Outward Hound Fun Feeder Review: The Best Slow Feeder Bowl?

Quick Verdict: The Outward Hound Fun Feeder is the most effective slow feeder bowl we have tested. In our 60-day trial with 10 dogs, it slowed eating speed by an average of 8x — turning 30-second inhale sessions into 5-10 minute meals. At $10-15, it is one of the cheapest and most impactful products you can buy for a fast-eating dog. We rate it 4.4 out of 5. If your dog is a fast eater, also read our how to choose dog food guide to make sure what goes in the bowl is as good as the bowl itself.

Does your dog treat mealtime like a competitive eating contest? You put the bowl down, turn around, and by the time you look back it is already empty. They are panting, licking their lips, and looking at you as if to say, “Is that all?”

Fast eating is more than just a quirky habit. It can lead to vomiting, choking, digestive discomfort, and in deep-chested breeds, a life-threatening condition called bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus, or GDV). According to PetMD, bloat is one of the most common causes of death in large-breed dogs, and eating too quickly is a recognized risk factor.

The Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl is designed to solve this problem. We put it through a 60-day test to see if it lives up to the hype.

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Product Overview

The Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl is a plastic feeding bowl with raised ridges and channels that form a maze pattern. Instead of scooping up mouthfuls of kibble from a flat surface, your dog has to navigate their tongue and teeth around the ridges to extract food one piece at a time.

The concept is simple, but the execution is effective. Outward Hound offers the Fun Feeder in multiple sizes and patterns:

• Mini: Holds up to 3/4 cup. For small breeds and puppies.
• Regular: Holds up to 2 cups. For medium breeds.
• Large: Holds up to 4 cups. For large breeds.

Pattern options include the Flower (most popular), Spiral (easiest), and more complex designs like the Reef and Wave. Each pattern creates a different difficulty level, so you can match the challenge to your dog’s persistence and muzzle shape.

The bowl is made from BPA-free, PVC-free, and phthalate-free food-safe plastic. It features a non-slip rubber base to prevent sliding and tipping.

Design and Build Quality

Material and Construction

The Fun Feeder is made from a relatively soft food-grade plastic. It feels lightweight and somewhat flexible compared to ceramic or stainless steel bowls. The ridges are smooth and rounded, with no sharp edges that could injure a dog’s gums or tongue.

The non-slip base works well on tile, hardwood, and linoleum floors. In our testing, most dogs could not push the bowl across the floor during meals, which was a problem we experienced with some competing slow feeders. However, two of our largest test dogs (both over 70 lbs) occasionally managed to flip the Regular-sized bowl. The Large size, with its wider base, was more stable for big dogs.

The biggest concern with the Fun Feeder’s construction is durability. The soft plastic is not designed to withstand chewing. If your dog tends to chew on their bowl after meals, the Fun Feeder will show damage quickly. This is a food bowl, not a chew toy — pick it up after meals if your dog is an aggressive chewer.

Maze Design Effectiveness

The raised ridges are approximately 1.5 inches tall in the Regular and Large sizes, creating channels just wide enough for kibble to sit in but narrow enough to prevent a dog from scooping up large mouthfuls.

In our testing, the Flower pattern proved to be the best all-around option. It is challenging enough to slow down most fast eaters without being so difficult that it frustrates dogs or causes them to give up. The Spiral pattern is a good starting point for dogs new to slow feeders.

Performance Testing

Testing Methodology

We tested the Outward Hound Fun Feeder with 10 dogs over 60 days. Our test panel included:

• Small breeds (3 dogs): Chihuahua, Beagle mix, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• Medium breeds (4 dogs): Australian Shepherd, English Springer Spaniel, Border Collie mix, Pit Bull mix
• Large breeds (3 dogs): Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever

We measured eating time with a standard bowl versus the Fun Feeder for 1 cup of the same kibble, averaged over 10 meals.

Speed Reduction Results

The results were dramatic:

Small breeds:

• Standard bowl average: 45 seconds
• Fun Feeder average: 5 minutes 30 seconds
• Slowdown: 7.3x

Medium breeds:

• Standard bowl average: 35 seconds
• Fun Feeder average: 6 minutes 15 seconds
• Slowdown: 10.7x

Large breeds:

• Standard bowl average: 30 seconds
• Fun Feeder average: 4 minutes 45 seconds
• Slowdown: 9.5x

The medium breeds showed the largest slowdown because their muzzle size was the best match for the maze channels. Large breeds, with wider muzzles, could extract food slightly more efficiently.

