Is a dog shower a silly idea?

[catwithnocream]

We’re planning to get a lab towards Autumn this year. Before then we’re having some work done to the house, part of this is redoing our downstairs loo. I want to extend this and make a full utility room and so we have a separate entrance to come into the house at the back that isn’t directly into the kitchen. I considered adding a dog bath but a Labrador is going to be too big for me to lift in and out and I know an older dog may struggle with steps when they get to that age. I’m thinking do we put in a shower (wet room with glass panel style) and then potentially humans can use this too or would count as another bathroom further down the line when we sell this house.
From friends with labs they seem to just wash them at home rather than take to a groomers but happy to be corrected on this.

This would be a good idea, though work it out, as with a large glass panel it would be hard to reach in to wash your dog. You don’t want to have to have a shower too. You also would need a detachable sprayer ( you probably thought of this).

Also, it is a good idea to have a hot tap added to outside so that you can use a hose to get the worst mud off your dog before, or instead of, going in the shower.

I forgot to say that you should make the base non-slip or add a non slip mat.

I think you should have both shower (installed) and a puppy shower (party).

DM installed a dog shower tub on legs in her garage, with a hand-held shower. A bit like this.

It means she doesn't need to get down onto her knees to shower the dog.....but unfortunately he is very reluctant to get in without being lifted, and she's now finding it hard to pick him up. But worth considering for a smaller dog.

Same ! 😂

Gosh yes, I would definitely do this. I wish I had one (but I do have a white dog. Top tip - don't get a white dog.)
Here's my controversial take on a dog shower though - if I was doing totally dedicated for dog, what I would do is....carpet the floor. If you have ever seen a dog trying to get dry after a bath, you will know why.

I'd only consider it if you were having work done anyway, the additional shower would be useful and doesn't involve compromising anything else.

In 8 years of lab ownership (multiple dogs) I've only ever needed to wash my dogs in the bath a handful of times.

If it were me I’d have it as a normal shower but keep for dog’s use. But also people’s use. Hot water tap outside sounds good too. Can never understand people wanting to wash dogs in cold water only. The same dogs they put coats and boots on!

I was going to say this. When I had a lab as a child I recall her being washed in the bath a handful of times. She got muddy and wet from lakes too.

We did this and it was great. Do consider how you will keep post shower shaking contained. 🙂

Me too! 🤣

Every day when I carry my compliant mini poodle upstairs to plop her muddy body in the bath after every walk for six months of the year, I thank her for not being a lab 😂

This is how we have always bathed our dogs.

Boot rooms with a dog bath are my Pinterest dream. I have spent hours imagining the boot room I would have if money were no object. Absolutely do this! You can build it low down so you don’t need to lift them almost like a walk in shower with low walls
I’ve seen some that have a (beautiful) built in crate next to them too so you dry the dog off and then pop them in there with a chew to dry a bit more before you let them loose in the rest of the house

It’s absolutely worth it to reduce the amount of hassle of wiping and drying a dog and then still having that constant pond water wet dog smell in the house and all the dried dirt being traipsed into your carpets

Me too!! My eyes were already rolling before I’d open the thread!

We did this when we had an extension and added a downstairs toilet/shower room. It is a normal shower, built of brick and tiled and sized a little wider to take a lab size dog with a shower head fitting you can lift off the wall. It has a special plug that catch’s dirt to not block the drains. It’s brilliant and I use it loads. Open fronted and looks like a normal shower so can be used as a normal shower if a relative stays who needs a downstairs shower. I just add a shower curtain. The only downsize is that it’s not great on the back as I have to bend down for the dogs. If I did it again I may try to make it so I can add a low table inside for the dogs to stand on.

A lady at my work has 4 dogs (cocker spaniels) and has a dog shower outside. She says its one of the best things she has ever bought. She does not shampoo them, but rinses the mud off and towel dries them before they go into the house.

We had a dog shower built with our utility. Waist height as he's a JRT cross - best decision!

I was all set to tell you what a CF you are for expecting your loved ones to shower you with tennis balls 🤣

I would definitely do this if I had room. A utility to wash the dogs and store all the crap would be amazing along with a laundry etc.

Me too! I was thinking that I’d obviously missed out on a potential party opportunity when I got ddog.

Oh but OP- I’d do this! A dog shower that could be a human shower is an excellent idea. If it helps, my dog has been muddy enough to need carrying up to the bathroom and hosing down in the bath most days this year to date-
my dog is small 10kgs, I wouldn’t want to be doing that with a lab unless I wanted an alternative to the gym.

Yes to this and the doggy shower😉

I debated a full dog shower when we had our utility done, we ended up going with an absolutely massive sink with a shower head attachment for the dog (he's a small but eternally muddy cocker spaniel). I LOVE it, have used it all the time this winter. I have the dog cupboard next to it so his towel robe is always on hand.

This probably wouldn't work as well for a bigger dog, so in your case yes I definitely would get one.

Definitely a good idea. Wet room or make sure shower space is large enough to get in with the dog. We have a hot tap outside because we couldn’t accommodate this.