Guessing at portions is how dogs get quietly fat. A handful is not a measurement, and the gap between a generous scoop and a level one, repeated twice a day for a year, adds up to a serious amount of extra food. A fixed-capacity scoop takes the judgement out of the decision and makes every meal the same size as the last one, which is most of the battle.

This one holds two cups and is moulded from melamine rather than thin polypropylene, so it does not flex when you push it down into a heavy bag of kibble and it does not crack when it is dropped on a tiled floor. It is break-, scratch- and chip-resistant, BPA-free and food-safe, and it goes in the dishwasher alongside the bowls. The Rio Medallion pattern in blue means it can live on the worktop rather than being hidden in a cupboard.

• 2-cup capacity for consistent portion control
• Measures 10.92 x 25.91 cm
• BPA-free, food-safe melamine
• Break-, scratch- and chip-resistant
• Fully dishwasher safe
• Rio Medallion design in blue

On measuring properly. A cup is a volume rather than a weight, and different kibbles vary a lot in density. If your vet has given you a target in grams, weigh the food once on kitchen scales, note where that level sits in the scoop, and use the scoop from then on. It is for dry food only, since wet food will not release cleanly.

Who it's for: Households feeding a measured dry diet, whether that is a Labrador, a Golden Retriever, a Border Collie or a German Shepherd, or a cat on a controlled portion.