5 Tips To Build The Perfect Pet Spa At Home

Dogs are man’s best friend, but they can also be your floor’s worst nightmare. If you live in a particularly wet part of the country (hello, Ontario winters), and have a furry or adventurous dog, then indoor mud tracks become a regular part of life. That’s why many homeowners are installing built-in dog showers to help with post-walk wash-ups. Dog showers allow for a tidy way to clean dirty paws and fur, and some can also double as a utility sink for mops, gardening tools, and more.

If you’re thinking of building your own pet spa, here are five things to keep in mind.

1. Make It A Multi-Use Space

This dog spa is blended into a laundry room (source: HouseBeautiful.com, Kyle J Caldwell).

Most homeowners integrate their dog shower into a transitional or utility space, like a mudroom or laundry room. In this UK bathroom, designer Kelly McGuill integrated her dog bath into the laundry room, seamlessly blending it with the room’s other appliances.

2. Measure Your Tub (And Your Dog)

Emily Henderson’s dog shower perfectly fits her pets (source: stylebyemilyhenderson.com).

Every dog is different, and therefore every dog shower should be different. In the above dog shower by Emily Henderson, she measured the dimensions of both her shower and her dog to make sure that the shower was a perfect fit. The shower’s front apron was short enough that the dogs could walk over it, but tall enough to prevent splashing.

3. Make It A Mosaic

This stunning dog shower uses non-slip mosaic tiles (source: jeanstofferdesign.com).

This Jean Stoffer dog shower shows the importance of a non-slip floor. Stoffer uses a tile mosaic to ensure a grippy, dog-safe surface. Since grout lines make floors less slippery, tile mosaics make for a slip-resistant, practical floor option for a pet spa. For a light-coloured tile option like the above, we would suggest Calacatta Gold Hex from our Mosaic collection.

4. Add A Dog Faucet

This Sims-Hilditch space includes a water bowl faucet (source: houseandgarden.co.uk, Milo Brown).

If you’re looking for an extra luxurious touch and you have several water supply lines in your space, you can use one of them for a doggie feeding area, complete with a personal faucet for your pup. This added touch can be tucked under cabinets and tabletops.

5. Make It Bold

Well By Design’s pet spa uses stunning orange tile (source: houseandgarden.co.uk, Caroline Sharpnack).

A pet spa shouldn’t be boring. In this space from Well By Design, the walls use a decisively coloured subway tile to make the space a style moment. Along with dark and gold accents, and a diagonal checkerboard floor, this space proves that you can make your pet wash station beautiful. To emulate the wall tile, you could use a coloured subway tile from our Acuarela Series. And for the checkerboard floor, check out our previous guide on achieving this look.

The right dog bath needs the right tiles, and at Trini Tile, we’ll give you the advice and materials you need to achieve your dream pet spa. Visit our Vaughan showroom to learn more.

(Thumbnail Image Source: Robert Tsai)