Would make sure there is a tub or shower on ground level or an extra large laundry sink in the laundry/mud room instead. Even where budget is not an issue, why not have one item capable of doing to tasks.

We have one and love it. We do have two Newfs and a Berner. However, I think that even more helpful is an outside hose bib that has hot as well as cold water.

This is what's known as a first world issue...

and?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH

I suggest you get new sources for your *Idea board for your new build.

@kudzu9 I'm pretty sure 99.5% of all issues posted on here could be considered first world.

Depends on the breed you think you want. ;-)

Pomeranian? Small, shallow sink with a blow dryer on the counter.

Leonberger? Outside. Trust me.

My Labradoodle Hendrix is 65lbs so I haven't been able to bathe him in a laundry sink since he was a puppy. We bring him to the groomers or the DIY baths at our local PetSmart. However, I have often thought that it would be great to have a warm water option to an outdoor spigot for outdoor baths. Not sure if that's possible, but it would be much cheaper than an indoor washing station. It would be nice for rinsing off human feet, too.

Not a dog bath, but I do see the value in many homes for a shower stall accessible to the outside. Make it a large one, at least 4 or 5 feet. Many beach homes, or homes with pools have such a set-up. It can be used for people, muddy feet, washing mud off of tools/boots/pets, cleaning oven racks, whatever.

Friend put one in the garage, when they built their new home, says it is "the best thing" they did. They use it for dog showers and many other things (e.g., garden tools, boots, kitty litter box). Loooks something like this.

The dog-washing station would have more potential function if it were designed and located to be a party keg beer distribution center also. A multi-functional space allocation.

Can't believe I'm agreeing with Patricia (!), but I take my dog to the groomers by default. That said, we're planning a "mop sink" in our laundry/mudroom (so that you can basically fill up a mop bucket without lifting it up into a standard utility sink), and I think most folks would be able to use that to bathe their dog(s) if desired. The space also can be used to place a drying rack for laundry (as it's tiled and there's a drain), hosing off boots and a host of other utility functions. If you are considering it, I'd look for something that you can actually use personally vs trying to anticipate what some potential hypothetical future owner might want. If they want something as specific as a dog bathing station, they're likely in touch with the fact that they might have to add it themselves anyway - I doubt a sale would be lost/gained on the presence of something like this.

Did not read the other comments, but we are in the process of building what we hope to be our forever home and have been working with an architect because of the slope of our land. We do not own a dog, and do not ever plan to own one (oldest daughter, though grown and flown, has severe allergies to most animals and their saliva.) Anyways, we have planned for a station that pretty much looks like a dog washing station in our mud room. However, we are using it as an indoor foot washing station. We do a lot of hiking in the beautiful, but muddy Pacific Northwest. We are looking forward to this part of our new home very much. This area is kind of combined with the laundry room. I am also planning on having a ceiling mounted drying rack above this foot washing station because it’ll also be the perfect spot to hang wet clothing and outerwear. God forbid we ever have to sell, but I’m sure many people would be delighted with a “dog bathing station.” I know we could hose off outside, but this is something we both want. :)

A multi use wet area can perform a lot of modern life functions.

Some type of utility sink in the mudroom/laundry room area, attached to the family/outdoor casual entry, is never a bad idea. Add in pand that to adding a floor drain larger “mop sink”’ shower sized area with a hand held that could be used to wash out coolers, muddy boots, dog feet, or as a place to spray down and sanitize packages. A raised table could be placed in that, to wash a small dog, or it could wash a larger dog as is. If you’ve got the room.

Or, just add a nice sized shower to the powder room usually associated with the family/mud entrance. Because that’s even more versatile. You can step into it to wash off the green stuff from the weed whacker, or the kids mud puddle playing. or the dog, who played along side the kids. Add a tethering ring down low, and just up above a standard 36” table height, and maybe even add a second hand held. It can now handle whatever challenges thrown its way.

I wouldn't want a dedicated space like that. I don't currently have a dog (but had two mastiffs and a newfie in the past) but I wouldn't want to pay extra for something like that that I have no need for. Kinda like stables and barns. We were looking at properties that had these things that we would never use, so it seemed wasteful to pay for them. Maybe put in a downstairs/basement bathroom that could be used for washing, but also used for people after hikes, etc.

