Build Your Own DIY Dog Food Dispenser With Just 3 Things
If pouring dog food out of the bag and into the bowl of your favorite four-legged friend is getting to be a bit monotonous, mix things up with this homemade dog food dispenser. Or if you're more of a cat person, it also works well with dry cat food.
You'll need:
- a lot of cardboard (the approximate dimensions of the individual pieces are mentioned below)
- one piece of printer paper
- a straw
- a glass or jar with plastic lid
- popsicle sticks
- two rubber bands
- wrapping paper
- superglue
- hot glue gun
Here's how:
1. First cut and prepare the popsicle sticks. Superglue a square piece of a popsicle stick to a piece that is about twice as long. You'll need six completed pieces in total.
2. Using superglue, glue two of these wooden pieces to the smaller sides of a piece of cardboard measuring approximately 1.2 in x 2 in.
3. Using a straw, roll up a piece of printer paper and tape the ends and middle section. Then remove the straw.
4. Using a hot glue gun, glue the rolled sheet of paper to the edge of the piece of cardboard from Step 2. The paper should be on the opposite side of the one with the pieces of wood. You now have your flap. Set aside for later.
5. Now assemble the funnel. This consists of four trapezoid-shaped cardboard elements, which are about 3.15 inches long on the top and sides and 1.2 inches long on the narrower bottom. Glue the four cardboard elements together at the sides using a hot glue gun.
6. Superglue two more of the popsicle stick pieces to one of the narrow edges at the bottom of the funnel.
7. Superglue the two remaining popsicle stick pieces to the left and right side of the funnel. The part of wood that has the glued popsicle section on it should be facing down.
8. Place the flap from Step 4 on the bottom of the funnel and fasten with rubber bands stretched over the pieces of wood.
9. You will now assemble the container. The base is a large cardboard square measuring 4 in x 4 in. Cut out two cardboard pieces which are 10 inches long and 4 inches wide and glue to the base.
10. Glue the funnel to the upper corner using a hot glue gun.
11. Prepare another piece of cardboard measuring 10 in x 4 in and cut a hole where the piece of paper will feed through. Then glue this piece of cardboard to the rest of the container.
12. Prepare another 10 in x 4 in piece of cardboard and cut out a slot 2.8 inches long and 0.8 inches high. Glue this section to the rest of the container.
13. You can now wrap the container and all other cardboard elements with wrapping paper. Here's your chance to get creative!
14. Make a ramp out of cardboard that will fit into the slot on the front side of the container.
15. To make the lever, glue a rectangular piece of cardboard horizontally to the rolled up sheet of paper.
16. Find a not-too-heavy glass or some kind of container with a plastic lid that you can cut a circular hole in. Depending on the thickness and durability of the lid, scissors or even a saw may be required.
Glue the glass with the lid on top of a 4 in x 4 in piece of cardboard into which you have cut a hole that matches the hole in the lid.
17. Fill the container with dog food and glue it on top of the container. To refill the container with dog food, simply unscrew the glass from the lid.
With a little bit of luck and a whole lot of patience, you can even train your dog to operate the DIY dog food dispenser all by himself! If you're looking for other useful arts and crafts type projects for you and your dog, here you will find instructions for a dog shower made from 13 PVC pipes.