4 Best Microchip Pet Feeders for Small Dogs (And Cats!) – 2022

Share with other dog owners!

A microchip pet feeder is crucial if you live in a multi-pet household. In our home, one dog needs to lose weight, another needs to gain some, and the cat believes she’s above the law. 

Without a microchip pet feeder for dogs, mealtimes would be chaos. 

Best Microchip Pet Feeders for Dogs 

Consequently, we’ve become experts on microchip pet feeders. Over the years, we have researched them thoroughly. And as time and technology march on, microchip pet feeders have only got better. We like to keep an eye on them to see if there’s a better alternative to the automatic feeders we have in place. 

With that in mind, here are the best microchip pet feeders for dogs in 2022.

Sureflap Microchip Pet Feeder for Dogs 

When you start looking into microchipped pet feeders for dogs, the first brand you stumble across is Sure Care. It’s not without cause. The Sureflap microchip pet feeder is an excellent choice of microchip pet feeder.

It stores up to 32 pet microchips in its memory, enabling you to swap feeders between pets should occasion warrant. 

The Sureflap microchip pet feeder has a lid that remains closed until approached by a pet. If the pet is associated with the microchip pet feeder, the lid comes up, and your dog can graze happily. When they leave, the lid closes automatically, keeping the remaining food fresh and safe from other pets and adventurous children. 

If a cunning but unauthorized animal manages to slip past the lid, it responds by immediately closing on the intruder’s head. However, owners shouldn’t worry. The pressure the lid applies to interloping pets isn’t dangerous.

In addition to the central hub, the Surefeed or Sureflap microchip pet feeder includes:

• Split-portion bowl
• Single portion bowl
• Silicon mat 
• RFID tag collar reader 

One of the significant drawbacks of the Sureflap microchip pet feeder is that its primary target is cats. That means that despite being one of the best microchip pet feeders for dogs on the market, you need to measure your dog’s head before purchase to ensure it can fit under the lid.  

It’s also worth knowing that this microchip pet feeder isn’t dishwasher safe. However, it cleans easily and efficiently. 

Although you can’t run the bowls through the dishwasher, you can adjust the timer settings. This affects how long it takes for the timed microchip pet feeder lid to close after your pet’s meal. This works for us since at least one dog likes to prevaricate over her food. 

Finally, the split-portion bowl allows you to store wet and dry food for your dog. Since the lid is airtight, you won’t have to worry about wet food spoiling the way it would in a standard pet bowl. 

Pros: 

• Stores dry and wet food without spoiling 
• Pet-specific microchip reader prevents food-stealing 
• Washes easily 
• Three-year warranty 

Cons: 

• Expensive 
• Not dishwasher safe 

SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder for Dogs

Sure Care has the market cornered on the best microchip pet feeders for dogs. The SureFeed microchipped pet feeder is larger than the Sureflap feeder above, and has several additional features that enhance the user experience for dogs and humans. 

The Surefeed microchip pet feeder connects with an app, which gives you information like:

• Pet’s eating habits 
• Microchip pet feeder settings 
• Portion sizes 

The app also tells you what kind of food your dog finishes and whether or not the bowl is empty. The app is accessed through a hub, which is sold separately, or on occasion, with certain SureFeed dishes. 

The SureFeed microchip pet feeder for dogs also includes an integrated scale, ensuring you always measure out the correct meal portions for your dog. Doubtless, a voracious canine will protest this feature, but it helps with weight management and portion control.

As with SureFlap, you can adjust the closing time on the lid to accommodate more finicky dogs without worrying a doggy relative will sneak in and steal their lunch. 

This microchip pet feeder works best for small dogs. Owners should measure neck and head size before purchasing it, as it’s an expensive undertaking if it doesn’t work for your pet.  

Pros: 

• Scale to accurately portion food 
• Hub alerts you when the bowl is empty 
• Tracks dog’s feeding habits 
• Alleviates resource guarding by eliminating the possibility of food stealing 

Cons:

• Expensive 
• Only suitable for small dogs 

Alternatives to Microchip Pet Feeders for Dogs 

Most microchip pet feeders for dogs work best for small and medium-sized dogs. But that doesn’t help you if you want to get a larger dog on a timed feeding schedule. 