We live at the beach….and after twenty years, we finally have an outdoor elevated hose bib with hot and cold running water, aka, an outdoor shower….you really don’t want all the chum down the drains! All of our indoor showers have hoses and wands, good for dogs, people with broken bones, cleaning the corners. My issue with the dog washing station is that it would traumatize the family if I came in seriously grubby from the garden, needing to strip at the door…and then had to use the dog washing station. It’s much more useful to have a shower everyone can use.

I groom my dog (standard poodle, requires regular grooming), and I use a double size laundry tub for bathing her. I have not experienced the problem of the dog shaking off while she's soapy and dirty, btw. She waits until she's clean and standing on the grooming table, so at least it's clean water that sprays everywhere in the laundry room... That sink is used for lots of other tasks, as some have suggested. In our new build, i'm going to have one of those Flying Pig dog baths with a handheld sprayer, but same deal as far as multiple-duty. I think in many rural areas people are not rushing off to the groomer...but many have dogs and have frequent need to demudify them.

Have a dog, have a lovely custom home that is higher end, didn’t consider for one second putting one in.

https://www.today.com/home/dog-showers-new-home-trend-t125012

Trends in Design and Architecture https://nyti.ms/2FSKoc3
Wash and Growl: The demand for dog showers
“The fact is, when you walk a dog, whether you’re out in fields or walking on the sidewalks, your dogs pick up salt and mud,” said Ken Malian, an owner of GreenRose Fine Homes and Design in New Jersey.

According to Mr. Malian, dog showers have become so commonplace — like a powder room or upstairs laundry room — that going forward, all of GreenRose’s $800,000-and-up home designs will include one. He estimated that adding a dog shower to an existing mudroom costs upward of $5,000, depending on the quality of tile used.

The national luxury home building company Toll Brothers also offers a dog shower option in many of its homes. Kira Sterling, the company’s chief marketing officer, noted that buyers find value in the “kind of controlled chaos aspect.”

@Jeff Smith Wow - 56 comments thus far! Are you as surprised as I am that your question and request for input would generate such strong opinions and on both sides of the yea / nay scales? With so many suggesting more dog owners use grooming services, I think many here either forgot or don’t understand the climate and outdoor environment of the location of your new house. 😉 I’m curious about that elevator on that floorplan - is it going in? And, I’m really curious about any mountain or territorial view you might enjoy from your windows.

Some great ideas from all Houzzies, defintely a first world problem but I've learned that some items are much easier to insert at build-time, such as gas lines for grills, spa 220V cables and possibly dog washing/craft/boot washing stations.

@KW PNW Z8 here's a couple of photo as requested. The elevation is 9400 feet. One pic is late winter (facing south); the stake is is the edge of the DR. The other image is in spring (facing west). House will be 2 stories with a small 3rd floor tower.

@MDLN Thanks for info. A big increase in dog showers doesn't surprise me and the glass is a great idea for when they shake!

@Jeff Smith So beautiful! Big Sky for sure! Wow - 9400 ft! I gasp for air when I go from my current sea level to Anaconda’s mile high!

A nice 36" single bowl kitchen sink will swallow up plenty of dogs.

Hi, I would definitely have one for a mud room and make it multi functional. We live in New England and have a very active lifestyle…Between dogs, kids, rock climbing, beach, hiking etc. ours (if we had one) would be used daily. I always dreamed of having a mud room and the one idea I thought of is having it a step,or 2 lower than kitchen so the dirt and crap stays there and does not get dragged into kitchen area., bonus would be a drain or 2 so I could hose it down. 😊

@Jeff Smith wow, beautiful. Nice space for a dog to run around. ; )

Good dog-washing station for future home buyers:

For a new build with the mean$ and forethought:

I am sure that many naysayers on this thread would not object to installing, or at least planning for the future use via rough-in electrical, for an electric charging port in the garage. Even when not currently owning an electric car.

I am sure that many naysayers on this thread would not object to installing, or at least planning for the future use via stacked closets, for an elevator. Even when not currently in a wheel chair.

So the lack of owning a dog does not negate the future flexibility and current functionality a multi-purpose service mop basin (e.g. "durable shower pan") can provide.

You go girl, err, uh, Steve.

Whatever you do about the dog bath, just enjoy that knockout view! And for some of the posters who say “Just take the dog to a groomer” it looks like that will be a longer trip for you than most Americans. We also live “in the country” and drive over 10 minutes to the closest grocery store. Build the dog bath for yourself or plumb it out for the future. Yes, it’s cheaper now than later.

