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Permalink Reply by Beca and Mishka on October 17, 2013 at 10:25am

I've used the grey ones with the screw-on tops before.  They work well for keeping rodents and bugs out of the food.  I favor keeping the food in the bag inside the container, though.  Easier to rinse/clean out the container between bags.  If you're not using the bag in the bin, make sure the bin is BPA-free.  Kibble keeps a long time and has plenty of time to absorb weird chemicals from plastics.

Since Mishka is on prescription food now (allergen-free, as in hydrolyzed proteins - not just limited ingredient) I don't really have the option of buying in bulk.  I get a couple 8lb bags at a time, and they last a couple months (also, the food is always fresher).  I have a large ceramic canister with a silicone gasket on my countertop that holds about a week's worth at a time, plus the measuring cup.  Faster and easier than going into a cupboard or outside and pulling out a giant bin twice a day.

Depending on where you are keeping the food and where you are feeding the pup, you'll probably end up adjusting over time.  When I got Mishka, I thought I'd be keeping all his food in the garage/entryway and feeding him there.  Pretty quickly I realized I needed my morning routine less spread out through the house, so moved to the kitchen....which didn't have room for the big bin.

One thing I'd suggest is getting a cheap set of measuring cups just for feeding the pup.  That way you always really know how much he's eating, and it's easy to adjust up or down.  Also, you don't have to wash kibble out of a measuring cup before you bake cookies.

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Permalink Reply by Jane on October 17, 2013 at 10:38am

We have big airtight bins. I think we got them from Target?

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Permalink Reply by Linda on October 17, 2013 at 4:15pm

I use on of those giant sized popcorn tins...keeps it fresh, bugs and cats out.  The can is on the basement landing where I keep all the critter food plus that's where the cats eat so the dogs don't get their food.  Graycie the cat loves dry dog food even tho she gets the same quality stuff only in cat food.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Marie on October 17, 2013 at 5:19pm

I use the Sortera Waste Sorting Bin to store the food in the garage, and fill up one these to keep in the house. When it's empty, just go into the garage and refill. 

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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on October 17, 2013 at 8:22pm

This is what I use;

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pet-Food-Storage-Container-Cats-Dogs/1081...

I like that it has wheels in case I have to move it.  It's airtight.  I too put the bag inside.

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Permalink Reply by Donna and Lilly on October 17, 2013 at 8:51pm

I know walmart and sams club carry the big airtight bins.  I got the one from sams. 

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Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on October 17, 2013 at 10:17pm

We keep the bag inside a plastic bin (from a hardware store - RubberMaid or similar)in the basement and fill one of those cereal keepers (Tupperware or similar) to keep in the kitchen for daily use. We just refill it as needed. I, too, recommend a dedicated set of measuring cups for the kibble. Easy to keep tabs on how much you're giving. We have to be especially careful with Sophie's weight due to her seizure medications; don't want her weight fluctuating and affecting the medication levels.

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Permalink Reply by Vi, Justin, & Casey the Corgi on October 17, 2013 at 10:38pm

We're prepping for our new puppy as well so I can't comment on what type will work best, but I got a plastic bin with a locking lid and casters this past weekend from PetSmart.  Unfortunately I can't find it on their website, but it also comes with a treat jar and measuring scoop.  It holds 26.5lbs of food and it was on sale for $27.99.  

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on October 18, 2013 at 1:06am

Get AIRTIGHT containers.   I use a plastic bucket with a tight lid, and keep the big kibble bag inside that, with extra air squeezed out and the ziplock sealed.  I use a smaller container on the counter for a week's worth of "ready ammunition".

I used to save those silica dessicant pouches to keep it dry, but this may not be worth the danger; they will smell like dog food, and your dog will eat them if it ever gets a chance.  Not very toxic but I don't want my dog swallowing them.

There are various sizes of chemical buckets-- 2.5, 5, 10 gal. --  stouter than regular buckets with threaded O-ring lids.  Perfect for dog food if you can find ones that had safe chemicals in them.

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Permalink Reply by Jane T. (& Griffin) on October 18, 2013 at 7:34pm

I keep Griffin's dry food in a tub I got at Petsmart.  Since I don't keep the food in it's bag I try to remember to cut off the expiration date and lot number in case of recall. 

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Permalink Reply by Brittany & Boba on October 19, 2013 at 11:56am

To be honest check out amazon they have lots of options I use the vittles vault (bpa free) in combination with a raised food bowl that also acts as a storage container for food since I have a puppy and a dog. There are many options available like Bergan and IRIS I would personally recommend try those instead of the vittles vault only from my experience of the gasket on ours breaking (to be fair my boyfriend jams the lid so tight I sometimes can't feed the dogs until he wakes up to undo it). So here is a checklist to help you figure it out.

• Figure out how big a bag of food you will be buying (if you don't buy a 30 lb bag you don't need a 30 lb container
• Remember they use a smaller size kibble when they measure how much it carries so you may have to get a little bigger one if the kibble will be on the larger size (ie.20 lb bag of large kibble then a 25lb container)
• Will you be carrying the bowl to the container or the container to the bowl they have many available with casters (I have no experience with them)
• Where will you keep it (garage, outside, closet, pantry, middle of the living room as a foot rest <joke) Some will be better suited indoors than outdoors and remember nothing is squirrel and racoon proof (in my experience)

• Remember some may not sit well in a small pantry so again keep placement and size in mind. (we keep ours on the side of our kitchen island)

I hope that kind of helps you prioritize your search (DO NOT GET THE RAISED FOOD BOWL STORAGE CONTAINER I USE THAT FOR A BORDER COLLIE NOT A CORGI)

EDIT:  Be sure to check that it does have an airtight seal not all of them do

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Permalink Reply by Marissa, Bandit, and Bacon on October 19, 2013 at 5:46pm

Thanks for all of the input guys! I will definitely be keeping an eye out, I still have a few weeks! The food will probably be kept near where her food bowl is. I'm in an apartment so I don't really have other storage areas where I could store the food.

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