# What is this shower for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2026, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472 "2026-04-22T02:43:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/21 "2026-04-22T12:56:10Z")
We have a shower stall in our laundry room, right next to an outer door. I don’t know why anyone would want to use it as a shower, but we hang things up to dry in there and also keep the dogs’ water dish in it, so it’s really useful! ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/22 "2026-04-22T13:03:00Z")
Can you post a link to the listing? This is certainly a back door, but it could also be a basement. There’s a tradition in some rust belt cities to have a “Pittsburg potty” in the basement, which is often just a random toilet and a shower in some corner of the basement, often with no stall or other enclosure. The purpose was for the husband to clean off after work at the coal mine, steel mill, tannery, slaughterhouse, etc. so they wouldn’t foul up the rest of the house. In more modern times, the same could be said for someone who works in landscaping, farming, construction, etc. who comes home sweaty and smelly if not greasy and dirty. I agree the setup here is a bit strange, but it’s a tile floor all around so there could be another drain somewhere we don’t see, and the idea here is to take a quick shower, not necessarily being super thorough. I also agree that it’s very likely for dogs too. Maybe they don’t get dirty when running out in the yard, but dogs aren’t usually limited to just the yard when supervised. It could be for plants too. I wouldn’t mind having a setup like that for washing down some of my houseplants. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/23 "2026-04-22T13:33:39Z")
> [@jjakucyk](#): > > Can you post a link to the listing? > **[9151 Shepard Rd, Batavia, NY 14020 | MLS #B1665659 | Zillow](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9151-Shepard-Rd-Batavia-NY-14020/83937600_zpid/)** > > This 4440 square feet Single Family home has 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. It is located at 9151 Shepard Rd, Batavia, NY. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/24 "2026-04-22T13:38:37Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > I think the doggie door adjacent to it might be a clue. Great, then “Fido” can track wet foot prints all over the house and shake himself and spray everything else. What a great idea. 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/25 "2026-04-22T13:39:35Z")
This. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/26 "2026-04-22T13:55:31Z")
Oh, they have a ton of privacy. I thought it wasn’t for humans washing off because of the window in the door right there. But there’s no one outside to be peering in. Or more importantly, no neighbors randomly walking by who might be offended. It’s for the owner to wash off when they enter the house, to keep dirt out of their white couches and stuff. Someone who lives there has a dirty job or hobby (gardening? Horse back riding?) and doesn’t want to track dirt around. That shower would work fine for that purpose. It’s really not that hard to control a handheld shower if that’s your goal, and you just was a quick sluice, not a long luxurious experience. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/27 "2026-04-22T13:59:13Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The shower head, although on a hose, is mounted at normal shower height. It is not. It is very low for a shower, more like eye level for a 6’ person. It’s at best a couple inches higher than than the alarm panel, despite there being almost 2’ of additional height available in the stall. If you built it for a person, it would definitely be higher up on the wall. I’m going with a pet washing station. You can hold the collar, grab the showerhead, turn on the water, without stretching. As long as you’re not washing a cat, you can direct the water to the corner, and only have a bit of spray outside the stall, onto the waterproof tiles. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/28 "2026-04-22T14:06:54Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > It is very low for a shower, more like eye level for a 6’ person. It’s at best a couple inches higher than than the alarm panel, despite there being almost 2’ of additional height available in the stall. If you built it for a person, it would definitely be higher up on the wall. I agree. I also think that it would be enclosed with frosted glass for the sake of privacy because anyone could walk in from several different directions. It is very exposed. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/29 "2026-04-22T14:08:09Z")
> [@jjakucyk](#): > > r someone who works in landscaping, farming, construction, etc. who comes home sweaty and smelly if not greasy and dirty Someone who handles chemicals they might need to wash off in a hurry, if they accidentally got them on their skin? I’d still expect a shower curtain, at least, but as has been suggested maybe there was a removable setup in poor condition, and they removed it. > [@Cheesesteak](#): > > It is very low for a shower, more like eye level for a 6’ perso Maybe they’re short. I think the dog washing is also plausible; and it might be useful for dealing with some plants, though I’d really want a potting bench. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/30 "2026-04-22T14:11:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > It’s for the owner to wash off when they enter the house, to keep dirt out of their white couches and stuff. Someone who lives there has a dirty job or hobby (gardening? Horse back riding?) and doesn’t want to track dirt around. That shower would work fine for that purpose. But why not a shower room? Or at least an enclosure? This house was built by people who obviously could afford to pay for walls. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/31 "2026-04-22T14:14:04Z")
I’ll admit when I started this thread, I was expecting somebody would point out the obvious use for this arrangement within the first five posts and I’d be slapping my head for missing it. But it appears this really is as confusing as I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/32 "2026-04-22T14:16:01Z")
The listing mentions a “pet spa station,” which is almost certainly what that shower is. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/33 "2026-04-22T14:18:34Z")
Being from the rust belt, my first thought was a coal shower like @jjakucyk suggested. My boyfriend’s childhood home had one, and it was built in the 1990s (his mom specifically added one for his dad, who worked as a mechanic). Could be it was originally a coal shower and no one needed it for that purpose anymore, but the plumbing and enclosure already existed so they turned it in to a doggy bath by adding the hand-held hose and removing the curtain (which could get in the way of a quick doggy rinse). The presence of the dog door doesn’t mean the dog ALWAYS is allowed in and out on their own. It just means there is a dog. Or it means there WAS a dog and there WAS a curtain but neither has existed for some time. But being a dog-loving family, they kept the door and the shower just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/34 "2026-04-22T14:22:30Z")
It says what it is right in the listing: > And animal lovers will appreciate the large fenced yard and pet spa station. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/35 "2026-04-22T14:23:00Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > f it’s a beach home maybe people wash the sand off their feet, and the dog too. Typically those are outside though, and usually in the back. I’d say the big problem with it being a dog wash station is that a dog is absolutely going to get washed off, take a few steps, and then violently shake themselves, spraying water everywhere. What’s weird about it and makes me wonder if it’s maybe some AI generated image, is the fact that there are no towel racks anywhere, and the two doors to the shower’s right seem to be strangely placed. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/36 "2026-04-22T14:23:44Z")
> [@bump](#): > > there are no towel racks anywhere, There are two hooks for towels. It’s for pets. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/37 "2026-04-22T14:24:37Z")
Why wouldn’t you put that outside? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/38 "2026-04-22T14:26:46Z")
Because the house is in upstate New York, near Rochester, and it’s going to be difficult to wash the dog outside in January. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/39 "2026-04-22T14:27:00Z")
I’m going to go with “strange design choices”. Because in two of the bathrooms, there seem to be very deep shelves between the shower/tub and the wall . So deep, they seem to be mostly useless. Maybe there was no way around having that extra space next to the tub - but I would think the shower stall could have been slightly wider. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472/40 "2026-04-22T14:27:11Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Why wouldn’t you put that outside? So it’s all within the one area and looks better within it. They’re high up to be out of reach. I don’t know. The photo seemed clearly for a dog when I first saw it and then it said in the listing that’s what it was, so…? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-shower-for/1029472.md?page=3)