Feeding a litter from an ordinary bowl turns into a scrum, with the bold puppies at the rim and the quiet one pushed out or standing in the food. A weaning dish solves it by geometry rather than supervision. The raised cone in the centre pushes the food outwards into a ring, which spreads the litter around the circumference and gives every puppy or kitten a place at the edge facing outward instead of fighting for the middle.

Everything else about it follows from that job. The dish is shallow so small animals can reach the food without climbing in, wide so the ring is long enough to seat a whole litter, and stainless steel because weaning is messy and the bowl needs washing several times a day. Steel takes that without scratching into the sort of surface that harbours bacteria, unlike plastic, and it is heavy enough at the base to resist being shoved across the floor.

• Wide stainless steel dish with a raised central cone
• Food spreads into a ring around the rim
• Shallow depth suited to puppies and kittens
• Stable base that resists tipping and sliding
• Four sizes: S, M, L and XL
• Wipes and washes clean between every meal

On choosing a size. Tell us the breed and the size of the litter and we will get the measurements confirmed before you order, because a dish that seats eight labrador puppies is a very different object from one for four kittens. Wash it after each feed rather than topping it up.

What the options mean. Sizes run from S to XL — £8.99 for the smallest, £12.99 for the largest.

Who it's for: Breeders and fosterers weaning a litter of puppies or kittens onto solid food together.