Project

Elevated Dog Feeding Station

Raising his food and water bowls can offer relief to a pooch who has arthritis or back pain; it eliminates the pressure that stooping puts on the neck, spine, joints, and muscles. Our DIY feeding station cleverly repurposes a custom-painted stair tread and wall-bracket kit.

Photography: Michael Mundy

Source: Martha Stewart Living, September 2018

Introduction

To determine the appropriate shelf height for your dog, measure the distance from the floor to the spot where his legs meet his chest. He'll like having ready access to his dinner—and you'll love how it stops spills and keeps kibble from scattering everywhere. Remember: Check with your veterinarian to ensure Lucky doesn't have a GI issue this elevated height could aggravate. Treat your pet's dishes like your own and wash them daily, says Purina veterinarian Kurt Venator. Otherwise, a germy film can develop. Stainless steel bowls are ideal: They're durable, nonporous, and a cinch to clean.

For more ideas, scroll through our entire collection of dog crafts and cleaning tips that every pet owner needs to know.

materials

Jigsaw

Stair tread (Pictured: Pine stair tread, 36 inches $10, homedepot.com.)

Measuring tape

2 metal pet-food bowls (Pictured: Harmony large brushed stainless steel dog bowls, $15 each, petco.com.)

Sandpaper

Primer and paint

Wall-bracket kit with brackets, wall anchors, and screws (Pictured: Osborne Wood Lancaster Shaker brackets, in Soft Maple, $31 each, osbornewood.com.)

Handheld electric drill

Wood screws

Wood filler

Pencil

steps

Using jigsaw, cut stair tread to 28 inches. Mark center in pencil.
Place bowls upside-down on tread, each 1 inch from center line; trace edges. Measure and draw a smaller circle 7/16 inch inside each of those. Cut out smaller circles (the bowls will rest inside these); lightly sand cut edges.
Prime and paint stair tread and two wooden shelf brackets; let dry.
Mount brackets on wall, 24 inches apart, per instructions for included hardware (or use wall anchors and screws).
Center stair tread on top of brackets. Predrill screw holes at corners of stair tread and ends of brackets; secure with wood screws.
Cover screw holes in stair tread with wood filler; paint and let dry. Place bowls in holes. This raised eating ledge is convenient for large-breed dogs, too.