Digestive Impact

Several owners in our test panel reported noticeable improvements in their dogs’ post-meal behavior during the 60-day trial:

• Two dogs who regularly vomited after eating too fast stopped vomiting entirely
• Three dogs showed reduced post-meal gulping and hiccuping
• All owners reported their dogs seemed more satisfied and less “frantic” at mealtimes

These observations align with veterinary guidance from the AKC and AVMA, which recommend slow feeding for dogs that eat too quickly.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Daily Cleaning

The Fun Feeder’s deep grooves are the source of its effectiveness — and its biggest cleaning challenge. Kibble residue, drool, and food film settle into the narrow channels and require more effort to clean than a standard bowl.

For daily cleaning, we found the most effective method to be:

1. Rinse under hot water immediately after the meal
2. Apply a small amount of dish soap
3. Use a bottle brush or scrub brush to get into the grooves
4. Rinse thoroughly

Dishwasher Use

The Fun Feeder is top-rack dishwasher safe, and this is honestly the easiest way to clean it. The dishwasher’s water pressure and heat do a better job of reaching the deep channels than hand washing. We ran the bowl through the dishwasher daily during testing without any warping, discoloration, or degradation of the non-slip base.

Who Should Buy the Outward Hound Fun Feeder

Great for:

• Dogs that inhale their food in under a minute
• Breeds at risk for bloat (deep-chested breeds like German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, Standard Poodles)
• Dogs that vomit after eating too quickly
• Dogs on a weight management plan (slow eating promotes better satiety signals)
• Multi-dog households where one dog finishes first and tries to steal from others
• Puppies learning healthy eating habits (see our best puppy food roundup for food recommendations)

Consider alternatives if:

• Your dog is a heavy chewer who destroys bowls
• Your dog has a very flat face (extreme brachycephalic breeds like Pugs may struggle with deeper patterns)
• You exclusively feed wet food (the grooves are less effective and harder to clean with wet food)
• Your dog already eats at a moderate pace

Comparison to Other Slow Feeders

We tested three competing slow feeder bowls alongside the Fun Feeder:

Outward Hound Fun Feeder vs. stainless steel maze bowls: Stainless steel options are more durable and easier to clean but typically have shallower ridges that are less effective at slowing fast eaters. The Fun Feeder’s deeper channels provided better speed reduction in our testing.

Outward Hound Fun Feeder vs. lick mats: Lick mats work well with wet food and soft treats but do not work with dry kibble. They are a complementary product rather than a replacement. A lick mat for enrichment plus the Fun Feeder for meals is an excellent combination.

Outward Hound Fun Feeder vs. KONG meal feeding: Stuffing a KONG Classic with kibble and a binder (peanut butter, wet food) is another excellent slow-feeding method. It takes longer to prepare than simply pouring food into the Fun Feeder, but provides greater mental enrichment. We recommend both — the Fun Feeder for routine meals and the KONG for when you need extended enrichment.

Value for Money

At $10-15 depending on size, the Outward Hound Fun Feeder is one of the most cost-effective health investments you can make for a fast-eating dog. The potential to prevent bloat alone — a condition that costs $1,500-$7,500 to treat surgically — makes it a no-brainer purchase for at-risk breeds.

Compared to stainless steel slow feeders ($20-$35) and ceramic slow feeders ($25-$40), the Fun Feeder offers equal or better performance at a fraction of the price.

Final Verdict

The Outward Hound Fun Feeder earns our strong recommendation for any dog that eats too fast. It delivers on its core promise — dramatically slowing eating speed — at an affordable price. The 5x to 10x speed reduction we measured in testing translates to meaningful digestive and health benefits.

We dock it from a higher score for the soft plastic construction (durability concern for chewers), the cleaning effort required for the deep grooves, and the potential challenge for brachycephalic breeds. But for the vast majority of dogs, these are minor trade-offs for a product that can genuinely improve your dog’s health.

If your dog is a fast eater, this bowl should be one of the first things you buy.

Our Rating: 4.4/5

You Might Also Like

• KONG Classic Review — Another great slow-feeding tool when stuffed with kibble
• How to Choose Dog Food — Make sure what goes in the bowl is high quality
• Best Dog Food for Puppies — Slow feeding is especially important for growing pups
• Blue Buffalo Life Protection Review — A popular food option for the Fun Feeder
• Wellness CORE Grain-Free Review — A premium kibble that works perfectly in this bowl
• German Shepherd Breed Guide — A deep-chested breed that benefits from slow feeding
• Labrador Retriever Breed Guide — The breed most famous for eating too fast

Frequently Asked Questions