Diy Dog Baths

[tlc]

Thanks for all the input, it's great to hear what other people are using!

I didn't go with the groomers one, just the large one pictured in your first link. It's all I need and iv'e groomed for many years! I might go with something sturdier if it was for a commercial application, but for home grooming its plenty good enough IMHO!

ETA .....It's my fortnightly grooming day up home this Sunday so if you like I can take a few pics of how I have it set up so you can sort of see it in real life, so to speak!

That would be great, curious, do you pack it up after each use? My hubby thinks if left out it wouldn't last long so would need To be packed up after each use.

I'll have to get a quote from a plumber to get a hot tap outside, where I want to have it is right under our kitchen window so it shouldn't be too hard hopefully. Not sure on how expensive it would be?

[Guest Arcane]

I don't pack it up but it is set up in a fully enclosed annex area next to the room I used to use when I was doing full time professional grooming at home. I bought my hydrobath down to the new salon in Adelaide...I have another bath in my grooming room at home, a small size human bath set into a metal frame to make it waist high and with cupboards built in underneath, but it's no good for my large dogs, hence the reason I wanted a reasonably priced large dog bath for the dozen or so that i continue to service each fortnight up at home! I have used/tried a lot of dog baths over 25 yrs, and I really think the Booster Bath serves it's niche quite well.

[Guest Arcane]

As promised here are a few pictures of my Booster Bath.

You will see it is set up in a covered area under a set of taps with a hose (my hydrobath used to sit there against the wall before I bought it down to my salon), and a drain pipe going off away to the side. The drain pipe actually goes into a floor drain out of sight of the shot, but you could run it into any drain or onto the lawn/garden.. So I pop the dog in (medium/large dogs can usually jump in themselves), then I tether if needed, then shampoo the dog using premixed warm water/shampoo from the mixing bottles ( I don't wet the dog down first but you could if you wished), then I turn and get the hose, pop it into/over the bath while I adjust the taps, and rinse the dog with warm fresh running water. The water drains freely out through the drain pipe to wherever you have directed it.

We bought an irrigation fitting & a length of wider hose to use instead of what it came with, just so it drains better/faster. $20 max would cover this alteration. I included a pic of that.

I've included pics with a couple of dogs, and oversize red Kelpie and an average sized Lab to give an idea of the size. i have no trouble bathing several average size G/Sheps and a large Malamute type dog in it. I also bath my tiny Chi x and don't find it a hardship to bend over to him as even he is still about as high as the top of my legs when standing in there.

Just for interest & to give you another idea, I included a shot of the other bath I have inside my old grooming room. It's a small sized human bath set into a custom made steel frame to be the exact right hight for my back. we added some home made doors to the front and I store towels & shampoo's under it. Unfortunately it's just way too high for me to get large dogs up & into , which is why I got the Booster Bath.

[tlc]

Thanks so much for posting the pictures, what a great set up, The booster certainly looks like it does the job just fine! My oldest boy is my biggest and he is only 18 kilos so the size of the BB would be fine. The other bath set up is awesome and had I have had my dogs before we built our house, I would have definatley got something like this made, I might even be tempted to find out how much it would cost to get our existing bath (or swap for a smaller lighter one) raised up just like yours is, might be a heck of a lot cheaper than starting with a whole new set up. We only ever use the bath for the dogs anyway so it would be no loss. We have another bath (spa) in our ensuite if we need a bath. Its looking like we may not be able to do anything till around October now so I have plenty of time to decide what I am going to do. Thanks again so much, lots of food for thought!

Edited June 3, 2012 by tlc

[BC Crazy]

Another big Booster Bath fan here :)

[tlc]

I just asked my OH about the bath idea, he said great idea but he wouldn't do it incase we ever decide to sell the house he said who's going to want a bath that high up. :laugh: I didn't even give that a thought!

[sumosmum]

I have a booster bath also. I bought it from a doler, second hand and it is fantastic. I have had it a number of years now and wouldn't be without it. If anything happened to it, I would replace it with another immediately.

I a going to have hot and cold plumbed outside with a mixer tap at this house, but use it at the moment attached to the mixer in the kitchen with the hose attached to the kitchen tap. Just run the hose out the back door. Works well for me as I can get the temp right with the top of the mixer tap, and then attach the hose and flip the lever up when ready. Then just turn the water on and off from the nozzle/sprayer of the hose.

I have left mine outside for ages, and it is still as good as new. They say in the blurb that the plastic is made to stay outside. I usually do put it in the garage, but have left it outside now for about 6 months and it looks fine. You can also buy all the parts separately if anything needs renewing or happens to break.

I bought one as a present for a friend who does rescue, and I found the best price at the time was on dealsdirect.com.au and I got it on one of the Free Postage days. I don't know how they stand with price now compared to other places.

I have this one, Booster Bath

They also have this. other Booster Bath

[tlc]

Thanks or the info, the BB certainly looks like a really easy cheaper option, especially if I want to get hot water tap outside.