Waterbowl for long eared dogs like my Afghan hound

thingiverse

I have two furry friends at home - an Afghan hound with extremely long ears and a bearded Schnauzer. My Afghan hound drinks frequently and has perpetually wet ears, while my Schnauzer always has a wet beard that she tries to dry on my pants. The goal was to present a small and constant amount of water on a surface accessible to the dogs. A first test with a floating insert in a small bucket seemed to work well. Therefore, the path to a more designed version was just a short step. Both the bowl and the floating insert are easy to clean. Although not yet tested, they should be dishwasher safe. The insert weighs approximately 340 grams for a volume of 0.9 liters. **Dimensions:** The diameter of the bowl is 210 mm, while its height is 120 mm. **Printing:** I printed the parts using PETg, which is considered safe for food and known for being strong, flexible, and having excellent layer adhesion (water- and airtight). The S3D factory files are included. The floating insert file utilizes some S3D features, with infill gradually increasing from 10% to 25% (bottom to top) for a smoother top surface. My standard nozzle size is 0.6mm, with layer thickness set at 0.48mm. Printing temperature was 270°C, and bed temperature was 70°C. Pictures of the bowl in use or a video will follow soon. This design should also work well for spaniels and bearded collies. The water volume is approximately 2.5 liters. **Modifications:** 20170728 I increased the internal diameter of the bowl slightly to prevent it from being too tight a fit for the floating insert. A new STL file and factory file were created for the bowl, along with an added picture of the finished product. Unfortunately, my Schnauzer still has a wet beard, but not as wet as before, which indicates that this design works very well for my Afghan Hound. After using this design for a couple of weeks, I'm extremely happy with the results. Since it was printed in black PETG and exposed to sunlight, it has several advantages over open metal bowls or clear ones: - No green slimy algae forms in the bowl. - It's very easy to clean - just daily pass a brush over it. The PETG is water-repellent, keeping the bowl remarkably clean. - Two and a half liters of water are enough for one day for both dogs.