The OP does not have a dog! There is no dog going in the dog bath or to the groomer. This thread is hilarious. Sure plumb for it if you want to, set it up if you want to, but it’s your house. If you plan to have no use for this item why put it in?

Perhaps check out some open homes around you of a similar finish you are going for and see what the norm is. Is a dog bath unexpected or expected? What other things might be needed down the road?

Friend put one in the garage,

If I were inclined to build one, the garage seems like an ideal place. It'd cost less than building it indoors, and it's an item that is used only occasionally. It would also be better for washing coolers, etc.

Add in pand that to adding a floor drain larger “mop sink”’ shower sized area with a hand held that could be used to wash out coolers, muddy boots, dog feet, or as a place to spray down and sanitize packages.

Many (all?) commercial kitchens and many office buildings have such a space. Typically it's a tiled-in corner -- maybe 4x4' -- with tile up to 3-4', a drain in the sloped floor and a faucet on the wall. Typically the faucet is at a height to allow easy filling of a rolling mop bucket, and typically the wall is lined with hooks for supporting brooms, mops, etc.

In the school where I teach, we have several closets that hide arrangements just such as this.

A nice 36" single bowl kitchen sink will swallow up plenty of dogs.

Planning one item that can do multiple jobs is just good sense.

I am sure that many naysayers on this thread would not object to installing, or at least planning for the future use via rough-in electrical, for an electric charging port in the garage. Even when not currently owning an electric car.

A car is a whole different ballgame. Almost everyone owns a car and needs to maintain it. Not everyone owns a dog, and not everyone who owns a dog wants to wash it at home.

I shoehorned a dog shower into a new 3,200 sf custom home. It wasn't in the plans. But the owners, who had two outside Alaskan Huskies, added it at the last moment, substituting it for the laundry tub.

They had already moved in when the building inspector showed up and the couple's four-year old was using it to shower. Since it was now officially a person shower, I had to get the electrician back to re-route wiring and switches.

(I prefer cats, where all that is needed is a wet paw.)

@Mrs Pete Good ideas. The garage is a really good idea. Also, if the dog shakes in the garage it's not such a big deal.

@RedRyder True...it's 20 min. down the hill to the town from our property, so groomer not an option (not an option for the dog we have yet to get, ha ha).

I have a big dog, like I said, but I would always opt for a tub-style setup, because i don't want to have to either bend over the whole time I'm bathing the dog, or get soaking wet standing next to an open shower. This is the tub I have now--it's a double-sized laundry sink. Not fancy (there are fancier ones), but it's good for lots of jobs. (Also I totally think the OP needs a dog to go with that amazing view!) https://mustee.com/catalog/28f-40-bigtub-utilitub-laundry-tub/

I took over my husbands workshop (lol) and suggested he put in a sink. He loves the idea! With that, it will be big enough for washing our dogs . The shop is in the ,soon to be ,finished basement.

We requested a dog shower during our build and it’s been wonderful. We have a 120lb Corso and putting her in a mud room tub is not an option. Nor do we pay groomers. She loves the water and sitting in the shower makes for an easy and dedicated pet washing space. The garage seems like a good idea but our mudroom is her room. Her kennel is under cabinets and her shower next to it, along with a food/water area. We didn’t think of the garage as we want to be able to bathe her year round. We also use the shower for utility sink for mops, washing boots, etc. The fixture is an adjustable handheld with variable. Height. The shower is 30x42” with a 4’ knee wall. Definitely something to do during the build and not after. Best of luck!

We are putting in a large (36") laundry tub in our garage for dog washing. It is also going to be raised so I do not have to lean over. The sink will do double duty as a gardening sink. P

Previously, I have put the dog in the shower with me. She would sit on the built-in bench and get showered with the handheld. I think that a dog washing station is a nice thing, but I would not spend money or use valuable space up for one.

doc5md - That is one fancy dog bathtub. Reminds me of an ice machine. I'd rather have the ice machine. 😁 I think that my tub cost $85-$125. I do understand the need for such in your case as a dog show person.

Your pups are very sweet!!!

Question becomes - is there a reasonable way to install it? .. is there a location, like a mudroom that already has basic space for one. I didn't like washing pet in bathtub which i'd later use myself... or outdoors where it splashes outdoor stuff.

Lots of these comments are making me feel like I don’t care for my golden well enough. Joking not joking. We hose wash her most of year if we have to, throw in tub if we need to. Otherwise dry off outside and hope for bear. We live in Vancouver and she is a soggy pup often. What all are you all doing with the washing station? What am I missing?

