# Utility sink for grooming



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

We will use our deep utility sink to wash our Havanese. Can anyone recommend a raised platform that could fit inside the sink to raise pup a bit to save our backs? Also, for the counter when grooming, any ideas for a (nonslip) mat that pup could stand on that also wipes easily after haircuts? I’m thinking hair would stick to rubber.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaHopeful said:


> We might try to use our utility sink to wash our Havanese. Can anyone recommend a raised platform that could fit inside the sink to raise pup a bit to save our backs? Also, any ideas for a (nonslip) mat that pup could stand on that also wipes easily after haircuts? I’m thinking hair would stick to rubber.


I use our kitchen sink, so can’t help in terms of a platform. Most people, if they use anything, just put a towel under the dog. Honestly, I don’t use anything. I do not fill the sink with water, I just run the water over them with them standing in the sink, so it really isn’t that slippery.

You always want to clip a clean dog, so you should bathe and dry before clipping, not after. Otherwise you will unnecessarily dull your blades, and you will not get a smooth cut. So you shouldn’t end up with cut hair in your sink anyway. I never end up with dog hair in my sink…


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

krandall said:


> I use our kitchen sink, so can’t help in terms of a platform. Most people, if they use anything, just put a towel under the dog. Honestly, I don’t use anything. I do not fill the sink with water, I just run the water over them with them standing in the sink, so it really isn’t that slippery.
> 
> You always want to clip a clean dog, so you should bathe and dry before clipping, not after. Otherwise you will unnecessarily dull your blades, and you will not get a smooth cut. So you shouldn’t end up with cut hair in your sink anyway. I never end up with dog hair in my sink…


Thanks! I clarified the original post. I want to raise the pup because our utility sink is very deep so it’s hard on backs to lean over. The mat is for a different table when grooming so the pup does not slip, hoping for something that is nonslip and wipeable - maybe an oxymoron.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaHopeful said:


> Thanks! I clarified the original post. I want to raise the pup because our utility sink is very deep so it’s hard on backs to lean over. The mat is for a different table when grooming so the pup does not slip, hoping for something that is nonslip and wipeable - maybe an oxymoron.


Ah! OK! LOL!

I have found that the BEST grooming surface is memory foam bath mats. They come in any size you want. Just use a slicker brush to remove hair from them, and when necessary, pop them in the washing machine and dryer. When you put a wet dog on them from the bath tub, they immediately start wicking water out of the dog! They also make wonderful, comfy, washable crate mats! I use them everywhere!

You can get them at Bed Bath and Beyond or Amazon. Probably cheaper on Amazon, but you can see and touch at BB&B, and I know sometimes that has its own appeal!

Ducky is sitting on one in this photo. I even use a small one on his show trolly! Some of mine are almost as old as Kodi.


----------



## Johanna (11 mo ago)

As far as trying to raise the dog up in the sink, I think that might be counterproductive. You could try it but would probably end up with water flow issues and spray going out of the sink and getting messy. If I were looking for a solution to the bending over the sink issue to save my back, I would look into an adjustable height stool that I could wheel over to the sink and sit on. Something with a hydraulic lift (like an office chair or doctors stool) would work I think. As far as a non slip mat... any type of non slip bath mat should work. When you're done grooming, just wipe it off or shake it off. If it's a bit messy then stick it in the utility sink and rinse it off and leave to dry.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Johanna said:


> As far as trying to raise the dog up in the sink, I think that might be counterproductive. You could try it but would probably end up with water flow issues and spray going out of the sink and getting messy. If I were looking for a solution to the bending over the sink issue to save my back, I would look into an adjustable height stool that I could wheel over to the sink and sit on. Something with a hydraulic lift (like an office chair or doctors stool) would work I think. As far as a non slip mat... any type of non slip bath mat should work. When you're done grooming, just wipe it off or shake it off. If it's a bit messy then stick it in the utility sink and rinse it off and leave to dry.


My grooming stool from Petedge is adjustable height. I think most are.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

Y’all are geniuses! I have a memory foam mat that will be perfect and an adjustable stool! 🥳 I’m surprised to hear the hair won’t stick crazily to the mat, and using the slicker brush on it is a great idea.

I’ve always groomed our previous dogs but am trying to invest in a better setup (and nicer tools which I’m ridiculously excited about).


