Water for walkies (RAC Travel Water Bottle)

Member Name: FourPaws

Product:	RAC Travel Water Bottle
Date:	15/03/08 (239 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Compact & easy to carry, provides water for your dog

Disadvantages: Small capacity, not suitable for short nosed dogs

*What is the RAC Travel Water Bottle?*
This on-the-go dog water bottle is produced by the car company RAC and is part of their safe travel with dogs range which also includes car boot guards, window grills and car seat covers, all designed to make travelling with your dog both safer and easier.

*The product itself*
On first impressions, the design of the product is actually quite good, it consists of a 500ml clear plastic bottle attached to an orange plastic tray. The idea is that you fill the bottle with fresh water before going on your dog walk or car journey, then screw the bottle back onto the tray and its ready to go. When you want to offer your dog a drink you simply squeeze the water from the bottle into the tray, which acts as a bowl for your dog to drink from, the tray then folds up back up making the item compact, there is an added advantage of a clip on one end which makes it easier to carry or attach to your belt loop (the filled product is quite heavy though so watch it doesn't pull your trousers down!).

*Packaging*
The travel water bottle comes attached to a piece of orange cardboard which is very eye catching, on the back you will find a ten helpful hints to help give you ideas for safe car travel with your dog, all the packaging can be recycled.

*Price & Availability*
I purchased this directly from the RAC website for £8.99, although I have since seen it much cheaper in many pet shops and online stores. They were also on sale very cheaply at Crufts this year.

*My Opinion*
Myself and my dogs enjoy long walks everyday, often for many miles and several hours at a time, and it is of course as important for dogs as it is for us humans to stay well hydrated during exercise. Fed up of carrying around a bowl and a separate bottle, when I spotted this product whilst looking for car-boot guards, I ordered it straight away. When it arrived it came on the next dog walk with us, it was very easy to fill, didn't leak whilst I was carrying it and when I stopped to give the dogs a drink, the water came out very easily.
But with three dogs, two of them being very big, the bottle just doesn't hold enough water, and Grace, who being a Rottweiler has a short snout found it very difficult to drink from the narrow tray. So now, I generally just use the bottle for the madam that is Ruby, and the other two are quite happy to drink from streams (of course Ruby is far to dignified to drink from a stream).

*Ease of cleaning*
It's plastic so obviously very easy to clean, a quick scrub with washing liquid and warm water is all it needs. The bottle cannot be put in the dishwasher.

*Pro's & Con's*
+ A very good idea- compact and easy to carry.
+ Helps keep dogs hydrated on walks or car journeys
+ Made from strong durable plastic, and easy to clean
+ My one doesn't leak (although I've heard a lot can so best to keep them upright when in the car)
+ Good if there really isn't any other clean places for your dog to drink from

- The 500ml capacity isn't enough if you have a large or more than one dog
- Short nosed dogs can find it hard to drink from. Grace struggled but my friends Shih Tzu found it impossible
- It doesn't stand up on its own so you will need to hold it whilst your dog drinks (therefore getting your hand covered in slobber, water ect- or maybe my dogs are just piglets when it comes to drinking)
- If you squeeze too much water into the tray and your dog doesn't drink it all, it cannot be poured back into the bottle

Summary: Best for small dogs/puppies and those with longer snouts!