Dog Bathtubs That Sit in a Home Tub

Styles

• The Pup Tub, designed for small dogs or puppies, fits comfortably into most home tubs. The tub includes built-in cups for dog shampoo and rinsing supplies, as well as a drain plug that allows pet hair to stay in and water to flow out. The Pup Tub will work for dogs up to 20 pounds and has a padded bottom to make it comfortable and prevent slipping.

  Steel or galvanized tubs are available at many home-improvement stores and are ideal for washing a pet indoors. Since they come in a variety of sizes, there are many that will fit into your home tub while protecting your tub and drain pipes from fur and outdoor remnants such as grass, dirt or insects.

  An inflatable dog wash tub is compatible with large in-home bathtubs. Easy to inflate, it keeps the mess out of your tub while allowing your dog to be comfortable during bath time.

Safety

• Dogs are prone to slipping and sliding on wet surfaces, meaning that a quality dog bathtub will include some sort of safety feature. Many commercial dog tubs, such as the Pup Tub, include tethers that attach to your dog's collar and prevent him from slipping. It will also prevent the dog from leaping out of the tub before the washing is done. With a galvanized tub, adding anti-stick decals to the bottom of the tub, like you would in your own bathtub, can help reduce slipping and sliding. Inflatable tubs can be slippery as well, and this can be remedied by placing towels on the plastic bottom to add a slightly coarse foundation on which the dog can balance.

Cost

• Since a dog bathtub that can be placed in your home tub needs to be small enough to be easily removable, the price for such a tub is usually reasonable. The Pup Tub, as of 2011, sold for under $40, while a galvanized tub is sold for between $20 and $70. Inflatable dog tubs are usually the most expensive option, retailing for about $100. All of these tubs are available for purchase online, with many also available at local pet stores.

Advantages &Disadvantages

• One of the advantages of a dog tub that fits into your home bathtub is your dog does not have to endure harsh weather during an outdoor winter bath and will not get messy again rolling around in the yard after a washing. Using a indoor tub also can save money because you tend to use more water when using a garden hose outdoors. The tub also can help prevent your dog's hair from clogging your pipes, as well as avoid damage to your tub basin from your dog's nails.

  Disadvantages to a dog tub including having to clean and store it, and the effort involved in setting it up.