Portable Dog Shower & Wash

Keep a filled portable pressurised shower in the boot and rinse the dog at the car before it jumps in. The NewFlow 8 Litre Portable Shower is hand pumped, so there's no tap, hose or battery needed. Pump it 10 to 15 times, choose a gentle spray mode, and rinse legs, belly and paws while the mud is still wet. It takes two or three minutes, uses a couple of litres and means the mud stays in the car park rather than on the seats. A towel and a car seat cover finish the job, and there's a full boot checklist in our muddy walk kit guide.

Yes, and a hand pumped shower is one of the calmest ways to wash a dog. There's no motor noise, which is what tends to spook dogs around pressure washers and electric pumps. The NewFlow has 10 spray modes, so you can start on a soft mist or gentle rain setting and build up as the dog relaxes. Avoid spraying the face, ears and eyes, use lukewarm water, and let the dog sniff the head before you start. With nervous dogs, begin with the paws and legs and keep the first few sessions short and treat heavy.

A muddy paw and leg rinse uses 1 to 3 litres, a full rinse of a medium dog uses 4 to 6 litres, and a big hairy dog after a beach day might use the full 8 litres. Because the NewFlow only sprays while you press the head, you're not losing water while you reach for the towel, so one tank easily covers a couple of walks' worth of rinsing. Keep a spare water carrier in the car for double coated breeds or multi dog households.

Yes, and dogs are far happier with lukewarm water than a cold hose. Fill the NewFlow with warm water from the kettle mixed with cold until it feels comfortable on the inside of your wrist, roughly body temperature. The tank takes water up to 50°C, never boiling, and its 5mm neoprene sleeve keeps the water warm for the length of a long walk, so it's still pleasant when you get back to the car. Warm water lifts mud and grease from the coat more easily and makes drying quicker, which matters on a cold winter day. We go into it properly in Do You Need a Warm Water Dog Shower?

The best portable dog shower is one that lives in the car, works without power and gives enough pressure to shift mud from a thick coat. The NewFlow 8 Litre Portable Shower weighs around 2 kg empty, stands upright in the boot, has a carry strap and a 10 mode head that goes from a gentle rinse for puppies to a firmer spray for caked on mud. The 3 metre coiled hose reaches round the whole dog with the tank on the ground. Nothing to charge, nothing to plug in. Add the NewFlow Shower Holder on the boot lid and you can wash with both hands, one for the dog and one for the lead.

Rinse them at the car with fresh water before the drive home. Salt and sand left in a dog's coat can irritate the skin, and salt on the paws often gets licked off, which can upset their stomach. Use a medium spray mode to work through the coat, pay attention to the paws, armpits and belly, and rinse the collar and harness too. A portable shower means you're not relying on a beach tap that may not exist or may be a long walk away. Follow with a towel rub and the car stays sand free.

Yes. Apply the shampoo straight to the dog's coat rather than into the tank, lather with your hands, then rinse thoroughly with the shower on a gentle or medium mode. Keeping the tank water clean means it's always ready for a rinse. For fox poo, the classic dog walker's nightmare, use a dedicated fox poo shampoo, work it in, then rinse until the water runs clear. Rinse the tank through with fresh water afterwards. A portable shower turns a fox poo emergency into a five minute job at the car.

Slow it down and take away the noise and the blast. A garden hose is loud, cold and unpredictable, which is why so many dogs dread it. A hand pumped shower is silent, the water can be warm, and the gentle mist setting feels more like rain than a jet. Let the dog investigate the head, start on the paws, keep your voice calm and reward constantly. Short, warm, quiet sessions after a walk build the association that washing means treats and going home. Many owners find dogs that fought the hose will stand happily for a warm portable shower. See how the two compare in Portable Dog Shower vs Hose vs Watering Can.

No. The NewFlow shower is pressurised by hand: fill it, close the lid, pump 10 to 15 times and spray. There's nothing to charge and no cable, so it's always ready in the boot whether you last used it yesterday or a month ago. If the pressure drops during a wash, a few more pumps brings it back. No electrics also means there's nothing to worry about with a wet dog shaking water everywhere.