Archives for September 2021

Your best friend on four legs, who used to be the king of the backyard has glowed up, and is now the king of the castle. Look at all the elaborate doggy beds, toys, and now the latest upgrade: the home dog Spa.

The key feature of the home dog spa is your pet’s own tub, shower or both which helps you clean and groom your active pets in one place. Think about how useful this feature is when the weather or outdoor activities get your pets wet or muddy.

Dog Spa Design Tips:

These dog spas we are speaking of are a cut about the old portable grooming/bathing stations that can be stored away when not in use. Today we see built-in stations with custom tile and finishes. They are specifically designed for pet grooming and cleaning and is a permanent feature of the home. The home dog spa feature can increase a property’s value, as well as be a solid selling point. 

Durability

When designing the dog spa, do consider the size and breed of your dog or other pets. But most importantly, make sure that it is durable. Dog bathing for both owner and pet can be a task, so be sure to use heavy duty plumbing and construction materials. The drain should be at least three inches in thickness and heavy duty. It needs to be able to withstand hair, fur and debris.

Locations for the dog spa

Great locations for these dog spas are just through the backdoor, in the garage or the mudroom. If the goal is to clean the pet to prevent tracing water or mud through the house, these locations work best. Other options could be in the laundry as this room already has access to water and a drain. A large 1/2 bath can also be used to maximize otherwise unused space.

Saftey

It is strongly recommended the use of a heavy-duty handheld shower-head. This will give the user the flexibility to follow a wet nervous dog that is being cleaned. Smaller and older pets may be ok in a lower shower with a raised edge, as it will help to avoid water spills and slips. 

If space allows, a built in stairway or ramp will considerably help in getting the pet access to a shower that is counter height. This will make for an easier task of grooming with a lot less stooping and bending. I’m all about making chores as fun and easy as possible.

For nervous pets, shatterproof shower doors that you can close to contain them may be a good solution. The doors don’t need to be any higher than the height of the pet and can give them a feeling of security.

What about multiple pets in the same household? Consider making the spa able to accommodate all different sizes of the pets. Also plan on having enough storage to house all their items. Plan for both the saftey of pets and humans alike. Install grounded receptacles for use with electric grooming tools and nonslip, easy-to-clean surfaces.

Value of adding a dog spa

As recent as two years ago, pet spas were relatively unknown. However, they are becoming more and more common. Maybe its because pet owners welcome not having to bathe their dogs in their own tubs. This means no more deep cleaning afterwards. All in all, we are finding that at-home pet spas and pet showers are a unique and sought-after selling point of newer and remodeled homes. Knowing and understand this trend can help sellers stand out in the marketplace. His is a link to all of the homes in Maryland with a dog spa. If you have a home with this feature or would like to add one, schedule a free consultation with me and we can chat more about it. Text me at 443-929-0703 or email me at makeda@makedarealestate.com