Monday, April 28, 2014

DIY - Slow Feeder Dog Dish


This dog is a sweet little girl who loves three things in life.
Her ball, her people, and her food.


We didn't raise Jinx from a puppy and so we did not get a chance to help her develop good eating habits. 
This girls can down her dish of doggy kibble in less than 30 seconds.
This results in the most noxious gas emanating from a peacefully slumbering pooch that you have ever smelled.
She can clear a room, people.
So I hopped online to do a little research on what could be done about doggy gas. I learned 2 helpful things;
elevate her food, and get a dish that will cause her to eat slower.
When I looked online for these fabulous dog dishes, I found that they could run anywhere between $10 and $25.
The cheaper ones are made out of plastic.
I didn't like the plastic versions and the stainless steel ones were expensive. I got to thinking about it and thought that I could come up with my own solution for much cheaper.
My solution cost me less than $5.
Want to make your own?
This is what you will need:
2 stainless steel bowls.


These were purchased at our local hardware/home improvement store. The little one cost less than a dollar and the large one cost less than $4.

You will also need some silicone sealant.


Now because Hunky Hubby is a carpenter, we happened to already have a tube of silicone. However you should be able to pick up a tube for around a buck. You could also look for a silicone glue like E6000 in the crafts section of your nearest big box store.
Just a little warning: you will not come close to using all the silicone.


Turn the little bowl upside down and glue it into the bottom of the large bowl.
Let dry.
Boom!
You now have your very own slow feeder dog bowl.
Want to see it in action?
I know you do.


Miss Piggy now has to take smaller bites in order to eat around the small dish in the middle. 
I could actually hear her chewing!
Now, because I have a Lab, I wanted to use the large dog dish so I would have enough space for her to get her muzzle in between the sides of the dishes. I also wanted to be able to add enough food.
These sizes worked great for us.
The next step is for H.H. to build a stand for the dog dish to sit inside so it can't be knocked off the overturned laundry basket it was set on.
Do you want to hear the best news?
These two techniques have definitely slowed down Jinx's food gulping. It has also seriously reduced the amount of stinky flatulence that emit from her!
This is a win-win, people.
Cheap and easy project + less stinky dog.

Guess what?
Our Jinx is going to be a mommy!
If you or anyone you know are interested in a labradoodle puppy, stay tuned for future updates and pictures. They are due in a little over 2 weeks.




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1 comment:

Hannah F said...

Thanks for posting this! I have a two-year old lab and he's always had trouble inhaling his food. I really like this option as well because it will allow me to continue using our elevated dog bowl. Going to try! Thanks again!