too quickly can actually be very dangerous for dogs. Not only can they choke on their food or get stomach pain, but it also increases the risk of a serious — sometimes deadly — medical condition called Bloat (or gastric dilatation-volvulus, to be precise), which causes the stomach to expand and even twist in the abdomen due to excessive amounts of air. This can send your dog going into shock. So it’s really important to slow a dog down when they are eating too fast; something that is much easier to do with the PetSafe Healthy Pet Simply Feed Automatic Feeder. This feeder has a “slow feed” mode that dispenses meals — through its conveyor belt feeding dispenser — over 15 minutes, forcing dogs to slow down. 
In addition, this feeder allows you to set portion sizes to help manage your dog’s weight, set a consistent routine and even pause that routine without losing everything you’ve programmed. PetSafe reviewer Katy writes:
“Great for dogs with medical issues too! I have one Pug with medical issues and it is best for him to eat smaller meals more frequently which is close to impossible with my work schedule. This automatic pet feeder fits the bill. Thank you!”
Not sure the best schedule for feeding your pet? This feeder offers a quick preset to get you up and running without much futzing around. Plus, it comes with a dishwasher-safe, stainless steel, 5-cup bowl that is detachable, hygienic and easy to clean. 
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Image: chewy
The Good
Dishwasher safe • Made of BPA-free plastic • Easy to clean • User-friendly
The Bad
Only suitable for small dogs • Keeps food fresh for only 24 hours • Must be refilled often • Suitable for only one dog
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for something simple to keep your little pup fed while you’re at work or out late, this no-thrills, programmable feeder will give you that as well as peace of mind.

3. PetSafe EatWell 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder

An easy-to-use, 5 portion feeder that’s perfect for smaller pups.
  • Features: Digital clock, LCD screen, dishwasher safe
  • Capacity: 2.5 pounds of food (i.e. 5 cups)
  • Portion: 1 cup
  • Max programmable meals per day: 4
  • Requires: 4 D-cell batteries (not included)
Whether it’s because you work during the day, or because you’re not so great at remembering the specific feeding times for your dog, it’s possible that all you might need is a simple automatic dog feeder; something on a timer, like the easy-to-use, trusty PetSafe EatWell 5-Meal Automatic Pet Feeder.
With a built-in digital clock, this BPA-free plastic feeder is a reliable and durable, which is probably why the  overwhelming number of customer reviews for it online are positive. In fact, 93 percent of Chewy customers say they’d recommend it. Once you program it, using its simple, user-friendly interface, the feeding wheel will slide open at your designated time to give a perfectionally portioned meal. You can feed your dog up to 5 meals in one day, or you can use this to space out feedings over a few days.  Chewy customer BettyJean writes:
“Our frenchie boy has allergies and needs a midnight snack of his prescribed kibble...we loathed waking up at 3 am for our babies mid night snacks... but if we didn't, he would throw up that stomach acid foam from hunger. We didn't want that! This feeder is easy to program, we fill it with his food, set it for 3 am and leave it. It's AMAZING! No more alarms on our phones or wondering if the baby got fed his snacks while we were out of town!”
Because each triangular slot on this feeder holds 1 full cup of kibble, it will keep your dog from overeating. However, given the portion size, this feeder is best only for small to medium-sized dogs. The feeding tray also comes out for easy washing and it can be put right in the dishwasher with no problem.
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Image: chewy
The Good
Detachable, dishwasher bowl • Large capacity • Bowl size perfect for large dogs or multiple pets • Transparent food chamber allows for monitoring food levels • Twist-and-lock lid seals for freshness • Customizable portions
The Bad
Some really determined pets can figure out how to get a little extra helping out of storage container.
The Bottom Line
With the ability to set portion sizes and feeding times, this feeder is convenient and easy-to use, especially for larger dogs.

