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Melburnian Cheryl Esser is building a dog wash station at her home for border collie Skye. Picture: Brendan Beckett.
Pet owners are going barking mad for what’s paw-sibly the cutest DIY trend to date.
Loving pet parents are splashing thousands of dollars to renovate homes to suit their furry companions.
Australian tile retailer Beaumont Tiles has noted an increasing number of people seeking to add creature comforts to their residences, including dedicated dog wash areas, scratch-resistant flooring and underfloor heating to keep pooches warm.
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Australians own 28.7 million pets, almost half of which are dogs, according to the RSPCA, while earlier this year a Roy Morgan report found that animal owners were spending more on pet supplies than homewares, footwear, and electronics.
Beaumont Tiles product specialist Michelle Kearney said there has been a significant rise in customers renovating with fluffy friends in mind.
“This is in line with a global trend over the past couple of years, with dog-wash stations becoming commonplace in major cities such as New York about five years ago, with
some builders including them in their designs,” Ms Kearney said.
She said individual pet project costs varied but a simple DIY which did not require additional plumbing could be completed for between $1500 to $3000.
This Toorak house was listed with $7.8m-$8.5m price range last year. In addition to a pool it features …
… a fully-tiled dog wash located in the double garage.
Melburnian Cheryl Esser said she decided to build a tiled bath area for her family’s long-haired Border Collie, three-year-old Skye, after it became a challenge to keep her still for backyard washes.
And washing Skye in their home’s ensuite was too messy, especially given her enthusiastic post-bath shakes to get water off.
Ms Esser described Skye as a “very good dog” who enjoys swimming in the ocean and digging holes, while her coat requires brushing two to three times a week.
“If I had to wash her every time she got dirty, it would be every day,” she said.
21 Latham St, Northcote, features a dog bathing area. It’s for sale with $2.6m-$2.8m price hopes.
A cute model tries out the dog wash.
Ms Esser and her husband Gilbert are putting the finishing touches to Skye’s bath station in their garage, featuring a step, a shower spot and – soon – storage drawers for shampoos, a hair dryer, grooming tools and toy balls.
“It’s just a genius idea, everything is there,” Ms Esser said.
She has been sharing tutorials detailing the dog bath build with the 113,000 followers of her home renovation-themed Instagram account, ourcountrycoastalhome.
Their family also hired a glazier to install a pet door in their glass laundry door.
Mebourne’s Cheryl Esser, with her border collie Skye, before renovating to install a dog bath area at her property.
Ms Esser and Skye are big fans of their new home feature.
Homes currently on the market with dedicated dog washes include 36 Daffodil Cres, Wallan, with a $690,000-$720,000 asking range; 21 Latham St, Northcote, priced at $2.6m-$2.8m and
167-181 Old Melbourne Rd, Little River, $3.8m.
RT Edgar partner Alexander Magliolo said 21 Latham St was built with a dog wash area to appeal to families with pets.
“The whole laundry was designed as a wet area,” Mr Magliolo said.
“There’s a doggy door and you can bath your pet before even going into the rest of the house.”
Adding a dog bath to a home can involve creating more bench and storage space. Picture: Knobel Constructions.
88 Fulham Rd, Alphington, has an outdoor dog bath. It sold for $2.08m.
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Dial up the dog washing
Ms Kearney said households are increasingly installing purpose-built washing spaces
for dogs into their laundry or mud room.
“Adding dog washes can make all the difference to keeping your pet clean before
they even enter the house,” Ms Kearney said.
“It can be way more comfortable than giving your dog a wash in the backyard with
the hose, particularly in the colder months.”
While Beaumonts doesn’t supply dog-specific dog washes and baths, they do stock fixtures an
tiles to build these features.
“Any functional washing area can add a little more value to the home and potentially increase
resale value,” Ms Kearney said.
“After all, while built for our furry friends, these spaces can be multifunctional and used for other tasks like washing your car mats or shoes as well, cleaning large pots
and pans or soaking larger items.”
Sometimes creating a dog bath space can be as simple as adapting a sink space. Picture: Knobel Constructions.
155 Lake Rd, Beaufort, has a dedicated dog wash station in the laundry. The house sold for $1.345m in May.
Consider tiles
Ms Kearney said tiles could be a good way to reduce scratched floors – plus they’re often easy to clean.
“Tiles are one of the best flooring options when it comes to pets, as they are
resistant to claw scratches, moisture resistant and easy to clean in the event of even
the mightiest of mishaps,” she said.
And adding underfloor heating creates extra luxury during warm weather for pets who like to snooze on the floor.
16 Fourth St, Black Rock is another house with a stylish dog wash. It sold for $4.65m in 2021.
What else?
Pet doors, outdoor grassed areas and tall, secure fences which hopefully help to prevent barking are other pet-friendly home inclusions.
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