Pros and cons
Pros
- Keeps dog washing out of the family bathroom
- Looks integrated and stylish in a utility or boot room
- Warm water and pull-out spray are genuinely useful
- Can also be used for scrubbing muddy boots and filling mop buckets
Cons
- Can take up a lot of space (especially if accommodating big dogs)
- Not always easy to get them in and out
- Floors and surrounding areas can get very wet
- Can make the rest of the house smell doggy
I’ll admit it, the built-in dog bath trend sucked me right in. Insta-perfect utility rooms with gorgeous decor, dogs being hosed down calmly at a sensible height for back comfort, mud neatly contained – what’s not to love? After years of washing our dogs in the family bath upstairs – a process that was messy, back-breaking and gave me the ick – I was ready for an upgrade.
So, when we renovated our bootility room, just off the entrance hall, I decided to go all in. Inspired by this dog sink I’d spotted online, I opted for a beautiful Belfast sink by Shaws set on bricks at a low level, paired with a classic Perrin & Rowe mixer tap with separate pull-out spray.
The idea was to rinse muddy paws and wash the dogs in warm water, towel them off, then pop them straight into their nearby crates. It felt like the kind of grown-up practical solution you see in the best utility room ideas, where function is designed into the room from the start. Living in deepest Devon, surrounded by muddy fields and forestry, it made a lot of sense in my head.
And… it kinda works. I still love the idea of a built-in dog bath, and I’m sure the dogs are grateful to avoid being wrestled upstairs (or hosed outside). But living with one has taught me there are some important things to think through before committing, especially if you have more than one dog, and one of them is on the chunkier side. So, if you’re wondering, is a built-in dog bath worth it? Here’s my honest, tried-and-tested take.
Why I went for a built-in dog bath in the first place
The appeal is obvious. A built-in dog bath feels like one of those clever features that make everyday life smoother. It promises to contain mess, protect the rest of the house, and turn a loathsome but necessary chore into something far more manageable.
For me, the motivation was largely emotional. I absolutely hated washing dogs in the family bath. The slipping, the hair, the lingering smell, the sense that no amount of bleach quite erased the experience. A dedicated washing zone felt cleaner, calmer and more respectful of the rest of the house.
I also liked how the look could be integrated into the room. A Belfast sink on brick piers feels more like furniture than pet equipment, and the pull-out spray tap would be useful for washing the area down afterwards.
‘Dog showers work best when they’re considered as part of the wider design of a utility or boot room, rather than as a standalone feature,’ says Lewis Buckley, Kitchen Designer at Harvey Jones. ‘Always try to look at how the room needs to function day to day, from muddy walks and wet coats to storage, circulation and materials that age beautifully over time.’
The lower height sink would be easier on my back, compared to leaning over our bath, and also be a handy height for filling the mop bucket, I reasoned. On paper, it ticked every box.
The reality
Here’s the key thing I underestimated: scale. Our smaller dog, Ned, fits comfortably in the sink. He could hop in and out with minimal assistance (until arthritis kicked in but he was still easy enough to lift in and out), and there was enough room to rinse him properly without water going absolutely everywhere. For him, the setup worked exactly as intended.
Then came along my beloved spaniel (and favourite child) Milo, and my smug satisfaction began to waver. He’s much more solid, heavier and not especially keen on being lifted. Getting him into the sink is awkward and messy. Getting him out is worse. There’s also simply not enough room to manoeuvre him properly once he’s in there, which makes rinsing more stressful than it needs to be. And you can forget trying to towel him off while he’s contained, too, there’s just not enough space to lift his legs up and get the job done.
‘The biggest mistake homeowners make with built-in dog baths is underestimating both the size of the dog and the clearances needed around them,’ says Peter Humphrey, design director, Humphrey Munson. ‘You need space not just for the animal, but for the person washing them to move safely, control the spray and avoid lifting at awkward angles. Once dogs get over a certain weight, raised sinks become impractical very quickly.’
It made me realise that asking whether a built-in dog bath is any good depends entirely on who it’s for. Breed, weight and temperament matter far more than aesthetics, sadly.
The mess factor
I went into this assuming the sink would contain most of the water. That was optimistic, and in hindsight, I should have opted for a wider sink. I went for the maximum width I could fit between the washing machine and dryer – 80cm – but a 100cm model would have definitely been better.
In practice, washing a larger dog creates a splash zone far beyond the sink itself. Water hits surrounding window sills and worktops, the cabinetry and, most significantly, the floor. And because my sink is raised, a quick shake of the dog and the spray goes far and wide.
