5 Ways To Spoil Your Pet On A Budget- D.I.Y Foldable Raised Feeding Station

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #dothe99 #99obsessed #CollectiveBias

There's no arguing that pets are family.

And every pet parent agonizes over how to give their pet the very best while still managing a budget. It's not uncommon to struggle with the desire to treat and spoil alongside the practicality of everyday needs and necessities. It's the main reason I find myself spending more and more money on my pets each year than on new clothing or accessories for me.

Which is why you won't be surprised to hear me say I enjoy shopping for my pets at my local 99 Cents Only Store. In fact, my local 99 not only has an entire aisle dedicated for pet supplies covering rodents and birds to cats and dogs, but a brand new exclusive dog food, too!

Choosing the right food for your pet can be an overwhelming task.

Modern pet food ranges from $.56 per serving all the way up to $8.20 per serving for an average 35lb dog. Many pet parents with healthy dogs find advertising and labels overwhelming. The want to feed one's dog a premium, high quality, food is evident but how to tackle this with label shaming and budgets is not always apparent.

For those hoping to feed their dogs something better than just 'ordinary,' the 99 has teamed up to offer an exclusive dog food comparable to "super premium" formulas sold across the county. Available in 2 varieties, Pet Inc. dry dog food features U.S. Farm Raised Beef or Chicken as the #1 Ingredient and is made with wholesome grains and veggies, and absolutely no artificial flavors or preservatives. Both of Pet Inc's formulas meet nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, including growth of large sized dogs (70lbs or more as an adult.)

We immediately spotted this new find at the end of the pet supply aisle at our local 99 and was surprised to see these bags priced at half the price of major competitor national brands! We also learned these formulas removed extra fillers (meat-by-products) and simplified the recipes with peas, carrots,  beet pulp, brown rice and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to help promote a shiny coat. Pet Inc. Super Premium Dog food is currently available exclusively at your local 99 in both Beef and Brown Rice and Chicken and Vegetable recipes. You don't have to compromise quality for price when you choose quality dog food based on labels and facts, rather than brand names and store loyalty. (That's TIP #1 folks!)

Of course one of the main reasons we love shopping at the 99 so much is for the everyday treasure hunt that is guaranteed when we walk through the doors. The pet aisle at our local 99 has been growing all year and I never know what I'll find when I take a stroll down it. On my way to stock up on some fresh fruit and produce for the week's meal plan I spotted these Disney dog toys in the most adorable characters from Finding Nemo and Big Hero 6. You know I grabbed a few extras to leave behind as gifts for my dog walking clients!

Just look at our haul from this week's trip to the 99! We scored tough nylon super chewer rope toys, doggy waste bags, a travel water system, Super Premium Pet Inc. dry dog food, Disney licensed dog toys, dog sweaters and tutus, and more at a fraction of the cost we would've paid at other stores! We even nabbed a few extra items in the everyday household departments we planned on converting into some cool pet gear!

How to best store one's dog food is a never ending quest.

When you have small or medium sized dogs it isn't always practical to serve straight from the bag as food will go stale long before it is all consumed. And if you have curious felines underfoot a rolled up bag is never proper security for anything edible.

We found this extra large cereal storage snap container near the disposable party and tableware at our local 99. A quick trip down the office and craft supplies aisle for some colored duct tape and stickers and we were well on our way to some fancy dog gear.

I wrapped two strips of colored duct tape around the middle of the food storage container then used some pre-cut alphabet stickers to decorate the front with Nora's name. Next I added a little sparkle and class with some crystal stickers I also nabbed for just a dollar near all of the school and art supplies. In less than 5 minutes, and less than $5 I had a securely sealing dog food container perfect for the kitchen counter (or our dog food station.)

I was even able to score some strips of velcro in the electronics and auto aisle at the 99- I used this to fasten the food scoop to the side, out of the way and off the ground. Nora didn't seem too impressed, but that might be because she was confused why her new giant food bowl had a securely snapping lid on top!

For my 3rd tip- a D.I.Y. raised feeding station, I was immediately inspired by a treasure hunt find in the housewares section of my local 99. There were half a dozen different prints of the most adorable, and heavy duty, acrylic serving trays. Right below them on the shelf were rows of folding step stools. It didn't take a genius to see what needed to happen, and at under $10 this project was sure to be a real money saver compared to department store feeding stations retailing at triple and quadruple the price!

Using a power drill, over a piece of scrap wood on a sturdy work bench, we drilled two even holes straight through the acrylic tray AND step stool. Drilling the holes at the same time ensured they would later line up. As both items were made from a heavy duty plastic we made sure to support the back side with a scrap wood board to prevent any splitting or cracking.

