Our top pick for a microchip dog feeder is the SureFeed by SureFlap. Beyond that there aren’t many options because SureFlap holds the patent on these kinds of feeders. There are also some great programmable dog feeders you can use that are not microchip activated.
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Table of Contents
- The Top 5 Microchip and Programmable Dog Feeders
- Best Overall Microchip Dog Feeder – SureFeed
- Best Microchip or Programmable for Small Dogs
- How Does a Microchip Dog Feeder Work?
- Are There Other Brands?
- Best Automatic Dog Feeder
- Best Gravity Feeder
- Best Wifi Dog Feeder with Camera
- Summary – Our Top Microchip Dog Feeder – SureFeed by SureFlap
The Top 5 Microchip and Programmable Dog Feeders
Check out the following list of automatic dog feeders and see if there’s something here that matches the size of animal you have. Depending on how much your dog eats, you might need a larger feeder or something with a few extra features.
An overwhelming majority of pet owners would do best with the SureFeed.
Best Overall Microchip Dog Feeder – SureFeed
SureFlap’s conveniently-named SureFeed microchip feeder claims to make meal times much less stressful for pet owners, and it’s ability to hold both wet and dry food equally certainly goes a long way toward fulfilling that claim. The device is designed to control portions, which has made it an attractive option for pets with voracious appetites.
It holds up to 13½ fluid ounces of food underneath a sealed lid that’s attached to a neoprene lip to help retain freshness. Pet owners can authorize it to open at certain times for their dogs or cats based on either unique microchip ID numbers created at a vet’s office or a simple RFID tag worn around the collar.
Each feeder can store up to 32 separate ID numbers, which means that it could be used for more than one pet as long as the animals don’t mind eating from the same food supply. Pet owners who’d prefer not to chip their pets can instead purchase additional collar tags to ensure that the feeder doesn’t start giving out dinners to the wrong animals.
On top of all that, the SureFeed is easy to clean.
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Best Microchip or Programmable for Small Dogs
While the FFPOPU is technically designed to be an automatic cat feeder, it should work quite well with small dogs as well. It’s a timed feeder that dispenses food when certain conditions are met and locks up at other times of the day.
Feeding times are announced via an integrated voice prompt, so you’ll always know that the unit is working correctly. It’s made from safe BPA-free plastic, which is every bit as easy on your dog’s stomach as it is easy to clean.
Six different bays provide plenty of room for pet owners who want to measure out doses of dry and semi-moist food. The FFPOPU can even be used for distributing snacks or medication.
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How Does a Microchip Dog Feeder Work?
Microchip feeders lock food in, and they only open up when they sense the presence of a dog with the right microchip. Many of these are also timed, so they won’t let your dog poke at their food between meals.
Since these feeders only open for a specific animal, they’re great for pet owners who have multiple dogs who might otherwise try to get into each other’s bowls. If your dog isn’t chipped, then you can also put a little RFID tag on his or her collar to activate the feeder when they come by.
Those with big dog families can put down a number of different feeders and they’ll each only open for a single dog.
Are There Other Brands?
No, the technology is patented by SureFlap so no other manufacturer makes an automatic feeder that opens up when it senses a correctly tagged dog come by. Other companies primarily make feeders that are timed and open up based on a schedule.
It’s likely that some other pet supply firms are looking at ways to build their own feeders using some other kind of technology. However, anybody who wants a truly automatic microchip or RFID-based feeder will want look into SureFlap’s design.
You may still be interested in one of the higher-end timed feeders, however, since many of these have a similar build quality in spite of the fact that they don’t have the slick microchip-based opening mechanism.
Best Automatic Dog Feeder
The Petlibro dog feeder can manage up to six meals daily based around a timed schedule. It uses a conveniently-placed LED indicator to show you when it’s running out of food, but the six liter gravity-fed hopper holds enough kibble that you won’t have to look at this light very often.
Programming the feeder with its built-in LCD display is easy. An infrared sensor will let you know if there’s ever a jam or any other problem with the feeding process.
This makes it clog-free, and the option to run it off three D batteries can even make it wireless. Pet owners have the option of dispensing food in any of 50 different sizes.
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Best Gravity Feeder
Amazon Basics’ food and water dispenser is certainly a much lower-tech option than nearly anything on this list, but that’s what it makes it perfect for those who don’t want to fuss around with a lot of complicated electronics. The feeder and water bottle system is easy to fill and includes an extra-wide mouth so you can be sure that even larger dogs won’t have any difficulty eating from it.
Pet owners can fill it up with 2½ gallons of water and the included pet food hopper holds 12 lbs. of dry kibble. Both units sit side-by-side, so you shouldn’t have any difficulty putting them in place of the traditional food and water bowl that you’re probably already using.
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Best Wifi Dog Feeder with Camera
The DOGNESS automatic smart camera feeder holds 6½ ls. of food and can control the portions that your dog eats, but that’s not what’s really amazing about it. It’s the onboard camera that’s really going to turn heads.
You can record or play voice messages with during meal times and watch your animal eat with a free smartphone app. The camera is sharp enough that you’ll be able to make out whether or not your dog is eating properly even if you’re out of the home at the time.
You could even speak to your dog with the onboard two-way communicator. This is an especially useful feature for anyone who finds their dog won’t eat properly if they’re not around.
By connecting the feeder to a 2.4GHz Wifi connection, you can check its video and audio streams at any time. The device should prove every bit as reliable as your home Internet connection.
Since it uses a secured account login system that you can lock down with a password, it’s unlikely that the DOGNESS could ever be controlled by bad actors. That means you won’t have to worry as much about security as long as you set a good password.
Best of all, this amazing gadgetry doesn’t make the DOGNESS feeder any more difficult to clean or care for.
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Summary – Our Top Microchip Dog Feeder – SureFeed by SureFlap
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My name is Ken and I’m one of the staff writers at Petloverguy.com. I’ve cared for pets most of my life starting with hamsters, turtles, and snakes. Then moving up to parakeets, guinea pigs, and even ducks.
I currently live with two yorkies and a chihuahua mix.