4. Aspen Pet LeBistro Portion Control Programmable Pet Feeder by Petmate

Store up to 10 pound of kibble in this portion-controlled, automatic feeder perfect for dogs of all sizes.
  • Features: Removable bowl, top-loading, portion-control, LCD screen
  • Capacity: 10 pounds
  • Portion: Programmable from ¼ cup to 3 cups
  • Max programmable meals per day: 3
  • Requires: 3 D-cell batteries (not included)
For a reliable, simply-designed feeder that allows you to set not only feeding times but also the portion sizes, the Aspet Pet LeBistro is a great choice, especially if you are trying to keep your dog on a healthy diet. The LCD display is also very easy to read and quick to program. The feeder allows you to load and store up to 10 pounds of kibble at any time through a top-loading, transparent hopper that allows you to keep an eye on food levels, so you’ll never forget to refill it. Plus, thanks to a twist-lock lid, the food stays fresh and crunchy for your pup — though according to customer reviews, some pets have figured out how to knock over the feeder for extra snacks. Chewy customer, Satisfied, writes:
“I love this product; no more rushing home to feed our dog! Should have got one years ago. It is accurate in the amount of food I program and the times. I've only had it a month so I don't know how long the batteries will last but so far so good. And our dog loves it, she'll either hear the food dispense and come running or she sits and waits for it at feeding time, hahahahah.”
Best of all, the food bowl is large enough to suit bigger dogs without overflowing  and it detaches for easy cleaning in the dishwasher. 
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Image: amazon
The Good
Personal meal call up to 10 seconds • Customized portions • Programmable • Sturdy design • Infrared to prevent overflow
The Bad
Not obvious without opening lid when food is running low • Generally have to refill every 3 days or so
The Bottom Line
If you want to leave your small dog a comforting meal-call message, this is the feeder for you.

5. WESTLINK 6L Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser

Leave your pup a personal 10 second message calling them to mealtime.
  • Features: Built-in voice recorder and speaker, infrared detection, low power consumption, customized portions
  • Capacity: 6 liters
  • Portion: 10-12 grams, but you can dispense 1-39 portions a meal
  • Max programmable meals per day: 4
  • Requires: 3 D batteries or USB Power
It’s hard to leave your dog alone because you know they’ll miss you. That’s why the WESTLINK Pet Feeder Food Dispenser is a good choice if you’re trying to lessen the separation anxiety. You can record a comforting, 10-second voice recording to call them to the feeder (or tell them you love them, aww) when it’s mealtime. The feeder also has an infrared sensor to make sure that it stops dispensing if there is food left in the bowl, preventing spills. And best of all, it uses very little power so you can run it with a USB cable.
Amazon reviewer Bryan writes:
“We bought the unit as a gift for a dog-owning family member with increasing memory issues, and has worked out extremely well. The dog was a little suspicious at the start but decided that anything that dispenses food must be OK! It is a great relief to us, because now we know the dog will not be under- or over-fed. Also, the fact that the power cord uses a USB connection cable is a nice touch...”
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Image: amazon
The Good
Wall-mounted to avoid dogs breaking into it for a little extra treats • Available in 3 colors • HD camera to see you pet • Two-way audio • Compatible with Alexa • Saves 4 hours of video for free • Dishwasher-safe treat container
The Bad
Pricey • Not really a feeder but a treat dispenser and camera • Requires connectivity to WiFi and compatible phone • Works only with treats smaller than 1 inch wide
The Bottom Line
If you’re an anxious pet parent gone at work for hours on end, Petcube Bites allows you to check in on your dog at any time, talk to them, and throw them a yummy treat if they look sad or anxious without you.

6. Petcube Bites

While not really a pet feeder but instead a treat feeder, Petcube Bites allows you check in on your pet remotely via video, talk to them, and toss them yummy treats.
  • Features: Treat dispenser, 2-way audio, night vision, 1080p HD Video with 138 degree angle view and zoom, Alexa compatibility, detachable treat container
  • Capacity: 2 pounds
  • Portion: Tosses 1- 5 treats, depending on their size
  • Max programmable meals per day: Unlimited
  • Requires: Compatible phone (iOS 9/3 + or Android 5.1); 2.4GHz Wifi; Power-plugin
Okay, so this isn’t really a dog feeder, but it is a treat-feeder capable of holding up to two pounds of treats — and we think that counts. PetCube Bites also offers pet parents the ability to see their pup anytime day or night, thanks to HD video, night vision, and the PetCube app. This app also lets you talk to them and interact with them directly, even though you’re remote. It also stores up to four hours of video for free — so if your pet did something cute (or naughty) while you were away, you’ll still be able to capture the moment and even share it with family. The app will also notify you about sound and motion alerts, allowing you to know if something is wrong with your pup or if it just wants attention. 
Amazon reviewer, Chris, writes:
“My wife and I love this machine! We have three dogs that come running at the sound of our voices through the speaker. I am very impressed with the camera and how clear the picture is. Occasionally it does toss a couple extra treats but since the dogs are greedy it's never an issue. Circular shaped treats seem to work best and we've now started filling it with the dogs' normal kibble….”
Because the PetCube Bite is wall-mounted, you can rest-assured that your dog won’t break into it and treat themselves without your ok.  You can also buy it in three colors — black, silver, and white — to fit your home decor.