PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Review: Does This Fountain Keep My Dog Hydrated?

Introduction

Last month, I caught my dog Max drinking out of the toilet. Again. I yelled, and he looked up at me with his wet nose, like he was confused why I was mad. Like, c’mon, this toilet water is way better than that stale stuff in my bowl, right? And that’s when I realized, he just doesn’t like still water. I was so worried, because the vet had just told me Max wasn’t drinking enough. His urine was way too concentrated, and the vet warned me that could lead to kidney issues down the line if I didn’t get him to drink more. That’s when I ordered the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain, and after using it for a month, I put together this full PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum review to share everything I learned.

Before this, I’d tried everything to get him to drink more. I tried changing his water twice a day, I tried adding ice cubes, I even tried those flavor additives, but nothing worked. He still preferred the toilet, or the puddle outside after it rained, over his own bowl. I was skeptical, because I’d heard so many mixed things about pet water fountains, but I was desperate, so I decided to give it a shot.

PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum：A PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Review of Its Features

So, what exactly is this thing, anyway? This is the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Pet Fountain,the 168oz one, the big one for dogs and cats. It’s an automatic water fountain, built to give your pet fresh, flowing water, instead of the stale still water that’s been sitting in a bowl all day.

It has a 168oz reservoir, which is huge, that’s like 5 liters, so you don’t have to refill it every single day. It has a carbon filter, too, that removes bad tastes and odors from the water, so it tastes fresh, like running water. It has an adjustable water flow, too, so you can adjust how fast the water falls, to suit your pet’s preference. If they like a big waterfall, you can turn it up, if they like it quieter, you can turn it down. And the pump is submersible, so it’s supposed to be quiet, right?

My Story：Putting the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum to the Test

When the fountain arrived, I was excited to try it, but I was also nervous that it wouldn’t work. I’d spent so much money on other things that didn’t do anything, so I wasn’t getting my hopes up. I put it together, filled it up, plugged it in, and waited. At first, Max was a little scared of it. The water was flowing, and he stared at it like it was some kind of monster. But after 10 minutes, he crept over, sniffed it, and took a sip. And then he kept drinking. He drank so much, I was shocked.

After that, he stopped drinking out of the toilet. Completely. I couldn’t believe it. I went on a 3-day trip last week, and I left the fountain running, and when I came back, there was still half the water left! I didn’t have to worry about him running out of water, or the water getting stale, it was perfect. I saw a review from a guy who had three cats, and he said he only has to refill it once a week, which is exactly what I noticed, too. It’s so big, you don’t have to mess with it every day.

But it wasn’t all perfect. After a week, I noticed there was a little green algae starting to grow on the inside of the bowl. Gross, right? I had to take it apart to clean it, and that was kind of a pain. The reservoir is kind of hard to take apart, I had to wiggle it for a minute to get it off. And then, I had to clean all the parts, the pump, the filter, everything, because if you don’t, the algae keeps growing, and it gets smelly. A lot of other reviewers said the same thing— you have to clean it every week, otherwise it gets gross.

Also, one night, I woke up to this weird loud noise. It was the fountain. The water level had gotten low, because Max had been drinking a lot, and the pump started making this loud whining noise. It scared the crap out of me, and it scared Max too, he ran under the bed. A lot of reviewers said the same thing— when the water gets too low, the pump gets loud, and it can scare your pet. I had to get up in the middle of the night to refill it, which was kind of annoying.

And then, after two months, the pump started making a little noise, even when the water was full. I was worried it was broken, so I contacted PetSafe’s support, and they sent me a new pump for free! That was nice, but it was still kind of a bummer that the original pump only lasted two months. A lot of reviewers said the same thing, the pump can burn out after a few months, but the support is good about replacing it.

What I Liked and What I Didn’t Like About the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum

After using this for a month, I’ve gone through all the pros and cons, and I checked out hundreds of other reviews to make sure I wasn’t the only one with these experiences.

