A friend of ours needed a raised feeder for her gorgeous Great Dane called Brutus. She was worried about his back and didn’t want him to strain every time he ate but all the feeders were either too expensive or impractical so she asked us to make her one. Here’s how we made this one for Brutus.

A raised feeder for Brutus

A raised feeder for Brutus

What we used to make a raised feeder

What you need to make a raised feeder

What we used to make a raised feeder

  • Tongue and groove boards
  • Four 5 x 5 cm posts cut to size ( 2 x 2 inches)
  • Pine plank
  • Metal feeding bowls
  • Dremel circle cutter and straight-edge guide
  • 2 x large piano hinges
  • Chalk paint and clear wax
  • Wood sealer
  • Sisal rope
  • Nail gun

We started off by measuring and cutting the tongue and groove boards into 8  x 43 cm (17 inches) strips and 8 x 75 cm (29.5 inches) strips. We joined 4 long pieces together to form the two long sides and 4 short pieces together to form the two short sides. Tongue and groove boards are similar to Shiplap but they are really easy to work with because the tongue of one piece slots into the groove of the next piece, almost like a basic puzzle piece.

Measure and cut the sides

Measure and cut the sides

To put the basic box together we measured the width of the sides and cut the 5 x 5 cm posts to size, then we attached the 5 x 5 cm posts to the long side with wood glue and a nail gun. Make sure that the 5 x 5 posts are flush with the bottom of the sides. The 5 x 5 posts make it easier to create 90 degree angle where the sides join, something I always seems to struggle with. Once the glue is dry attach the short sides to the long sides to form a box.

Making the box

Making the box

To make the bottom we measured the interior of the box and cut the pine plank accordingly. We used a nail gun to nail the bottom of the feeder to the 5 x 5 posts in each corner.

Measure the bottom

Measuring the bottom of the feeder

For the top we took the bottom measurements and added an extra 5 cm (2 inches) all round (We wanted the top to be a bit wider). We used a gorgeous dark wood stain to seal and protect the top and then Hubby used his Dremel circle cutter and straight-edge guide to cut two holes in the top to fit two bowls for Brutus’s food and water.

Use a dremel to cut the hols to fit the bowls

Use a dremel to cut holes to fit the bowls

We used the same stain to seal and protect the feeder and then we dry brushed on some white chalk paint and clear wax to create some contrast between the lid and the bottom. Finally we attached the lid with piano hinges, added some sisal rope handles and made a sign so everyone knows who the feeder belongs to.

This feeder belongs to Brutus

This feeder belongs to Brutus

Now Brutus can eat in comfort and there’s extra storage for his food and special doggie treats.

A raised feeder for Brutus

A raised feeder for Brutus

Do you use a raised feeder for your fur babies?

Made with love by a Crafty Mix