Outdoor dog wash station. Anyone have one?
Discussion
After years of research and book reading. I've finally stopped making my excuses and decided this year to bite the bullet and get a dog.
I'm looking at a Sprocker, which you know your dogs, know they love a bit of water and mud
Not ideal with my house OCD and having spoken to other Spaniel owners an outdoor mixer tap is a must have, which is easy enough for me as the plumbing is perfect for it.
However, having recently renovated my whole house, including putting light grey LVT in the kitchen (in hindsight a bad idea) i'm looking at ideas to limit as much dirt into the house after the daily walk (muddy footprints etc)
My two options really are either an outdoor dog bath station, or utilising some of my garage to create a "boot room" but also build in an internal dog station. This would involve a bit more work (new wall, plastering, relocating a radiator, adding new internal door). Probably a couple of grands worth as I know the right people.
I'd be interested to hear how other dog owners approach this?
I'm looking at a Sprocker, which you know your dogs, know they love a bit of water and mud
Not ideal with my house OCD and having spoken to other Spaniel owners an outdoor mixer tap is a must have, which is easy enough for me as the plumbing is perfect for it. However, having recently renovated my whole house, including putting light grey LVT in the kitchen (in hindsight a bad idea) i'm looking at ideas to limit as much dirt into the house after the daily walk (muddy footprints etc)
My two options really are either an outdoor dog bath station, or utilising some of my garage to create a "boot room" but also build in an internal dog station. This would involve a bit more work (new wall, plastering, relocating a radiator, adding new internal door). Probably a couple of grands worth as I know the right people.
I'd be interested to hear how other dog owners approach this?
As you have already mentioned, we have an outdoor tap and hose reel at the front of the house. I use this if she's been getting messy or rolling in fox turd etc. Then bring her in via the garage where the towels are to dry her off. Works quite well...I certainly couldn't justify £2k and the space loss for a dog wash, but each to their own.
How about using that space for a small shower / wet room instead? That way it could be used to wash the dog, but also by humans after say a muddy run or working on the car if you don't want to traipse through the house filthy?
How about using that space for a small shower / wet room instead? That way it could be used to wash the dog, but also by humans after say a muddy run or working on the car if you don't want to traipse through the house filthy?
I’m pretty houseproud. And have a cocker.
All I’d say is you can (and I did) over think things with regard to your dog. I’ve relegated a few old towels to dog towels and give her a good scrub off with those. In the winter a washable mat (well 2 on cycle) just inside the door helps.
Depending on your attitude to money I’d suggest getting the dog and dealing with it afterwards. You could end up spending a lot and hardly using it.
In my case I actually think my affection for the dog rationised some of my house ocd, which I considered a good thing. I’m still a fussy bugger just not quite as bad as I was.
Good luck!
All I’d say is you can (and I did) over think things with regard to your dog. I’ve relegated a few old towels to dog towels and give her a good scrub off with those. In the winter a washable mat (well 2 on cycle) just inside the door helps.
Depending on your attitude to money I’d suggest getting the dog and dealing with it afterwards. You could end up spending a lot and hardly using it.
In my case I actually think my affection for the dog rationised some of my house ocd, which I considered a good thing. I’m still a fussy bugger just not quite as bad as I was.
Good luck!
The best approach that we’ve found is a large, slightly lower, Belfast sink with a shower attachment.
Depending on where mine have been they’ll usually get hosed down before they get back in the car or, if we’ve walked from home, before they go in the house. We find it’s not the washing that’s the main issue, but drying them as the choices seem to come down to leaving them to dry or getting through lots of towels.
Depending on where mine have been they’ll usually get hosed down before they get back in the car or, if we’ve walked from home, before they go in the house. We find it’s not the washing that’s the main issue, but drying them as the choices seem to come down to leaving them to dry or getting through lots of towels.
We use a dog dyer for ours if they get really wet, pretty effective
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BC1DP2SR/ref=twister...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BC1DP2SR/ref=twister...
We have an air blower which generally needs to be used outside or else (bitter experience) you end up with spatters of mud everywhere including the ceiling...... We have Horse driers (the dogs are quite large) - they are quite absorbant and work well. . Usually they go to the utility room to dry off if wet but sometimes into the walk in shower..... We do also have outside tap and plugs for grooming in summer.
