Modern homeowners are catering more and more to their pets with upgrades like a custom pet shower. Throughout the Madison, WI area, dog and cat owners are remodeling laundry rooms and mud rooms to incorporate pet washing stations. Just as it is in your master bathroom, tile is the perfect complement to a pet wash station.
Remodeling a special space to accommodate your pets need not look like an add-on or afterthought. You’re basically building a miniature version of the showers the rest of the family uses, right? If you’ve tried to shower a large dog in your personal space you know how inconvenient that is.
While cats occasionally need a good clean-up, custom shower stations are 99% designed for dogs. And, just as canines come in a wide range of sizes, so do their shower facilities.
Think Function And Style For Pet Shower Tile
A remodeled laundry room accommodates a shallow tub with contrasting slip-resistant tiles with shower and bath potential.
You can recreate a spa-like shower for your pooch. There are dozens of tile shapes, sizes and colors from which to choose. However, a spa for your dog requires a slightly different approach than for your family. Function has to be the top priority.
First, the tile on the floor has to have a non-slip surface. A dog’s nails and pads cannot grip the floor tile like your bare feet can. The more your dog feels unsteady, the more it is likely to struggle – and the risk of harm goes up!
Wall tile isn’t as critical. Make sure the walls of your dog shower are high enough to stand well above the pets using it. Select a tile that fits your décor and is easy to keep clean. You might think you kids make a mess in the bath, but a mud-caked Labrador retriever will fling dirty water, flying in all directions!
Two Most Common Dog Wash Rooms
When you come in out of the rain or snow a mud room is the ideal place to drop boots and wet, muddy clothing. It’s also the ideal place for your dog to stop and get clean. After all, it’s a room already designed to handle wet feet and muddy gear, right?
A wash station can be built into nearby cabinetry and seating areas – providing easy access for you and your pet plus handy storage for accessories. The installation can be as simple as floor tile throughout the room with a floor drain near a water source. Or it can be a built-in custom shower stall. If you have one of the smaller breeds, you might consider a shallow tub plus a shower.
The second-most popular spot for a dog shower spot is a first floor laundry room. Again, it’s a space accustomed to dealing with dirty clothes and water. Many laundry rooms have direct access from the outdoors, making them ideal as the point of entry for your muddy dog.
Bumping the laundry room to the top of the list for a pet shower is its easy access to water – plumbing is already there, unlike many mud rooms.
Pet-oriented Showers – Attention To Detail
Traditional subway tile matching the laundry room’s décor makes this walk-in dog spa a safe, efficient addition.
You think it would be great to have a place to get the mud off before your “best friend” tracks throughout the house, don’t you? A stack of old towels by the back door hasn’t proven to be a great solution, has it? Take into account all the same details you would consider when remodeling a guest bathroom if you’re thinking about creating a special space for bathing your pets. What makes an efficient pet cleaning station? Consider these details:
- Water supply – obviously, you need access to clean water so creating a dog’s shower where there’s already plumbing nearby makes sense.
- Storage for supplies – you’ll need doggie shampoo and conditioner, towels, etc. Shelves, hooks and cabinets nearby are a must.
- Stable surfaces – tile is the obvious choice for floors and walls. Non-slip surfaces inside the shower and tub are vital for your pet’s safety and non-slip floor tiles where you’ll be standing makes sense, too. There’s no way you’ll keep all the water contained!
- Custom designs – just like turning a master bathroom into a spa-like retreat, custom work in a laundry room or mud room ensures installation of a pet washing facility doesn’t look out of place.
- Easy cleanup – large format tiles with less grout are easier to maintain on floors and walls. Pay close attention to drains – if you think your bathroom drains collect hair, just imagine what your long-haired pooch will deposit in its personal shower! If there’s place for a hair filter accessory, this is it.
Customize Your Pet Shower With Tile
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to accommodating a dog-size spa in your home. Just as dogs come in too many shapes and sizes to count, so do the options for catering to their bathing needs. Smaller, light-weight dogs can be lifted into a shallow tub for a bath or shower. Larger breeds and senior dogs need a walk-in facility. Creating the right floor space is the first step. Just as with a walk-in shower for people, designs vary in size and shape.
Choosing the right layout and tile is a challenge, but it can also be fun. Explore the many choices and options. When you’ve “shopped” all the websites go where the pros go.
Molony Tile is the leading source of tile for the area’s top contractors. And its staff regularly assists ambitious do-it-yourselfers with projects large and small. Our experienced and skilled craftsmen have provided tile for high-end projects throughout the Madison area for more than 70 years.
Is there a new spa-like doggie shower area in your future? Call 608-268-8453 or email us to make an appointment and visit our unmatched showroom. You’ll find tile of any size, shape and color to make your custom pet shower a reality in your Madison WI home.
Pinterest – 99 Dog Wash Station Ideas… Why Tile?