We don’t hope for bear, just get them by fluke, we hope for the best!

@WestCoast Hopeful Thank you for clarification about ”…hope for bear…” I was thinking oh my! your poor doggie - I hope someone knows this & reports them!! 😆 I think the deal with the dog washing stations is that they’re for the convenience of the owners. We like our dogs to live in the house with us & want them to smell nice & so bathe them at least every couple weeks or more often if they’re the athletic sort. If it’s a big dog like yours, laundry sink won’t do & the hose water is too cold & if it’s cold or wet out, well, you get the idea. As for the OP, his house is in Rocky Mtns. & over 9,000 feet elevation. Those outdoors type folks have big dogs & it’s definitely too cold most of the year to wash dogs outside & too long a drive to a dog wash service. As for me, my dog is a bit over 4 lbs so she fits nicely in my laundry sink!

WestCoast Hopeful- Haha I chuckled and had to read your comment twice.

I think it’s worth noting that some comments are almost as if folks didn’t see in the plans that the OP already has a dedicated laundry room, entry space., and extended mud room. That said my laundry room is upstairs (by my choice) and contains a utility sink. I would never add something like a dog shower which, IMO is nice to have versus something typical and of constant need like a utility sink or mud room in its entirety. That floor plan is a dream along with that amazing view!

I second (third? fourth?) the idea of putting one in the garage (if at all). We have a 50lb pup who is groomed regularly but definitely has interim bathing needs (ahem - see photo). We use our master bath shower with hand-held wand; better than that would be a warm water spigot outside; best of all would be a garage cleaning station. No, she doesn't shake her dirty self all over the bathroom, but she does shake all the clean water off afterwards, coating every surface in the bathroom with water. These inspo images of dog baths in beautifully designed mudrooms with specialty cabinetry make no sense to me. Isn't the kitchen forum full of threads about water damage to cabinets, feared water damage to cabinets, advice for avoiding water damage to cabinets? If you do a dog bath, put it in a truly utility area (garage!) that can handle all the wet that a bathed dog will create.

A raised human tub makes a great dog bath and helps with the bending over, as well as at least a small deterrant to the (larger) dog exiting the tub prior to at least a decent rrub wth a towel. My groomer had outfitted her shop with this set up. It's also pretty cost effective.

My back isn't fond of outting our dogs in the existing people tubs. My current dog shower is too high (it has open space under it for the cat's little box) and if I wash a dog in there. all the wantter runs down my arms - sigh. I've also bathed the dogs in our walk in shower - which - is convenience because the shaking is contained and I can just disrobe and finish the process for myself since I am usually soaked anyway.

While at lot of things will work - laundry sinks, etc - you still have to LIFT THE DOG as high as the counter. It's also a challenge to have something to secure the dog in the tub - which is why a commecial grooming tub was the right option for us as it checks all the boxes and even has a pull out ramp to help get larger dogs in there.

I suspect we'll use this large tub for more than dogs - I could see it being useful for all sorts of gardening things.

Very important to have a detailed conversation with the plumber re: drainage issues. All that mud and fur can wreak havoc on drains and septic tanks.

Again let’s a remember there is no dog here! The OP doesn’t have one. This is a thread about if it’s needed for the next owner based on the original info.

https://www.petfinder.com

@just_janni Good idea about afixxing the dog (gently of course) so they can be managed better and not make a mess while they're washed...maybe just put a metal eye into the tile wall and put the pet on a short leash there, temporarily of course, while bathing them?

@course411 With a dog that dirty might need multiple cleanings, ha ha! Start outside with firehose then towel off, proceed to dog wash station, rinse, towel and repeat?

@WestCoast Hopeful Yes, it's all hypothetical...the point is to try to include as many options in the house as possible for comfort and convenience. Building a wash station in garage or mudroom is trivial compared to overall house cost. The lot is 200 yds from 3 trailheads that go for many, many miles and I certainly miss having a pooch to walk with!

We have a dog and I hate bathing him myself. He hates and makes it difficult. With the $ I spend putting in a dog wash, I can fund many trips to Petco to bathe him.

This thread certainly shows the love that we have for our pets. I was sickened to read about those poor Beagles and the sand fly experiments. google it and prepare to be angry that this can still be a thing. I am not an animal rights person, im just a normal human.

Smooch your pets

Steve sounds like you want to put this in. Garage seems like best fit. Enjoy the house!