A garage is a convenient place to create a washing and grooming station for your dog. Perhaps you have a dog with a coat that needs to be washed and groomed every week. Or, maybe you have more than one dog and you’d like to save some money on the grooming bill. Regardless of the situation, if you plan to set up a washing and grooming station in your garage, you need a few items to make it complete.
Items Needed for Washing and Grooming Station for Your Dog
A Wash Basin
Naturally, a wash basin for a chihuahua is going to look different from one that will accommodate a Great Dane. If you have a standard sized wash basin in your garage already, that’s perfect for washing a toy dog or another small breed. Remember, your dog will need a little extra space in the basin, so it doesn’t feel hemmed. Plus, you need to have enough space to move your arms and hands while scrubbing your dog.
If you have a larger dog, it’s best to have a tub that sits on the floor so the dog can step in and out easily. Choose a tub with handles so you can safely move it to dump the used water into a drain or outside onto the grass.
Washing Tools
Today, you have a large selection of pet washing tools available to you. If your dog has a long thick coat, you may want to get a brush with rubber bristles that you can slip over your hand. The brush stays in place on your hand as you remove dead hair and dirt from your dog’s coat. Alternatively, if your dog has a short, thin coat, you may want to use a sponge or brush with soft bristles. Select the grooming tools that work best for your type of dog.
Rinsing Your Dog
Having a wash basin in your garage gives you an advantage. You can purchase a portable sprayer with a long hose and hook it up to the basin’s faucet. That way, you have access to warm water when you go to rinse the soap from your dog’s coat.
If you’re washing your dog in a standalone tub, you can purchase a portable rinsing kit to fill with warm water in order to rinse your dog. These kits have adjustable sprayers so you can moderate the flow of the water.
Of course, you can always do things the traditional way and fill a bucket with warm water from your kitchen to rinse your dog using a sponge or a cup.
A Portable Grooming Table
Grooming your dog is more easily done if you have a table that’s waist high. Just think of how easy it would be to towel dry your dog when it’s right in front of you as opposed to trying to move around the room on the floor!
There are many tables specially designed for grooming dogs. Some come complete with haunch holders attached to an arm to keep your dog in place during grooming time. Other tables are adjustable so you can make them higher or lower to suit your preferences. Many of these portable grooming tables have a non-slip surface that’s easy to clean.
If you don’t want to purchase a table built for grooming dogs, you can use any type of table as long as it has enough surface space for your purposes and can safely support the weight of your dog. If your table has a smooth surface, you can purchase a non-slip cover.
If you have a small garage without a lot of extra space, think about getting a folding table so you can put it up against the wall when it’s not in use.
A Storage Area for Grooming Tools
A good storage area is a sine qua non for Washing and Grooming Station for Your Dog . One way to store your brushes, combs and other grooming tools is to install a pegboard on a nearby wall. You can use the hooks to hang up your grooming tools, so they’ll be right at hand whenever you need them.
Another option is a portable cabinet with plastic drawers. You can move the cabinet over by your side when you’re grooming your dog so you can reach into a drawer to get what you need. When you’re finished with the grooming, roll this cabinet back against a wall out of the way.
If you plan to get a table designed for grooming dogs you’ll find that many of them have a shelf or two underneath to accommodate grooming tools.
Tips for Setting Up the Area
It’s best to set up your dog washing and grooming station in a well-lit area where everything is within arm’s reach. You don’t want to get up and move across the garage to retrieve an item when your dog is in the wash basin. There’s always a chance your dog will try to get out and injure itself.
Another tip is to install a heater in your garage. This is so you can groom your dog any time of the year even in the cold winter months. Not only will your dog be more comfortable when its coat is wet, you’ll be more comfortable in the space. Plus, having a garage heater will help your dog to dry more quickly whether you’re using a towel or a blow dryer.
You may want to put up a shelf for a radio or CD player if you enjoy listening to music while grooming your dog. Music can set a relaxed tone in the space, so your dog feels more at ease.
Be sure to set up your washing and grooming area near an outlet in the garage. So, if you have plug-in trimmers, you don’t have to stretch the cord a long way to reach your grooming table.
Lastly, having a well-equipped washing and grooming station can help make the task of caring for your dog’s coat more enjoyable. You have everything you need, and your dog is safe in the environment you’ve created. Who knows? Maybe your dog will begin to look forward to the time spent with you in its own grooming area!