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

And may I add that Ducky is just ridiculously handsome sitting there atop his awesome ribbons. His coloring and soulful eyes! 😍


----------



## Johanna (11 mo ago)

HavaHopeful said:


> Y’all are geniuses! I have a memory foam mat that will be perfect and an adjustable stool! 🥳 I’m surprised to hear the hair won’t stick crazily to the mat, and using the slicker brush on it is a great idea.
> 
> I’ve always groomed our previous dogs but am trying to invest in a better setup (and nicer tools which I’m ridiculously excited about).


I'm still fairly new to Havanese but I've found that the only hair I have to deal with after bathing and grooming comes out in the comb or brush I'm working with... and maybe a little in the bath. It's not much and nothing compared to my other dogs that have "fur" and shed differently.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

Johanna said:


> I'm still fairly new to Havanese but I've found that the only hair I have to deal with after bathing and grooming comes out in the comb or brush I'm working with... and maybe a little in the bath. It's not much and nothing compared to my other dogs that have "fur" and shed differently.


Lots of hair after cutting the hair


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I use microfiber mats like bath mats, too, that are machine washable. I just wanted to mention that I was having problems with hair not washing completely out of knit clothing and it was particularly embedding in Sundance’s microfiber towels. I would run the clean washer cycle and it seemed to help, along with fabric softener, but the problem kept coming back. It turns out, the drain trap of the washing machine was filled with very fine Havanese hair, along with fabric fiber. It’s preventable by using the clean washer cycle but I was running it on a recommended calendar and not based on the number of loads we do, which is way higher since we have a ton of laundry due to DS’s medical issues. Now I only need to use fabric softener on knits! If the drain trap if your machine is easily accessible it might not a big deal, but my w/d are stacked so I will definitely be running a clean cycle after a haircut!


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

I know a lot of Havanese don’t get a ton of loose hair but I think Sundance sheds a bit more - not like regular dog shedding, but he just has a lot of coat to begin with. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it started building up in our washing machine when he was blowing coat, because this has been an issue on and off for over a year.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

Oh great advice- I’ll keep an eye on our washer thanks!


----------



## Tere (Oct 17, 2018)

About the hair clogging washing machines, I see something on Amazon called hair collecting balls for washers. I wonder if they work. Maybe that would be a good idea?


----------



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

We have a utility sink in the Puppy room for washing puppies. I did away with the legs that came with it, and built a cabinet (really just a plywood box) as a base under it that raises it up to a comfortable height. The sink should be such a height that you can bend your wrists, and lay your palms flat in the bottom of the sink without bending your back.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaHopeful said:


> Lots of hair after cutting the hair


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Tom King said:


> We have a utility sink in the Puppy room for washing puppies. I did away with the legs that came with it, and built a cabinet (really just a plywood box) as a base under it that raises it up to a comfortable height. The sink should be such a height that you can bend your wrists, and lay your palms flat in the bottom of the sink without bending your back.


Yes, yours is wonderful!


----------



## Melissa Brill (Feb 22, 2017)

HavaHopeful said:


> Lots of hair after cutting the hair


For sure! I just put down a sheet (use the same one all the time) under his grooming stand when I give Perry a cut and the hair sticks so badly into it that even after brushing it off with his wire brush, using tape or a lint roller and going through the wash it's still there, embedded into the fiber... so I just keep the same one, fold it the same way (so the hair is always on the inside) and use that... Would love to find a sheet size (or 1/4 sheet would be enough) something that didn't hold on to the hair so much!

I was thinking maybe the problem was not using a dryer, but I think we did wash it once when we were back in the US and had a dryer and same problem...


----------



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

This thread has pictures of our puppy sink, and the bin in it that we use for washing puppies. There is a counter level with the top of it on one side.









Getting ready to go home


Feet trimmed, washed, and dried.




www.havaneseforum.com


----------



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

Here's a picture of it. Pam would not be pleased that I'm posting this, because nothing around it has been cleaned up, or organized. It's just built out of 3/4" plywood, and varnished.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

That’s a great setup, Tom. Thanks for the pics. Also love the aprons- I hadn’t thought of wearing one in all of my years of grooming our dogs. 🤦‍♀️ Will buy one!


