Dog washing station ideas for clean pets and protected homes

While there's no denying the joy that dogs can bring to a home, there's equally no disputing the mud and mess they can traipse in after a walk. And although including a dog washing station in your utility or boot room is one option, you may not be able to create a permanent solution in there due to space.

If this is the case, what are your alternatives for creating a dog washing station outdoors or elsewhere in the home? After all, speaking from experience, hosing down your pooch with freezing cold water from the garden hose rarely goes well.

With practicality and kindness in mind, we've tracked down six dog washing station ideas to help keep your pooch pampered and your home protected.

1. Install a semi-permanent dog shower you can take with you when you move

If you're updating your utility room design or thinking of boot room ideas, opting for a built in dog shower is certainly one option available to you. But, if you're planning on moving at some point, this could pose a risk when it comes to resale. Not everyone has pets, turning a built-in dog shower into a potential issue in your buyer's eyes.

However, with many utility rooms featuring a door connecting them to the outdoors, it's undisputedly the most logical place to clean dogs inside the home. The good news is there's a potential solution in the form of the Incredible Dog Shower – a semi-permanent dog shower.

“With over 13.5 million dog owners in the UK, it's surprising how few homes are equipped with a practical, hygienic way to clean pets,” says Rebecca Lee, co-founder of The Incredible Dog Shower.

“Traditional methods, from using the family shower or kitchen sink to washing outside with a hose, often cause ongoing issues such as damage to interiors or risk of injury when carrying dogs,” says Rebecca.

“Plus, the stress to pets and high costs associated with dog grooming outside of the home can be off-putting to dog owners, which is why we created the first purpose-designed shower system that integrates seamlessly into modern homes.

“Designed to sit alongside appliances in kitchens, utility rooms, or garages, it offers a dedicated space to wash pets safely and conveniently. And, when you move, you can simply disconnect it and take it to your next home in the same way you would a washing machine,” explains Rebecca.

And, in order to avoid any plumbing issues with excess hair or dog dirt, the unit features a specialist drainage pump, integrated fur trap and connects to hot and cold water feeds for comfortable temperature control.

2. Upgrade your outdoor tap to a hot and cold feed

The default method for washing dogs outside the home usually involves an outdoor tap and garden hose. While it's a cheap and cheerful approach to a dog washing station, it's one that can cause angst to both owner and dog – and have a limited effect.

Getting a sufficient lather with cold water is never simple and even then, getting your dog to stay under the water for long enough to get him clean is nigh on impossible. You could install a specialised unit such as the Pet Jet Outdoor Home Wall Hot Shower, or ask a friendly plumber to run a hot and cold water feed to your outdoor tap.

Andy Simms, of MyBuilder.com, agrees, saying: “We’re a nation of dog lovers – but that doesn’t mean we love the dirt they bring into our homes. Installing a tap to the exterior wall of your home can help you keep your dog clean by bathing them outside, and with a hot water feed you can even hose them down in winter without feeling too guilty.

You can either call in an expert to install one, a plumber will usually be able to do the job. Or, if you have sufficient DIY skills, Andy recommends the following steps:

1. Choose the right location: It's better to fit your tap near an existing mains water supply pipe. In most homes, the mains water goes to the cold water under the sink that supplies the taps in our kitchens
2. Drill two holes: To reach the pipe in your kitchen, you will need to drill holes in your external wall through to the indoor wall, that are large enough for a 15mm wide pipe. Make sure to drill two holes, to connect your pipes to both the hot and cold water supply
3. Connect to the right pipe: You can test this by letting hot water run for a minute and feeling which pipe gets hot and cold. Then, turn off the water supply before you use a pipe cutter to cut through your pipe and install a connector to fit both your indoor and outdoor pipe. This will connect your tap to your mains water supply
4. Fit the correct tap: Check that your tap has a double-check valve. It’s a legal requirement that all outdoor taps have one to prevent backflow – your tap should come with one – so make sure that you fit your valve onto the tee fitting of your pipe before you insert it through your drilled wall
5. Control the hot and cold source: Fitting separate hot and cold outdoor taps will allow you to manually select the temperature that you wish to wash your dog. If you wish to control both sets of temperatures efficiently, install a mixer which will allow you to use hot and cold water for your dog at the same time. To prevent water leaking from your mixer, apply extra tight tape, such as PTFE tape, on the end of your taps, which will make your taps more water-tight

3. Or, add a self-heating dog shower to an outside wall

If running a hot water feed to an outside tap isn't an option for any reason, the other alternative is to use an outdoor socket to install an electric dog shower, such as this Portable Warm Shower Mini™ – 3kw Plug In from the Pet Jet Co.

The inbuilt heater works in much the same way as an electric shower, heating the cold water up to the temperature which you can set yourself via the control panel.

If you are considering installing a dog washing station on a patio area, make sure you also have sufficient garden drainage in place. Also consider whether having lots of water on the patio year round will mean you could need to know how to clean algae off patio slabs.

4. Adapt an indoor wet room with a suitable shower head

Smaller dogs tend to be easier to find dog washing station solutions for, simply because they can be wrapped up and carried to a bathroom.

However, while showers and baths can be used for washing dogs, if you're weighing up a wet room or walk in shower as part of your bathroom renovation plans, consider carefully which will offer the most practical solution for dogs. Without a shower enclosure it can be harder to prevent them from escaping – or shaking water everywhere!

Then, in the interests of hygiene, and for a more thorough cleanse, purchase a dog friendly shower head such as the Hansgrohe Dog Shower head available from B&Q.

Designed with a universal fitting, making it suitable for most shower heads, it has long, flexible nozzles for working into thicker coats and a curved edge in keeping with a dog's body shape. It also has a jet for cleaning between toes and a gentle mode for more sensitive areas – all controllable via a simple switch on the underside of the handset.

Just remember in order to use this, you'll need a shower such as this VitrA Bliss Matt Black Handshower Riser Rail Set from B&Q, which has a hand-held shower head you can exchange with the dog one as needed – as well as a fixed shower head for permanent human use.

5. Include a dog grooming station in a garage conversion

Keen to make more use of an unused garage space? if you're considering a garage conversion, you could look at turning a corner of your new space into a dog washing station.

Professional dog washing stations, such as this Professional Stainless Steel Pet Dog Grooming Bath Tub from Amazon, are readily available online and can be connected to a cold and hot water supply. However, you'll need to pay careful attention to your garage flooring ideas to make sure they can handle any excess water.

Likewise, you'll need to make sure it can connect to a foul water drainage outlet, and you'll need to ensure the walls are tiled or covered in a material such as these Multipanel Hydrolock Alpine White Metro Tile Effect Shower Panel from Wickes.

6. Purchase the ultimate pet pamper suite

Neither land nor money a barrier to dog washing station ideas? Then we've found the ultimate option for your pampered pooch – a converted shepherd's hut that's kitted out with everything you need to clean your pet. Luxurious and completely individual, I think I'd even consider using it to shower muddy kids if mine were still young enough!

Made by hand in Dorset by Plankbridge, The Dog Wash is sized at 2m x 2 m and even features a wall mounted dog dryer and heated towel rail. It's the ultimate solution to dog washing, and while you'll need to have at least £15,500 plus VAT to spare if you're considering one, it could be the perfect finishing touch to your countryside self build project.

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Keen to consider your dogs in all of your homebuilding plans? Find out why open plan living could be bad for your dog, and discover how to design a pet-friendly home that you'll love too.