Saturday, March 6, 2010

Feeder Problem Solved



For months we've been looking for elevated dog feeders for the pups, at the insistence of our vet and trainer. When dogs have to lean down to eat, not only do they risk muscle, joint and bone damage, but they risk bloat that can be fatal. However, after perusing every pet store from here to Timbuktu (okay, really from Mesa to Phoenix) we discovered that most raised feeders go up to 15" in height. That didn't meet the needs of our dogs.

So we began searching online, and found a little more selection of feeders that were still not tall enough, or that stood on a pedestal that would blow over if Pivot breathed on it too hard. We did discover a few people who custom made elevated feeders, but we simply didn't want to pay $80 or more for a feeder.

I wondered if, with my limited carpentry abilities, I could make a feeder myself. One idea I found online was to use a 5-gallon bucket, with a hole cut in the lid to hold the bowl. This would have worked for awhile, until the pups grew and even this would be too short, and while my decor isn't extremely fancy, I just couldn't picture this in my kitchen.

With a little more thought and creativity, I found the supplies to make this feeder. I bought the stools, recruited Kevin to help me cut holes in the top for the bowls (which hold 10.8 cups of food each, which is plenty for our pups), trimmed the tall one down to fit Pivot, and Voila!









The dogs are now proud owners of their unique and custom elevated feeders, making their meals more comfy and safe.

2 comments:

  1. Great job Val and OMG how tall Pivot is getting!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thats a great Idea Val! I never knew it was bad for them to have to lean down...I have a little table with bowls for Daisy. I bought it years ago in the Dr Foster & Smith Magazine years ago. You should check it out and prescribe to get catalogs-they have great things for dogs and somethings are pricey/some things not so much. Great job Val & Kevin!

    ReplyDelete