We also have a sprocker, great choice of spaniel - also have a cairn terrier (bad choice, stubborn twonk that he is).
We have gone for the outside mixer tap, except that we have the thermostatic part inside, so it does the mixing inside with the warm tap outside (adjacent to a cold tap for the garden).
Ive a length of hose running behind the shed to a plastic doggy bath and either use a jet type attachment and a car wheel brush with soft bristles on them, or more recently, one of the car wash brushes you atatch the hose direct onto.
Also have a karcher portable pressure washer for if we go away on holiday but if they get dirty on a walk, as they go into the boot, we tend to clean them at home rather than before they go in the car.
As our WC under the stairs is adjacent to attached garage, we had thought of getting hot, cold and waste run into the garage and have something in there in its place as may make it easier.
We have gone for the outside mixer tap, except that we have the thermostatic part inside, so it does the mixing inside with the warm tap outside (adjacent to a cold tap for the garden).
Ive a length of hose running behind the shed to a plastic doggy bath and either use a jet type attachment and a car wheel brush with soft bristles on them, or more recently, one of the car wash brushes you atatch the hose direct onto.
Also have a karcher portable pressure washer for if we go away on holiday but if they get dirty on a walk, as they go into the boot, we tend to clean them at home rather than before they go in the car.
As our WC under the stairs is adjacent to attached garage, we had thought of getting hot, cold and waste run into the garage and have something in there in its place as may make it easier.
Garden railings, lead clip through haandle & clipped to railings, noose on dog. Warm water& Shampoo in old washing bowl, sponge down, wash legs, fresh water rinse...stand back as profuse shaking ocours, cover dog with wife's old pink bathrobe, ignore dogs doleful expression throughout...
Currently looking for a new house. Quite high up the priority list is a rear boot room/utility with an adjoining downstairs shower room for just this purpose. Wouldn’t consider spending money on anything dedicated to the dogs though, but something dual purpose would be easy to justify.
Second hand Belfast sink off FB for about £30 adjacent to the outside tap/hose and drain. Plastic bucket to fill up in the kitchen with warm water when required, and a hand brush. Also a wall mounted soap dispenser is handy filled with appropriate dog shampoo. Towels available nearby inside the back door, simples.
OP, I like the idea - I'd make it a general purpose boot room / strip off / shower room with a detachable shower head for the dog too. Makes sense to me.
As an aside we got one of these for warm showers outside:
https://www.muckypupsdogshowers.co.uk/
A good solution
As an aside we got one of these for warm showers outside:
https://www.muckypupsdogshowers.co.uk/
A good solution
Rather than having an outdoor dog 'station' we made sure we had a suitable indoor place. So, yes, what you suggest is a good idea.
When renovating the house we made sure that the utility room was configured in such a way that it was a boot room/utility etc. An outside door and industrial sink (s/h from eBay/marketplace) which is big enough for the doodle and with a shower tap, it's ideal. The dog's bed is in the same room so he's familiar with the surroundings and can be left to dry before going back into the rest of the house.
When renovating the house we made sure that the utility room was configured in such a way that it was a boot room/utility etc. An outside door and industrial sink (s/h from eBay/marketplace) which is big enough for the doodle and with a shower tap, it's ideal. The dog's bed is in the same room so he's familiar with the surroundings and can be left to dry before going back into the rest of the house.
loskie said:
TBH unless you adjust it sounds like a dog may not be for you.
This. Honestly, I think you're massively over-thinking this.We have a towel by the front door and if things are really bad then we get the Mud Daddy out - www.muddaddy.co.uk.
Yes. We live in the countryside and have a shaggy dog with limited ground clearance.
Absolutely invaluable IMHO - and cheap to do if you're handy.
That's the badger, a warm-water mixer point (cheaper than the doggy-branded products!):
https://www.gasproducts.co.uk/bullfinch-external-s...
And here is the 4-legged rationale and the shower point on the wall behind
Absolutely invaluable IMHO - and cheap to do if you're handy.
That's the badger, a warm-water mixer point (cheaper than the doggy-branded products!):
https://www.gasproducts.co.uk/bullfinch-external-s...
And here is the 4-legged rationale and the shower point on the wall behind
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