DogFoodRatings

Pet food storage is one of the first problems many pet owners face. Although dry pet food can be a far more economical way to feed your pet than canned food, the packaging leaves a lot to be desired. Those 12-pound bags are heavy and rip easily -- a very bad combination. Not only that, they're vulnerable to hungry paws and teeth. Fortunately, a variety of solutions are now available to help you store and manage your dry pet food. Read on for some helpful ideas.

One obvious and inexpensive solution is a simple air-tight plastic container. It can get heavy if you put a whole bag of pet food in it, so you'll want to keep it convenient to your pet's food dish. Add a good plastic scoop and you'll have a solution that will make feeding your pet a much easier chore. Many container lids don't lock very tightly, so you might want to add some protection by placing something sturdy and heavy on top. This solution works best if you only have one type of animal that you feed one flavor of food at a time. If you wish to buy a specialized container made specifically for pet food, consider the IRIS Premium Airtight Pet Food Storage Container. It comes in 5 different sizes, from 8- to 67-quarts, and the 15-quart size is perfect for a single 12-pound bag of pet food.

If you have multiple animals or wish to offer a variety of flavors to one type of animal, you'll want a more elegant solution. Vittles Vault containers are something to consider. They're sturdy, stackable containers with twist openings in front for easy access. They come in 40- and 60-pound sizes so that you can store a large supply of pet food if you wish. Unfortunately, white is the only color they come in so you'll probably want to label them. You don't have to do anything fancy, though. The lids are also white and easy to write on with a felt pen.

If you have to keep your pet food in a location other than where you feed your pet, such as the garage or a storage room, you might want to opt for a "meal on wheels solution." This is just a plastic container on wheels that will save you some lifting and carrying. If you have multiple containers, only the bottom one has to have wheels. You just stack your other containers on top and wheel them around as a unit. It helps if they're made to stack, though, and the IRIS Airtight Pet Food Storage Combo is a good example of a stackable pet food storage system on wheels. The wheeled container holds up to 33 quarts and you can purchase 12-quart containers to stack on top. It also comes in two colors so that you can color code your pet food if you wish. IRIS also makes 45-, 55- and 69-quart wheeled containers.

Pet food storage containers not only make it easier to feed your pet, they keep your pet's food safe and fresh. They also look more attractive than ripped-open bags and make it easier to manage multiple types of pet food. Maybe it's time to sack the bag.