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

I just poured through the thread you linked… those puppies are all so adorable!! I also like the idea of having a small bathing container within the larger utility sink.


----------



## LWalks (Feb 7, 2021)

I use the small container setup too (though in the bathtub) and it works great. All the grime ends up in the little tub, and then I just slide it out of the way so they’re not standing in dirty water, and dump it at the end. Makes the whole process much quicker.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

I was thinking of using this inside the utility sink so the water drains out the bottom. I’d put this on a raised shelf underneath to help the back. Thoughts?


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaHopeful said:


> I just poured through the thread you linked… those puppies are all so adorable!! I also like the idea of having a small bathing container within the larger utility sink.


That is only when the puppies are TINY. When they are that small, (that was before they went home, it is easier to keep them from getting cold if you keep them IN warm water. It also helps to increase the house temperature while you are bathing them, just like for a new baby!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaHopeful said:


> I was thinking of using this inside the utility sink so the water drains out the bottom. I’d put this on a raised shelf underneath to help the back. Thoughts?
> 
> View attachment 177751


But that won't hold water in and keep the puppy warm. So I really don't see any purpose to that... The one Pam is using specifically has a small footprint and deep sides. So she can make it deep enough to keep the puppy warm without using a TON of water.


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Tere said:


> About the hair clogging washing machines, I see something on Amazon called hair collecting balls for washers. I wonder if they work. Maybe that would be a good idea?


I’ll have to look into it! DD has long hair so I would have thought if we were going to have a problem if would be with her hair. But there wasn’t much of hers, just a little trapped by the actual blockage. I also haven’t found anything about people with shedding dogs having drain problems with this particular washing machine. I wonder if it has something to do with how fine and light Havanese hair is. I would still rather have it caught by something and machine wash it than have the hair float in the air because my nose seems to be a magnet for it.


----------



## EvaE1izabeth (Nov 14, 2017)

Do you have a counter next to your utility sink? I don’t know how tall you are or how high your counters are but a plastic bin on the counter next to the sink might give you a little more height. Then you’d still have access to the faucet.

A long time ago i saw a utility “sink” in a model home that was interesting. It was higher than usual and had a lower front, maybe 4”, so you’d be reaching straight in front of you to wash a dog. It was clearly intended for pets but it was in the garage and it didn’t seem heated, which I thought was weird. In our climate, our insulated garage is way too cold for a bath in the winter. The last time I went to the parade of home builder’s houses there were a lot of pet friendly features in the homes, and now people have been home with their pets so I wonder if that will increase. Maybe I just noticed them because I didn’t have a dog before.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

krandall said:


> But that won't hold water in and keep the puppy warm. So I really don't see any purpose to that... The one Pam is using specifically has a small footprint and deep sides. So she can make it deep enough to keep the puppy warm without using a TON of water.


Gotcha ok. They also have ones without the holes. I was thinking the holes were good so the pup isn’t standing in dirty water and I can easily wash and rinse all areas.


----------



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

The first soapy dip in the bin gets every bit saturated down to the skin. Then taken out beside the bin, rinsed, re-soaped, rinsed, and conditioned. The first part in the warm water is the longest part. With the next steps, no time is wasted so the pup won't get any colder than possible. We warm the room up first too.

In the big sink in the dogroom, there is room for two larger bins, as well as a raised grate for them to stand on for rinsing. The second bin allows for a soak in conditioner. That sink is a 5' long stainless old photography sink, with a commercial kitchen rinse faucet. The small sink is better for puppies, but I wish it was large enough for a warm conditioner bin also.


----------



## HavaHopeful (10 mo ago)

Oh I love this setup! I hadn’t thought of using the bin as a way to get them wet thoroughly initially. Ok I am rethinking it all and wishing I’d done this with our previous dogs!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavaHopeful said:


> Gotcha ok. They also have ones without the holes. I was thinking the holes were good so the pup isn’t standing in dirty water and I can easily wash and rinse all areas.


They really shouldn’t be very dirty at the age that you are having them stand in anything inside the sink. By the time he is getting muddy, you will just be plopping him in the sink directly! 

You don’t need anything fancy or expensive for this. Just a plastic tote container from Target or Home Depot. Go someplace where you can look at them and choose a size that makes sense.


----------