What I Liked

• It actually got Max to drink more water: That’s the best part. He went from barely drinking anything, to drinking so much, his urine is normal now, and he stopped drinking out of the toilet. I saw a review from a woman who said her dog drank 50% more water after switching to this fountain, which is exactly what I saw. It’s amazing, the flowing water just makes them want to drink.
• The huge capacity: I don’t have to refill it every day. I can go 3 or 4 days without refilling it, which is perfect when I’m busy, or when I go out of town for a weekend. I don’t have to worry about my dog running out of water, it’s perfect.
• The filter works great: The water tastes fresh, no weird tap water taste, no odors. Max loves it, and I don’t have to worry about him drinking dirty water.
• The adjustable flow: I could adjust the water flow to what Max likes. At first, he liked it slower, now he likes it a little faster, it’s perfect, you can customize it.
• The customer support is great: When my pump broke, they sent me a new one for free, no questions asked. A lot of reviewers said the same thing, the support is really good, they stand behind their product.

What I Didn’t Like

• You have to clean it every single week: If you don’t, algae grows, and it gets smelly, and gross. It’s kind of a hassle, you have to take it all apart, clean all the parts, it takes like 20 minutes, every week. If you’re lazy, this isn’t the product for you.
• It gets loud when the water is low: When the water level drops, the pump starts making this loud whining noise, which can scare your pet, and it’s annoying. You have to make sure you refill it before it gets too low.
• The pump can burn out after a few months: A lot of reviewers, including me, had the pump break after a few months. The support replaces it, but it’s still kind of a bummer, you have to replace the pump every few months.
• It’s kind of hard to take apart: The reservoir is kind of hard to remove, it takes a little wiggling, which is annoying when you’re trying to clean it.

Is the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Right for Your Dog?

So, is this fountain right for you and your dog? For me, absolutely— but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.

If you have a dog that doesn’t like drinking water, that prefers toilet water or puddles, or if you have multiple pets, or if you travel a lot and need something that holds a lot of water? This is a no-brainer. It’s perfect, it gets your dog to drink more, it holds so much water, it gives you peace of mind. I don’t have to worry about Max’s kidney issues anymore, I don’t have to worry about him drinking out of the toilet, it’s perfect.

On the other hand, if you’re lazy, and you don’t want to clean something every week? Then this isn’t for you. If you don’t clean it, it gets gross, it grows algae, it gets smelly, it’s not worth it. Or if you have a really big dog, that drinks a ton of water, then this might not be big enough, because even the 168oz might not last a full week for a big dog. But if you’re like me, with a medium dog, that doesn’t drink enough water, and you’re willing to clean it every week? It’s 100% worth it.

If you’re interested in trying it out, you can check it out here: [buy link: PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum] (affiliate link)

Common Questions About the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum

I got so many questions from my friends after I posted about this, so I wanted to answer the most common ones here:

How often do I need to clean this fountain?

You need to clean it at least once a week. If you don’t, algae will start to grow on the inside, and it will get smelly, and it can make your pet sick. It’s a little bit of a hassle, but it’s worth it to keep the water clean.

Can this work for both cats and dogs?

Absolutely! A lot of people use this for both cats and dogs, it works great for multiple pets. The big capacity means there’s enough water for everyone, and the flowing water works for both cats and dogs, they both love it.

Does the pump make a lot of noise?

Most of the time, it’s really quiet, you can barely hear it. But when the water level gets too low, it starts making a loud whining noise, which can be scary for your pet. You just have to make sure you refill it before the water gets too low, and it’s fine.

My Top Takeaways on the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum

All in all, this fountain has been a total game-changer for us. It’s not perfect— you have to clean it every week, it gets loud when the water is low, and the pump can burn out after a few months— but the pros way outweigh the cons. It solved all my biggest problems: I don’t have to worry about Max not drinking enough water anymore, I don’t have to worry about him drinking out of the toilet, and I don’t have to worry about his kidney issues.

It’s not the cheapest fountain out there, but it’s worth it, because it works, and the customer support is great. I don’t have to worry about Max getting dehydrated anymore, which is the most important thing.

Final Thoughts on the PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum

I can’t believe I waited so long to get this. Before this, every day, I was worried about Max’s hydration, I was stressed, I couldn’t relax, because I was worried he was going to get sick. Now, I can relax, I can go out of town, I can have fun, because I know he’s drinking enough water, and he’s safe.

Do you have a dog that doesn’t like drinking water, that prefers drinking out of weird places like the toilet? Have you tried this fountain before, or were you skeptical about pet water fountains like I was? Tell me your story in the comments!

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A Quick Disclaimer

I’m not a vet or professional trainer. This is just my personal experience.