Large breed deep chested dogs are more susceptible to Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus Syndrome. One thing you can do to help "bloat" from occurring is to use a raised food bowl. Our dogs share a common water dish which is simply a bowl on top of a plant stand. That's not exactly rocket surgery so were not going to waste time on that particular configuration. If your dog eats a lot of food, then you're all set. That bowl is just too large for our dogs' food so we wanted something sized a bit more appropriately that couldn't be pushed around or knocked over. There are some options that you can purchase but single bowl stands are less common and most are pretty expensive and some look pretty flimsy.

Step 1: Tools

Two socket wenches.

Step 2: Materials

Find a bowl that suits the amount of kibble your dog will be fed. Now find a terracotta flower pot that the bowl will fit into. I took the bowl into the hardware store and tried a bunch on for size until I found a good fit. Grab another of the same size and stack them bottom to bottom to see if that height will work. Pick up a large nut and bolt that will fit through the drainage hole and that is long enough to pass though both pots. Pick up two fender washers that are larger than the drainage hole in the pots. (I'm not giving specific sizes because each configuration will depend on the flower pots you select.)

Step 3: Stack It.

Stack the flower pots bottom to bottom.

Step 4: Thread It.

Run the bolt through one fender washer and then through the drainage holes.

Step 5: Cinch It.

Place the other fender washer and the nut on the bolt. Tighten very carefully with the socket wrenches. You just want to snug them up. If you over tighten these, you will break the bottoms of the flower pots.

Step 6: Drop In.

Drop the bowl in the top pot and you're good to go.

Step 7: Feed 'em.

I was able to make two of these for about $20. The height on this set was about 11.5" which works out pretty well for these two pups. I think the terracotta looks nice but these could be painted if that look doesn't work for you.