When you adopt a dog or a cat, you quickly think about their bed, their toys or their lead. Yet there’s one object your companion will probably use several times a day for years: their bowl.
And yet this essential item is often chosen quickly, without much thought. A simple plastic bowl bought in a hurry, replaced a few years later when it’s worn out or has become unsightly.
I wanted to approach things differently.
Why couldn’t a personalised dog or cat bowl be practical, durable, pleasant to use, and beautiful enough to naturally belong in the home?
That’s the thinking that gave birth to my COLETTE bowl, a customisable ceramic bowl, hand-shaped in my workshop in Provence.
A personalised bowl unlike the others
Most personalised bowls available today are industrially produced. The name is often printed or mechanically engraved, sometimes on materials that don’t age well over time.
I wanted to offer something different.
Each personalised dog or cat bowl is made in light beige stoneware and then decorated by hand. Your companion’s name is drawn individually in blue pencil, using the same gesture I use for all my creations.
No two names are exactly alike. Each handwriting has its own small variations, its personality, its rhythm.
This artisanal personalisation gives each piece a unique character, far from standardised production.
Ordering your bowl is very simple, too. Just enter your companion’s name in the field provided when you place your order. I then reproduce that name by hand directly on the piece before firing.
Just a few clicks are all it takes to create a truly unique bowl.
Colette, our beagle, at the origin of the project
The name of this bowl wasn’t chosen at random.
Colette is the name of our beagle.
Like many dog owners, we’ve shared our everyday life with her for years. She joins us on walks, on holidays, during relaxing moments in the garden, and of course at mealtimes.
By observing her habits, I quickly realised that a bowl isn’t just an accessory.
It’s an object that’s part of her daily routine. She comes back to it morning and evening, several times a day. She knows it perfectly. She knows where it is.
That closeness made me want to create a piece designed to last and pleasant to live with every day.
A stable, practical and beautiful personalised bowl—one you wouldn’t want to hide away in a corner of the kitchen.
→ Personalise a bowl with your companion’s name
Why choose a ceramic bowl for a dog or cat?
The material used for a bowl plays an important role.
Stoneware has several advantages, which is why I’ve been using it for a long time in my work as a ceramicist.
First of all, its weight provides excellent stability. A ceramic bowl naturally stays in place when your companion eats or drinks. It doesn’t slide easily on the floor and stands up better to the sometimes enthusiastic movements of the most food-motivated animals.
Stoneware is also a very durable material. Fired at high temperature, it’s designed to withstand daily use for many years.
I place particular importance on this idea of durability. I talk about it in my article dedicated to the durability of handmade tableware after several years of daily use. I like creating objects that age well and stay with the people who use them for a long time.
Finally, the lead-free transparent glaze used on this bowl guarantees safe, food-friendly use and easy care.
The bowl simply goes in the dishwasher.
A raised bowl designed for comfort
Beyond aesthetics, the shape of the bowl has also been carefully considered.
Its raised foot slightly elevates the feeding area. This position encourages a more natural posture for many animals, especially small and medium-sized dogs.
The goal isn’t to turn a meal into an advanced ergonomics session, but simply to improve your companion’s everyday comfort.
The wide foot also provides excellent overall stability.
Even filled with water or kibble, the bowl keeps a solid base and remains pleasant to use.
A solution appreciated by long-eared dogs
Owners of beagles, cockers, bassets or spaniels often know the problem.
Long ears tend to dip into the water or the food.
Thanks to its relatively deep shape and slightly raised height, the COLETTE bowl limits this and helps keep ears cleaner during meals.
It’s a detail that seems trivial—until the day you have to clean wet ears several times a week.
An everyday object you end up getting attached to
We sometimes tend to see utilitarian objects as simple accessories.
Yet some end up becoming part of our family environment.
A bowl is one of them.
Few objects in a home are used so regularly. Several times a day, every day, for years.
By seeing it, filling it, cleaning it, and watching our companion use it, it gradually becomes familiar.
That’s exactly what I love about craftsmanship.
Creating simple objects that can accompany everyday life over the long term.
A personalised dog bowl, but also for cats
Even though it was imagined by observing our beagle, this bowl is perfectly suited to many cats.
Its capacity of around 40 cl is ideal for fresh water, kibble or wet food.
Its diameter of around 13.5 cm offers a comfortable space for meals without taking up too much room in the home.
It naturally fits into a living room, a kitchen, or a dedicated feeding corner for your companion.
An original gift idea for animal lovers
Finding a truly personal gift isn’t always easy.
Yet a personalised dog or cat bowl makes a particularly appreciated gift.
It can be given for:
- an adoption;
- the arrival of a puppy;
- the arrival of a kitten;
- a birthday;
- or simply to treat a loved one who’s attached to their pet.
Unlike many gifts that end up at the back of a cupboard, a bowl is used every day.
It’s genuinely useful while also keeping an emotional dimension thanks to the personalisation.
If you’re looking for other ideas in the same spirit, you can also discover my selection of useful and original small handmade gifts.
When our pets become members of the family
For many of us, a dog or a cat holds a very special place.
They share our habits, our walks, our holidays, and sometimes even our most important moments.
We know their quirks, their preferences, and their little routines.
They greet us when we come home and take part in family life for many years.
Personalising their bowl is obviously not a necessity.
But it’s a simple way to acknowledge that special place they hold in our everyday life.
A way to give them an object designed especially for them.
Handmade in Provence
Each bowl is shaped in my workshop in Provence.
I work in small batches to keep real control over every step of the making process.
The stoneware is thrown, assembled, dried, decorated, then fired at high temperature before receiving its transparent glaze.
This artisanal approach allows me to create unique pieces that retain the trace of the human hand.
As with any handmade creation, slight variations may exist from one piece to another. These aren’t flaws, but rather the signs of authentic craftsmanship.
If you enjoy discovering behind the scenes of my work, you can also read my article on handmade objects for dog lovers, as well as the one dedicated to handmade stoneware tableware and its everyday benefits.
A bowl designed to accompany your companion for years
The COLETTE bowl was born from a simple idea: creating an object that’s beautiful, practical and durable.
An object you use without thinking about it, but appreciate every day.
A piece that can accompany your companion for years while naturally finding its place in your home.
Because, deep down, when an object is used several times a day by someone you love, it may deserve a little more attention than a simple bowl chosen at the last minute.
Ready to create a unique bowl for your companion?
Simply enter their name when you place your order, and I’ll take care of the rest.