‘Any dog-washing setup that sits above floor level needs very careful detailing,’ explains Peter. ‘Without waist-height upstands or a fully waterproofed splash zone, water will always escape. We often recommend ground-level dog showers with proper falls to a drain, so that gravity does most of the hard work and keeps moisture where it belongs.’
Our boot room floor gets soaked during a proper wash, and unless I’m on top of drying things down immediately, dampness lingers longer than I’d like.
Location matters more than you think
The boot room sits just off our entrance hall, which felt logical at the time. Muddy dogs come in, get washed, job done. But because the dog bath isn’t enclosed, smells spread quickly.
On wet winter days, when our dogs are being washed daily, the house can smell unmistakably doggy when you walk in. Not unpleasant exactly, but noticeable. And not quite the classy first impression I’d hoped for.
Ventilation plays a much bigger role here than I’d appreciated. ‘When you introduce frequent water use into a utility or boot room, you’re effectively creating a wet zone,’ says Peter. ‘Without mechanical extraction or a way to fully dry the space, moisture and odours will travel into adjoining rooms. We always advise treating dog-washing areas more like a shower room than a sink. Underfloor heating and extractor fans can make a big difference.’
What it cost to install
Cost-wise, my setup was more of a DIY-friendly upgrade than a fully bespoke solution. The wide Belfast sink and brick base weren’t wildly expensive compared to custom dog wash units, and because we were already renovating, and did all the installation ourselves, including the tiling, we saved on labour.
Admittedly, the pull-out spray mixer tap wasn’t the cheapest, but I wanted to invest in a brand I already trusted to avoid malfunctions. The Mandarin Stone tiles we used were left over from our family bathroom reno, so that helped. Including the Brazilian slate worktops and fittings, I think we spent around £2,250.
However, if you go for a specialist dog bath, rather than a sink set-up like mine, you’ll need to factor a few more costs and allocate extra space. ‘People often budget for the visible elements – like stylish shower controls and pretty tiles – but forget about waterproofing, floor finishes, plumbing, heating and ventilation costs,’ says Peter.
‘A purpose-built dog shower might cost more upfront, but it usually includes proper tanking, non-slip surfaces and drainage falls, which can save money on repairs and retrofits later.’
The future-proofing mistake I didn’t anticipate
One thing I didn’t consider at all was how dogs change over time. When the dog bath was installed, we had a small border terrier and petite sprocker spaniel, both of whom are no longer with us (due to old age, not dog bath related injuries).
Milo is also a sprocker, but much heavier-set, and we also have a new pup, Dotty but the jury is still out on how big she’ll get. Milo does fit in the sink, there’s just not enough clearance around him and you just can’t really get to all his dirty bits, especially when he’s wiggling around and shaking mid-wash.
What felt like a sensible, future-ready setup a few years ago now feels limiting. ‘We often see dog-washing areas designed for puppies that simply don’t scale up,’ says Peter. ‘Futureproofing means designing for the largest, heaviest version of your dog, not necessarily the one you currently have. Ground-level solutions are far more adaptable as dogs age, slow down or develop joint issues.’
Dogs can also move around a lot when being washed and you’ll want to get to every orifice so it’s wise to go for a showering area that’s at least twice the width of your dog.
Would I do it again?
I would go for another dog bath, but not a sink-style one. If I were starting from scratch, I’d go for a lower-level dog bath like the one above, with a better contained splash zone. This enclosure-style shower with easy access will help keep the water contained, and you dry, but your dog won’t have to jump (or be lifted) in and out.
Ideally, I would also make space for an adjacent towelling-off area so I could get the majority of the water off and then pop on their drying coats before they step foot on the utility room floor.
So, is a built-in dog bath worth adding to your utility room ideas? Yes, but only if it’s designed around the dogs you own (or may own in future), not just how good it looks on Instagram. A sink set-up like mine would have been perfect, if I only had handbag-size hounds.
Complete the set up
Bugalugs Itchy Dog Shampoo With Oatmeal & Aloe Vera
Keep your dog-bath neat with this a pump dispenser of dog-friendly shampoo on the side.
Serenelife Portable Dog Bath Tub
If you’re not sure if a built-in dog bath will work for you, you can start out by trialling a more affordable portable version to find out what works for you and your pets.
Aquapaw Dog Washer & Shower Attachment
This clever gadget combines a sprayer and scrubber in a single device, and allows you to control the flow of water with one hand, so you don’t run out of hands.
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