Dog feeders can be helpful for your dog and for you. With a setup for your dog’s food, you’re far less likely to trip over it and cause a mess. The benefits for your dog also range from helping with digestion to accommodating your dog’s preference for grazing.
Whichever style you choose, purchasing a feeder could set you back quite a bit. So, we’ve collected six types of DIY dog feeders that will hopefully inspire you to build your own!
The 5 DIY Dog Feeder Ideas
1. Dog Feeder and Storage by Manasa Reddigari
| Materials: | Plywood, drawer track, storage container, screws |
| Skill level: | Intermediate |
| Other tools needed: | Power drill, jigsaw |
This dog feeder also doubles as storage, which is perfect. Not only that, but it’s also a nice-looking addition to your home. This is an example of how a DIY project can still look professional, and you can design it, so it fits your home’s aesthetic.
| Materials: | PVC pipe, end caps, elbow, PVC glue |
| Skill level: | Beginner |
| Other tools needed: | Hacksaw |
A gravity dog feeder is a perfect solution when you can’t feed your dog on a schedule or if your dog is a grazer. This DIY feeder is easy to make, budget-friendly, and can be set up outside.
3. Built-In Dog Bowls by Wouldn’t it Be Lovely
| Materials: | Wood step tread, corbels |
| Skill level: | Intermediate |
| Other tools needed: | Screwdriver, jigsaw, wood screws, paintbrush (optional) |
If you’re guilty of being clumsy, this is the setup for you. A doggy feeding station that is elevated and out of the way means you won’t need to clean up your dog’s bowls in wet socks again.
4. Feeding Station With Storage Compartment by This Old House
| Materials: | Wood, cleats, piano hinge, door slides |
| Skill level: | Intermediate |
| Other tools needed: | Jigsaw, straightedge, measuring tape, pencil, compass, rasp, cordless drill, paintbrush (optional) |
This feeder looks like one of the trickier options, but the instructions are so clear it really isn’t as difficult as it first appears. There is also added storage, which is big enough to hold large tubs of food. This keeps your dog’s food fresh and close at hand.
5. Rustic Dog Bowl Stand by Shanty 2 Chic
| Materials: | Laminate pine panel, pine board, nails, wood glue, flat two-hole metal plates, 90-degree two-hole metal plates, paint/stain (optional) |
| Skill level: | Intermediate |
| Other tools needed: | Jigsaw, clamps, tape measure, pencil, nail gun/hammer, glue gun (optional) |
This feeder option is designed to look like a farmhouse table. It is an example of a feeder that doesn’t look like it should be for an animal. While your dog can’t join you at the table, it can get its own version. Eating meals together will become easier than ever.
People Also Ask:
Are Elevated Dog Feeders Good for Dogs?
There are a handful of benefits to an elevated bowl. Even if your dog doesn’t have a specific medical condition that requires it to use an elevated bowl, you might find that they still benefit from its use.
How High Should Your Elevated Food Bowl Be?
If you decide to use an elevated food bowl, getting the correct height is essential, and there are ways to measure your dog so you’re working with the correct measurements before you start your DIY project.
The best way to get the measurement is to have your dog stand with its legs directly underneath it and measure from the floor to where your dog’s legs meet its chest. Alternatively, if your dog won’t cooperate with this, measure from the floor to your dog’s shoulder and subtract 6 inches from a large dog and 3 inches from a smaller dog.
What You Should Know if Your Dog Is a Grazer
A free-choice method is perfect for a dog that is good at self-regulation when it comes to mealtimes. Free choice is when you leave the food out all day and allow your dog to help itself when it’s hungry. This is generally a good option for active dogs that are out burning lots of calories, as opposed to the couch potato type. It’s also a good option for nursing mothers who need more calories to produce milk for their hungry pups.
Some dogs can adapt to free feeding, and others merely prefer it. If they are a healthy weight and aren’t having accidents in the house, then they might be the perfect candidate to graze. If you’re going to leave food out all day, use dry food, so it doesn’t spoil.
The downside to this type of feeding is that the food could attract insects, raccoons, and rodents, so be on the lookout for pests. Grazing will not be suitable for every home. It wouldn’t work for diabetic dogs, and if you have more than one dog, you might find they bicker over the food.
Final Thoughts
Whichever dog feeder you choose, we’re certain your dog will love it, and it will certainly make your life a little easier. Some come with storage that keeps your dog’s food fresh and close at hand. Others keep their bowls out of the way, so you’re less likely to trip over them. We hope you’ve found this list helpful and that you’ve been inspired by the designs that will make mealtimes just a little bit easier.
Featured Image Credit: ariesa66, Pixabay