While you might not find a microchipped feeding solution, other options exist, like automatic dog feeders. These also help regulate food consumption and can be set to a timer the same way a timed microchip pet feeder can be. However, they don’t have a microchip. 

Here are some of our favorite automatic pet feeders and timed feeders for dogs.  

PETLIBRO Automatic Dog Feeder 

While not a microchip pet feeder, we included this on our list of the best microchip pet feeders for dogs anyway because it helps with portion control. This is ideal if you want to discourage a pet from grazing or need to manage your dog’s weight. 

That’s not the only reason for using an automatic dog feeder, but it’s one of the reasons we started researching them. 

The Petlibro automatic dog feeder stores six meals a day. It has a sizeable storage container that can hold six liters of kibble. Once you program the machine, it dispenses the appropriate amount of food at timed intervals throughout the day. 

We like this feeder because, unlike other microchip pet feeders for dogs, this one can accommodate larger dogs. And, if your dog needs encouragement to eat, you can create voice recordings up to ten seconds long so that even when you aren’t home, your dog will associate you with mealtime.  

Petlibro also has an LED display that lets you know when food supplies are low or if the kibble becomes jammed. Additionally, the storage container is well-sealed, so you don’t have to worry about food staying fresh. 

However, one drawback is that this automatic dog feeder can’t store wet food. And while there’s nothing wrong with a strictly kibble diet, you may notice your dog drinking more water to compensate. 

Users also say that a determined enough pet can ‘trick’ the machine if they bat or shake it hard enough. However, they add that the bamboozled machine dispenses a negligible amount of food. 

Finally, PETLBIRO runs on batteries that don’t come with the purchase. You have to buy them separately, and if you plan to go away for the weekend, you need to remember to unplug the machine. It can’t be paused, and if your dog isn’t around to use this pet feeder, it will continue dispensing food and may become jammed. 

Pros: 

• Accommodates large and medium dogs as well as small animals 
• Portion control 
• Food stays fresh 
• Voice recordings 

Cons: 

• Can’t dispense wet food 
• Can’t be paused or set to slow feed

PetSafe Healthy Pet Timed Microchip Pet Feeder 

PetSafe was another favorite when we investigated the best microchip pet feeders for dogs. It’s a timed microchip pet feeder that you can customize to dispense up to 12 meals a day. 

Unlike other microchip pet feeders for dogs, this PetSafe timed microchip pet feeder allows you to vary portions from meal to meal. So, if your dog needs a generous breakfast but a lighter midday snack, you can program the machine to adjust the portions accordingly. 

It uses a conveyor-belt system to dispense dry and semi-wet food. That means while it can’t accommodate gravy-based wet meals, you can get it to portion out pate-style wet food and keep it fresh for your dog between feedings. 

Another reason we consider this one of the best microchip pet feeders for dogs is because it has a slow-feeder mode. This is ideal for dogs with a propensity to gobble their food. If meals exceed 1/8 of a cup, the machine breaks the portion down into multiple meals over a 15-minute interval to alleviate problems that come with food gobbling like:

• Choking 
• Bloat 

If necessary, you can also pause meals at a particular time of day without throwing the rest of the schedule off. This is helpful if you need to decrease the number of meals your dog receives but can’t face reprogramming the machine. This is beneficial since programming can be time-consuming. 

Pros:

• Slow-feed option
• Can pause individual meals 
• Timed feeder keeps the dog on a regular meal schedule 
• Can accommodate dry and semi-wet food 

Cons:

• Expensive 
• Can’t judge the amount of food in the feeder without lifting the lid   

Conclusion – Best Microchip Pet Feeders For Dogs

Without question, the best microchip pet feeders for dogs can seem expensive. However, they should last a lifetime, so when you buy one, you get a different way of feeding your dog and managing their health, not just a new dish. 

We think it’s worth it. Not only does it stop the cat slyly sneaking a bite of her rivals’ food bowls, but it offers health benefits like:

• Weight management 
• Bloat prevention 

There are various options to choose from, but we like the SureFlap microchip pet feeder best. It has a split bowl to accommodate wet and dry food, an RFID tag reader for pets with no microchip, and stops thieving by unrepentant pets. 

Conniving canine con-artists might not be impressed with the new bowl, but we guarantee you will be!