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DIY Raised Dog Bowl Stand With Mid-Century Mod Style

We built Szuka a DIY raised dog bowl stand and I love the mid-century mod shape and hairpin legs!  Our DIY dog bowl stand blends in with our decor but is the perfect height for our sweet pup.

DIY Raised Dog Bowl Stand on Hair Pin Legs

Szuka, our Komondor pup, is a tall gal (she can rest her head on the dining table, lol).  After watching her strain to reach her ground-level dog bowls like a brontosaurus, Hubs and I decided she could use a raised dog bowl stand.  I decided that it should be mid-century modern inspired.  And turquoise.  With hairpin legs.  Drool.  These retro-inspired raised dog feeders were clearly the inspiration behind my DIY raised dog bowl stand, but they’re unavailable – plus we wanted to customize the height.  Inspired by the design, we whipped up our own version of a mid-century modern style, DIY raised dog bowl stand.  Ours is so wonky it can hardly even be called a knock-off, but the three of us love it equally so we’ll call it a success!

How to Figure Out the Height of a DIY Raised Dog Bowl Stand

The first step was figuring out the height, so we created a cardboard cutout of the shape we wanted and put treats on it for Szuka to munch on while we held it up at different heights.  We made sure to factor in that the food would actually be lower once the bowls were in place.  She thought it was the most. fun. game. ever. (free liver, just for standing here?!?).  Once we found a height that seemed most comfortable for her, we noted the measurement.  You might want to consult with your veterinarian to determine if a raised bowl stand is a good fit for your dog, and what an ideal height would be. 

Making a Raised Pet Feeder - template 
Next we rustled up the supplies for our DIY dog bowl stand – including some gorgeous hairpin legs.

Supplies

We ordered our hairpin legs from Hairpin Legs for Less (who gifted the product) because of their great selection.  Even though I ended up choosing the gloss clear powder coat, I still enjoyed being tempted by white, turquoise and even brushed gold.  The quality is excellent, they were shipped with care, and I was able to customize the height.

Colorful Hairpin LegsHow to Build a DIY Raised Dog Bowl Stand

To assemble our DIY raised dog bowl stand, first we used our cardboard cut out to trace the design onto a piece of plywood.  (We really should have blown up the image of the bowl stand we liked and traced it, but that felt too much like copying).  We marked where the legs and bowls would go and then the bowl holes were traced and cut with a jigsaw before we cut out the whole shape.  We made the bowl holes smaller than the bowl edges, so the edge would catch and hold them in place.

How to Make a Plywood Raised Pet FeederDIY Wooden Pet Bowl StandHow to Make a Wood Raised Pet Bowl StandMake a Raised Pet Feeder

Once it was cut out, the entire piece was wrapped in edge tape (see this post about our DIY kitchen pantry, or this post about our floating credenza top to see how we do that).  Then I primed and painted it.  I mixed together the creamy white from the kitchen pantry and shelves, plus the turquoise of the cabinetry and the mintier office closet colour – all in semi-gloss – for a paler hue.  See?  There’s lots of color variation in the lakehouse: there’s lighter turquoise, darker turquoise, greener turquoise, bluer turquoise…

😉

And here is Szuka’s brand new, 1960s-inspired DIY raised dog bowl stand – complete with hairpin legs.

DIY Aqua Raised Dog Bowl Stand

Once the paint was dry, we attached the legs and dropped in the stainless steel bowls (from Petsmart). Szuka took to it right away.  I photographed it in the dining room because the laundry room – her spot to chow down – is windowless and difficult to photograph.  You’ll have to trust that it fits perfectly in the corner and looks cute with the turquoise curtains and her matching quilt.

Turquoise Dog Bowl StandHow to Make a Raised Dog Feeder

With raised feeding stations, there is some controversy as to whether this can cause bloat in dogs.  Some studies say higher bowls contribute to bloat while others say they prevent it and relieve digestive discomfort.  I didn’t want to put Szuka’s health in the hands of random internet sources so I consulted with our Vet who said the raised bowl is in no way a risk, especially given that Szuka is a pokey eater.  She will nibble her kibble, all day – she never wolfs it down.  But if you’re thinking of making your pup an elevated dog bowl – high or low – chat with your Vet about what’s healthiest.

DIY Rasied Dog Bowl Stand

Thanks to Hairpin Legs for Less for providing the hairpin legs for this project!  

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22 Comments

  1. Haley
    July 14, 2014 / 1:18 pm

    This is so cute! I love how it fits in with your style and seems pretty easy to make if you have the right tools.

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 14, 2014 / 5:08 pm

      An easier shape, like a rectangle, could even be cut at the store and with four legs instead of two it could work so nicely.

  2. Staci
    July 14, 2014 / 4:29 pm

    I love this! May have to copy for my little long-legged pooch.

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 14, 2014 / 5:07 pm

      If you do I'd love to see it!

  3. Stephanie @ Sandpaper and Glue
    July 15, 2014 / 1:36 am

    so cute, I love the shape and those legs are awesome! we bought a raised one for our dog but it's awful gray speckled plastic… I absolutely need to build and stain something instead. especially because it's in our bedroom.

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 17, 2014 / 12:43 am

      I don't know why there aren't cuter stands for dog bowls – most folks keeps the food bowls in a prominent spot. I'm excited that you're going to build something to suit your decor!

  4. Meghan Exner
    July 15, 2014 / 5:01 am

    This is so sweet Tanya! I love it (and every other project you do 🙂 You are one very talented lady.

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 17, 2014 / 12:44 am

      Thanks Meghan! You're making me blush 🙂 I have to give credit to my Handy Hubby for doing all of these projects with me.

  5. brikhouse2
    July 15, 2014 / 2:57 pm

    It's like a tv tray for you doggy…….to cute!

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 17, 2014 / 12:44 am

      Haha, it is! Also, this could double as a side table, it's so tall!

  6. cred
    July 15, 2014 / 7:11 pm

    Just awesome!

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 17, 2014 / 12:44 am

      Thanks!! I'm so happy with how it turned out.

  7. Meagan
    July 16, 2014 / 8:46 pm

    LOVE THIS! I was actually going to buy something but this is WAY cooler. Thanks!!!

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      July 17, 2014 / 12:45 am

      I'm so happy you like it!

  8. Kelly @ JAX does design
    July 17, 2014 / 3:17 pm

    Such a great idea! I bet Szuka loved being your QA dog 😀

  9. Breanna Bertolini
    July 25, 2014 / 8:23 pm

    this is super cool! I love it 🙂

  10. April Layne
    September 10, 2015 / 2:25 am

    So this is adorbs!

    • Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
      September 10, 2015 / 4:26 pm

      Thanks!

  11. Anonymous
    August 23, 2016 / 11:54 pm

    I also have a tall dog. What height were the legs you used in making this? It's so cute! And so is your dog.

    • Tanya from Dans le Lakehouse
      August 24, 2016 / 5:07 pm

      Good question! The legs are 16". But we tried a few different heights out, mocking up a cardboard table, for her to try. A chat with your bet might be a good idea too, to determine an ideal height for digestion (some dogs do better with lower bowls).

  12. LisaZolie
    November 12, 2018 / 5:32 pm

    Love it! I have a Komondor too 🙂 This is perfect.

    • Tanya from Dans le Lakehouse
      Author
      November 13, 2018 / 12:31 pm

      Awww! Do you cord your Kom pup? I don’t meet many other people who have them.

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