Alexa/Google Home Enabled Automatic DOG TREAT Dispenser

We have two small dogs. At times, we need to leave them home alone for hours at a time, so I was on a quest to design a dog-treat dispenser that I could trigger from anywhere in the world! Using my Alexa App on my phone (or my voice in my home) I am able to simply say, "Alexa, give the dogs a treat" and this device triggers a horn to beep and a light to flash (giving the dogs time to come running from any room in the house) before dropping 2 dog treats for them to enjoy!

I ordered a few simple supplied from Amazon. The rest were all lying around in my workshop. You could certainly improvise for your own design, but this is what I used to build mine. I've included links to each component below to help with your own build.

1. I used a 2x4 block of wood and some scrap plastic to build the frame you see here. The dimensions of the wood are 2x4 8" long You can use any height for the back support. Mine is 7" tall and its only purpose is to hold the optional light/buzzer. I used a nice dark ebony stain on the wood, linked below.
2. The combination light/buzzer can be ordered below from Amazon. This component is optional and only used (in my case) to give the dogs advance notice that a treat is coming!
3. The toggle switch is also optional. I installed it simply to give me the option to turn off the buzzer/light (silence mode) which is helpful if you use this late a night while others are sleeping.
4. 12 VDC power supply (also available below from Amazon)
5. TP-LINK Amazon/Google enables smart switch (linked below from Amazon)
6. Solenoid (linked below from Amazon)
7. 3" Door hinge (linked below from Amazon)
8. Delay Circuit (linked below from Amazon)
9. Misc wire and sheet-metal hardware (from scraps in my workshop)

(These are affiliate links, helping me find my next project if you click & purchase through here.)

Solenoid

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VC6R4DH/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07VC6R4DH&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=cad11903cb69f682c5f1294c994a579c

Delay Circuit

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q27L1WK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07Q27L1WK&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=9bdbf308859a3b9b81de892b000c2498

Buzzer:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017YL31OY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B017YL31OY&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=33fdd5963f09791224e8ea17d99ec172

Kasa Smart Plug:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B8W2KHZ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07B8W2KHZ&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=34f08d535653bab93d94887bd2e7fbc7

12VDC Power Supply:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HNL5D56/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07HNL5D56&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=12ab08a7de46f90fdd60dc4adf9addba

Mini Toggle

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PYW94WN/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07PYW94WN&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=d45130666fbde7be24ddf1c8993e96a8

3” Door Hinge

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JLTS8GF/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B08JLTS8GF&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=1cff5ede53f79d14895ed80b9be4da5b

Ebony Stain

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011VTBEA8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B011VTBEA8&linkCode=as2&tag=jlord9110b-20&linkId=860d8e2a8ed61b4d74618ccb0777e2c5

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For the first step, I found an 8" scrap 2x4 and stained it this nice dark ebony color to use as my foundation for the device.

Next, I mounted the 3" door hinge to the edge of the board to use as the platform that "drops" the dog bones to the floor. For fun, I added the tin sign with vinyl letters cut from my daughter's cricut machine.

Next, I installed the solenoid and used a small sheet-metal hardware strip I found in my workshop to act as the trigger. You can see in these photos how, once powered, the solenoid will pull back, releasing the metal strip and using gravity to drop the hinge, allowing the dog bone(s) to fall freely to the floor.

I then attached the female power adapter that came with the power supply to the back of the board. I used tin from a piece of flashing I had lying around my workshop to make the small metal "straps" you see here holding down the solenoid and the power adapter.

I carefully mounted the delay circuit to the board, being careful not to over-tighten and damage it. This board came with simple wiring instructions, or you can simply mirror what I did here. You're playing with 12 volts (DC) so there is no risk of shock or danger.

I chose to mount the siren/light and the toggle switch to SILENCE the siren to the back plastic as shown here. These two components are technically optional - but I love the idea of giving the dogs a heads-up that a treat will be coming in a few seconds!

Now it is time to wire your device. Here are a few simple things to keep in mind:

1. The solenoid cannot be wired incorrectly. There is no positive + or negative -
2. I chose to simply screw my "junctions" right into the wood. You may use a wire nut, solder, or other means
3. Ignore the colors of my wires - I used whatever I had lying around. The colors shown do NOT represent + or -
4. If anything doesn't work, it's likely because you have the +/- backwards on a component. Don't worry, it's easy to fix. You won't harm the siren or the delay circuit if you accidentally wire it backwards.
5. Once wired, there is a very small screw on the small dark blue component of the delay circuit. You can turn that screw to make the delay longer or shorter, depending on your preference.
6. Once wired, if you plug in the power adapter, the siren/LED should trigger right away... a few seconds later, the solenoid should engage.
7. Do not leave the solenoid engaged for too long - it will overheat. You should unplug the device to "reset" the trigger until we've completed the last step.

Once all steps above are complete and you're comfortable that the circuit is wired correctly an the solenoid is triggering the hinge to drop as shown in the video, you can move on to set up the Smart Outlet. The Smart Outlet is what allowed you to use Alexa or Google Home to "trigger" your device from anywhere. It also automatically cuts the power to the device after the dog treats drop, preventing the solenoid from over-heating.

You should set up your Smart Outlet as instructed by the manufacturer. Once set up, you should NAME your smart outlet device in your Alexa App. I named mine "Dog treat". Then, in your ALEXA app on your phone, you'll create a new ROUTINE. You can see in this image, mine is called "Give the dogs a treat". You should set up your routtine exactly as you see here. When you say "Alexa, give the dogs a treat" Alexa will POWER ON the DOG TREAT outlet, wait 15 seconds (which is enough time for the beeps and then the solenoid to drop the treats) and then the DOG TREAT outlet will power off. This POWER OFF step at the end is important so your solenoid doesn't over-heat.

Once you're done, simply make sure your device is plugged into the SMART OUTLET, and you can manually test your routine right from the ALEXA app, or just say "Alexa, give the dogs a treat!"

Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn small amounts from qualifying purchases.