We drilled our holes to match 2 pre-determined bolts. Like many we have a junk drawer with odd bits and ends, and simply chose the hardware we had on hand for this project. You can, however, often find starter tool kits and supplies in the auto/electronics aisle at your local 99. The key to this particular project is being able to screw a fastener on the underside to secure your tray to your foot stool base- the size of the bolts is not really crucial, so long as the nuts thread tightly onto them.

Because we used a folding foot stool, and wanted the tray to be able to function in this 'folding' manner for cleaning and storage we only put our bolts on one half of the stool/tray. We didn't feel any extra hardware was needed and felt confident that these two bolts were more than enough to keep the tray functioning and in tact through extended use.

All this being said- our local 99 had 2 sizes (heights) for these strong foldable foot stools and we went with the shortest. The short stool would be best suited for a Small or Medium breed dog, where as the large/tall stool would be perfect for a Labrador or other large breed dog. We made ours as a gift for a friend in an upcoming holiday gift exchange- but I was a bit curious to see if this sort of feeding solution would keep little 2lb Gidget from 'surfing' her sister Nora's food. You'll have to keep reading to scroll on and see how that experiment went...

All in all having a comfortable feeding experience is key to top notch spoiling. Many pet parents don't realize that dogs often strain to eat food placed directly on the floor. This straining can lead to poor digestion and even mild choking events, or speed-eating. Having a raised feeding station can not only improve your dog's digestive health, posture, and overall contentment at feeding time, but also serve to help contain messes and keep small hands and other animals our of their food.

Speaking of speed-eating.....TIP #4 involves creating your own Slow Feeder solution.

If you have a dog that tends to gulp down their food before you can put the food canister away then you probably have noticed an upset tummy, or even choking events, from time to time. Watching a dog wolf down their food as though they live on the street can be alarming for pet owners. It not only often indicates food is not being properly chewed but also means your dog is at risk for intake of increased air into the digestive system leading to discomfort and other unpleasantries.
You can invest in several specially designed bowls and feeders intended to help slow your dog's consumption down. Many of these are merely bowls with divets and valleys cut into the bowl itself to make it harder for your dog to fit it's snout into the bowl and gulp large quantities of food at once.

We tried many when we first brought Nora home and none really seemed to work.

One day I was at the 99 and spotted some spikey chew toys of various shapes and sizes and decided to give making my own slow feeder a go. I bought a bowl about twice the size of her typical bowl and placed 3 toys of varying sizes inside, then poured her scoop of food in and gave it a good jostle. Sure enough the toys proved just enough of an obstacle to slow down Nora's consumption without preventing her from ultimately finishing her entire meal. Best of all the dog toys could be soaked in warm water and easily cleaned regularly without any fancy cleaning tools.

Of course in a multi-dog home not all feeding obstacles can be tackled.

Some dogs are just too darn smart for their own good. Remember that feeding station we made for a medium sized dog as a gift? Nora rests at eye level when standing, and Gidget can walk entirely underneath it. Guess who figured out there was 'easy access' Pet Inc Super Premium food in the bowl during our photo shoot?

Yup, with a little bit of whining, and walking in circles, Gidget figured out how to tippy toe her way into a free meal. You just can't keep her out of anything!

My last tip to spoil your pup is with a new bed.

After all of that healthy, and yummy, digestion your pup will be ready for a nice long nap.

99 Cents Only Stores are full of great everyday pet supplies just like this comfy plush dog beg, with an easily washable cover, and enough room to fit both our girls. They also have plenty of fleece blankets for your pup to snuggle under as the weather turns!

We paid half what would would've paid for the same quality pet bed anywhere else- and we had our pick of styles and colors, too!

Pet beds seem to be one of those things we are always investing in. We can never have enough of them throughout the house- and I prefer not to invest too much money in them because they are prone to get dirty or even soiled during the life of your pet. We used to haul pet beds back and forth to 'grandpaw's' house, but now can afford to buy a few especially for him to keep there, thanks to the deals at our local 99.

Keeping your pet happy and healthy is a never-ending struggle.

For me, I'd probably sooner feed my dogs than myself if it ever came down to it. Thankfully, the 99 has many options to not only keep pets fed and comfy, but properly spoiled every day of the year too! Keep an eye out for the exclusive Super Premium Pet Inc. dog food the next time you shop the 99 and give the label a good review. You just might be surprised what you'll find at the 99! Find a 99 Cents Only Store near you with this store finder.

Tell me, aisde from vet expenses, what do you find yourself spending the most money on for your pets?