Renovations For Pet Owners – Wouldn’t it be great to have a dedicated dog washing station in your home? I dreamed of my own dog wash at home for years! My dreams came true this year when I renovated an old enclosed porch to create a mud room, powder room and homemade dog wash station.
Since more than half of Americans own dogs, a home dog washing station will add value to any renovation and is an easy addition to a bathroom.
Renovations For Pet Owners
A built-in dog washing station at home has made my life with two labradors better than ever because it’s so easy to wash them after an adventure. Knowing that it’s so easy to clean whatever the weather, now I don’t hesitate to go on muddy walks or walks in the pouring rain. Labs don’t care if it rains!
Dog Moving House Hi Res Stock Photography And Images
The before and after of this space is amazing as it was previously an enclosed porch with cedar siding and 75+ year old windows and screens all around. The floor was very sloping, there was no insulation and in the winter snow would blow in under the door! In summer the place was hotter than a sauna. And since it was windows, there was no place to store anything.
The transformation of the place took a long time – about 6 months! It was much more than a simple renovation because my contractor had to reinforce a sagging foundation and cover everything. In addition we had to put new siding on the outside. Honestly, I didn’t care how long it took because now it’s done and it’s perfect!
The porch was divided into 3 areas. A mudroom entry, a central area I call the sunroom, and the bathroom with an indoor dog washing station. You can see my mood boards for this project. I think we nailed it!
One of the most important elements of our dog wash is the height. I wanted to lift the bottom up off the floor so I wouldn’t have to bend over to wash the dogs. After washing them in my tub or with a garden hose for years I know that bending over at awkward angles kills my back! Our shower base is raised about 18″ off the floor.
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This height is an easy jump up for Burt and Lucy. As they get older I can also give them a small step stool to climb on.
I also love how big the shower area is! I can put both dogs in there at once which is very important when we come home from a very muddy adventure. Burt and Lucy mostly just stand there while I wash them. But if you have a dog that won’t stay still, you could add a small clip to the wall to keep them in place. They use those at every dog grooming store I’ve ever been to!
Finding the perfect shower sprayer was the hardest part of building a custom dog shower! Many dog sprays out there fall into two camps. They are either inexpensive add-ons that you can attach to your main shower or garden hose, or they are high-end sprayers designed for builders.
After ordering many different options, I finally found the perfect sprayer! It is actually designed for RVs. It has an on/off toggle so I can stop the water flow while brushing the dogs, then turn it back on with one hand when it’s time to rinse off. It also came in brushed nickel to match the rest of my fixtures. And the hose is the perfect length. If you want to order this exact sprayer, you can find it on Amazon.
Upgrades For A Pet Friendly Mudroom
One thing I needed to make my spray setup work was this switch box. It was hard to find, so I’m sharing a link to make your life easier if you decide to build your own custom dog shower.
-> Check out this follow-up blog post about the other sprays I considered! Maybe one of them will be a perfect fit for your life and your dogs!
Besides adding two dirty dogs, there are a few other finishing touches to make the dog wash work. I like to have microfiber dog towels on hand. They absorb a lot of water and I found these on Amazon available in a ton of different colors (plus, they’re very affordable).
I keep them on a shelf with a wall so they are accessible but out of the way. When they are soaking wet, I hang them from these hooks to dry over the shower.
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The dog wash has a narrow shelf that is built in throughout. It’s the perfect place to keep dog shampoo and other grooming products like ear wash and nail clippers. I plan to pick up a few small baskets to keep everything in (It’s just hard to get to the store amid the coronavirus right now!).
I did my best to keep track of everything I used in this update in case you want to create a dog washing station in your own home. Some of these are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them.
Tori Mistick is a blogger, podcaster and Canine enrichment expert. You might call her a professional dog mom! Tori has a soft spot for older dogs and loves the color pink. Based in Pittsburgh, PA.