We’ve got a couple of giant dogs that we spoil to no end…evidenced here. Our girls are family members (my mom has taken to calling them her “granddogs”), so we want the best for them. Long ago, we read about elevated feeders to fight against bloat, which can be deadly to Great Danes, so we’ve always fed our dogs out of raised bowls.
In the new house, our dogs will have a special built-in feeding area that will include a cabinet for their food and a ledge for their bowls that will blend in with our house. If you didn’t have the option of a built-in feeder, the classic-looking pet feeding hutch below would be a cool idea:
images from Freshhome
I love this! I am saving this for when we have our home with big puppies one day. Nice, neat and functional.
Sara! I didn’t know you were reading! You totally need a great dane or two again!
Oh yeah, lurking quietly here. When I have the room again, and a home on the ground floor, I really want a dog again. Henk wants a Irish Wolfhound, I want a Dane. Either way, it’s going to be a huge dog again, they are so sweet
[...] Doggy DIY: A hidden doggy food drawer. It seriously took me 5 minutes how to spell drawer. Maybe getting up at 4:30AM isn’t good [...]
Saw a picture of this on pinterest. The link above for the hutch doesn’t work. Do you know where I can get one of these?
Erin, I don’t know, the link to Bailey’s Pet Furniture appears to be broken…it worked when I put it up there. Googling doesn’t help either. Hoping all the attention on the feeder didn’t overwhelm their site/business! I’ll keep an eye on them and update when I see it working again.
you can easily DIY this. we did this for our 2 boxers several years ago with a bottom drawer that was just full of junk (http://dailyboxer.blogspot.com/2008/06/well-this-is-what-it-has-come-to-for.html). when we remodeled our kitchen/dining room this past year, it was the priority item in the planning – http://blondemafia.blogspot.com/2011/08/dinner-is-served.html.
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What a cool idea, could so make yourself with a lift top dresser!! I have a Neapolitan Mastiff, and just read recently on a Neo site,
that they are discovering that an elevated dish can lead to bloat! don’t know what to believe.
I’ve read that the elevated feeders reduced the incidents of bloat, so we’ve always used them with our big girls…it is hard to know what to believe!
Is there a site link or is this a diy idea? Also.. please don’t forget pictures of the new houses dog area. I’m really interested!
Hi Renee, if you click on the Freshome link under the last pic, you’ll see the orignal place I found this feeder. Unfortunately, the pet hutch site where you could buy it seems to be broken or down. It could totally be a DIY idea, though, and I have been trying to convince my dad to build one.
You’d have to leave that bottom drawer open all the time to let the dogs have access to water.
I saw this on Pinterest and was interested, but I have a question. What do you do about their water? Dogs need easy access to their water throughout the day, but the design of this chest looks like you would close the drawer, thereby shutting off their access to water. I like the idea, and it would work for food since my rottie eats a scheduled times everyday, and I would just roll the drawer open and close it when she is done. But she drinks throughout the day, and if I left the drawer open we’d be tripping over it and banging in to it all day. Do you have somewhere else that you keep a water dish?
Tara and CMB, I don’t actually own this feeder, it was just a pic I saw that looked like a fun DIY project. Yes, if you planned to keep the water bowl in there, you’d have to keep it open. In our house, we presently have raised metal feeders, but the dogs have a separate one for their water. So, you could just use it for food and do whatever you usually do for water. It’s a great idea, please let me know if you make one for yourself!
I would suggest building something for food only. If you have two dogs that eat side by side, it’s perfect, and then have a separate water dish for them. Growing up with four dogs, it definitely would have been nice to be able to push the food bowls out of sight when company came over.
[...] bad my eyesight is getting! So imagine how tall dogs feel when they always have to slump to eat. Rock n Roll Problems has a great solution, In the new house, our dogs will have a special built-in feeding area that will include a cabinet [...]
I have a great dane puppy, he just turned 15mo. My 16dd and I are going to make this. I think that the drawer will probably stay open for most of the time, but during parties and such, when He is outside or upstairs (away from the crowd), it could be shut for aesthetics. I will let you know how it works out. My Sister just decided to give away the perfect size dresser for the project. I can post pics when we are done.
I can’t wait to see how it turns out, Dyrene. Make sure to get a pic with your pup in it too!
Elevated dog bowls actually increase the risk of bloat.
Depends what you read, I guess. My dogs have always eaten from elevated bowls (based on the info I got from their breeder and the vet), so I hate to change now.
I’ve heard elevate, don’t elevate too! We started elevated and our Dane is now eleven, we still elevate and I wouldn’t change a thing at this point, even our lab and mutt eat “in the air!”
Found you on Pinterest. Really nice idea for the built in food business, Thanks!
I also have an 11 year old (she’s in great health for her age–hope yours is too!) and a 4 year old Dane. I can’t change now either.
Glad you found me on Pinterest, please look around!
Was wondering how far down the storage for food went? This is a awesome idea .. I am going to make one and put a spot on top for my cat !
I haven’t made this yet; it was an idea I originally saw on Freshome from another site (that no longer exists). I would guess that the food storage area could go as deep as you need it (one or two drawers down), depending on the dresser you use. I’d love to see it if you do make it, and the idea to include space for your cat is great!
[...] Website: Freshome via Rock N Roll Problems [...]
This is genius! I am doing this for my Dane, and Border Collie, and Bic—, no wait will need smaller version for the Bichon!