There are six main considerations when choosing a pet fountain for you pet. Half of these factors pertain to your pet's needs and the other half are for your personal benefit. These are the things discussed in this article.
1. Size
2. Accessibility
3. Materials
4. Ease of Care
5. Cost
6. Looks and personal preference
First, consider the size of the water reservoir and the amount of water your pet fountain holds. If you have a St. Bernard or any other large dog, consider the Big Dog Fountain because these dogs consume large amounts of water and this fountain should satisfy them for at least the entire day. On the other hand, a cat won't require much water and would be perfectly content with the smaller Original Pet Fountain. At least in a pet fountain, there is no need to worry about stale water gathering bacteria if you choose a larger size than required by your pet. It will take up more room, but will also have to be filled less often. Your choice.
Second, the fountain you choose needs to be accessible to your pet. This is only common sense, but is especially important if you have multiple pets who like to drink together. The 360 Pet Fountains are great for accessibility because they are open all the way around and have four separate spouts of water to drink from. The Big Dog Fountain might be too high for a small kitten.
Third, stainless steel and ceramic are rated by veterinarians to be more healthy than plastic for your pets to eat and drink from. Plastics can release chemicals into the food or water, especially in the hot sun.
Now that you have considered all your pets needs, the last three considerations are for your convenience. The fourth thing to consider is the ease of care. Choose the fountain that will be easiest to take apart, clean, and reassemble. The wisdom of this will be realized when it becomes part of your routine, whether daily or weekly.
The fifth consideration is the cost. When calculating the cost, include not only the original purchase price, but also the cost of maintenance. How much are the filters? How often do they need to be changed?
Last, but not least, the one you like best and that most compliments your home should be considered. Have fun choosing your pet fountain because it should serve your pet well for a long time.

B. L. Martin enjoys large dogs, but needed to find solutions to the dirty water and wet floor problems when they drink. You can check out her website on this topic at Drinkwell Pet Fountains, where she provides additional information on the wide range of choices Drinkwell offers, including the Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain and the Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain.