When you welcome a dog into your home, he becomes one of the family. Unfortunately, with the love a dog, comes the mess of a dog. Do you struggle to bath your dog after he's been out having fun in the mud? Here, you'll find a few tips that can make keeping up with bathing your dog a little easier on both of you.

Customize a Bathing Space

You have your own bathroom, why shouldn't your dog have the same luxury? Well, the purpose of the bathing space isn't to give your dog a bathroom of his very own, but to give you a place to clean and groom him without trashing your personal bathroom.

A doggie bathing space doesn't take up much space – you need enough space to build a small walk-in type shower/tub and maybe some shelves or drawers to store his pet supplies.

One of the most difficult parts of getting a dog bathed is trying to get him into the tub. If you build a walk-in style shower/tub, he'll be able to walk right in and wait for you to bath him – no more hoisting a muddy, wet dog.

Another feature to consider installing is a hand-spraying nozzle. You will want a good amount of water pressure to get the suds out of your dog's fur – look into commercial grade sink sprayer. These units are durable and push quite a bit of pressure. The amount of pressure can be adjusted by how far you have the water turned on. If you want less pressure, turn down the water. If you want more pressure, turn it up.

A floor drain is one other thing to think about. Think about the mess that you have to clean up after you're done bathing your furry friend. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just scrub it up with a deck brush and push it down the floor drain with a squeegee?

Lastly, a heat light. Getting your dog warm after his bath is important. A heat light above the bathing area can keep him warm while you're bathing him and help to expedite the drying process when you're done.

Talk with your local plumber to learn what it will take to create this doggie bathing space for your furry family member. He or she will have a good idea of what plumbing work will need done to create the perfect space to bathe your dog.