Best dog and water resistant flooring?

[Suja]

No. It's not one or two odd nails (although some are worse than others), it's pretty much all the ones on her front feet, and a few on the back ones.

I've talked to the vet about what if anything we can do about it. She was of the opinion that trimming them back to where they need to be (we're not talking a few millimeters here) would require basically cutting way into the quick. That sort of unnecessary pain and suffering, we could do without.

While we're on the subject. Someone who comes to the dog park left their dog at the vet for his neuter. Picked him up later in the day, only to find out that the vet has trimmed the nails WAAAAY back, to the point where the dog was not willing to put his feet on the ground. This was without their permission, and they had the audacity to charge them for it. Ever since then he pitches a huge fit when his nails need to be trimmed. They can manage because he's a Min Pin, but a tantrum throwing Dane, I can do without.

I wish it were that easy.

Suja

[ranck]

There is some bamboo flooring that is supposedly very tough. It looks like, and installs like, regular wood flooring.

Bill Ranck Blacksburg, Va.

[Keith Williams]

Bamboo is cheaper and much easier to install than wood flooring. I don't think I'd use it (or hardwood) in high traffic areas if I had a large dog though. It will scratch, just like hardwood.

[lgohring]

Even after my vet trims Molly nails they still click on the floor. I have lament (sp?) flooring I love it. Nothing seems to hurt these floors except excess water. I'm talking sitting water and a large amount.

I have dropped can goods on it and nothing. No scratches from her nails either.

[Rocky]

FurPaw said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Good ol' Murphy was diagnosed with osteosarcoma shortly after I'd pulled up the carpets, not timely on my part.

Other than that, the playful bunches of dogs I get here deal well with not-so-good footing - in fact, I'd consider that they're careful while playing a boon.

[FurPaw]

Unless your dog has things like spinal problems or hip dysplasia. We had wood floors in a hall and one room in our old house, and after Dylan's back and hips started giving her problems, it became painful for her to walk on the floors because she'd slip and slide easily. We ended up putting down runners for her comfort.

FurPaw

[D. Gerasimatos]

I think the best dog is probably a German Sheperd.

Glad I could help!

Dimitri

[Les Hilliard]

"Harry Muscle" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I used to have several aquariums including a 55 gal and several 20 gals. Before I set them up, on the carpet, I took those inexpensive vinyl runners and placed them under the stands and made sure they extended out from the bottom of the stand a good 6-8 inches all around. The edges of the vinyl runners stuck up a little bit but it was nothing a few well placed staples didn't fix. In effect I had a waterproof surface 6-8 inches around the aquarium which was easily cleaned. I had quite large fish in the 55 gal and they occasionally splashed so hard that they'd knock the lid up a little bit and some water would run down the outside of the tank. Add to that my occassional overslop while cleaning and/or filling the tank. I have had water leak down the back of the tank in the past, down the stand into the carpet and underneath the stand without leaving a visable puddle so I've learned this little trick from experience. The runners also helped with this because the water never had a chance to soak into the carpet. With the runners underneath and around the stand, the carpet was well protected and my dog could enjoy watching the fish from the comfort of a carpeted floor. Even with wood, tile, or vinyl flooring, the runners can help protect the surface. If you go with carpet, all you have to worry about is the dog soiling it once in a while which if you have him/her housetrained well shouldn't be much of an issue. If you go with hardwood, tile, or vinyl laminate you have to look at upkeep, slipping and sliding around, and constant waxing and/or sealing but it is much easier to clean little messes. I have even seen new houses, while being built, the owners planned where they wanted to put their aquariums, had tile laid there with a generous border, and carpeted around the rest. Mind you, this is a spendy way to do it and unless you plan on keeping the home for a long time, it detracts from the resale value a little bit since prospective buyers might not want areas of tile here and there mixed in with the carpeting. Personally I prefer carpeting. It's easier to walk on, comfortatble to sit or lay on while playing with the dog. and warmer in the winter. But, it's your house so you get to decide your preferance. I just wanted to add a couple of suggestions that I've used and seen used. Ultimately, I suppose you will have to go with what you and your wife can live with asthetically. Hope my suggestions help.

[Les Hilliard]

Shelly wrote in news: [e-mail]:

This is what I use to do Nikki's nails. I'm always afraid of cutting too much and hurting her so I trim as much as I dare with the clipper and use an emery board to file and smooth them down to where they should be. Nikki likes this way better because I have accidently clipped a little too far a couple of times and she much prefers that I file them down with the emery board. I even think the filing might feel relaxing to her because she lays on her back snorking her approval to me.

[Harry Muscle]

Thank you for all the responses, suggestions, etc. so far.

I know laminate stands up to dogs claws very well but generally not water. However, I came across a really good article yesterday that compares all the different brands of laminate flooring, including how they stand up to water

So I'm leaning towards getting laminate, one of the brands that scores a 4 out of 5 in water resistance. It would be almost impossible for the dog to scratch it, most water spills should be fine, and if I do get water damage it would be possible to fix since the floors click together (ie: no glue). Plus the one I'm eying seems to be cheaper than the vinyl stuff which was my other possible choice.

Thanks, Harry

[TaraG]

Keep in mind that how the flooring is installed is as important as which laminate you get. A friend spent a few grand on Laminate flooring. It was almost 1500 more than I had been quoted for a similar space (I ended up not getting it done until recently, though). There was a fire in the apartment directly across the hall from hers, and in the process of putting it out, her apartment was completely flooded.An inch of water completely covered her brand new flooring. She was crushed thinking she'd have to replace it. Her next door neighbors had gotten very expensive engineered flooring installed, but had skimped on the installation costs. They ended up having to replace

*all* of their flooring as it was buckling within a month. My friends floor is, surprisingly, still fine....and its now almost 2 years later! Her flooring guy was amazing though. He did a great job insuring that everything was installed as tightly as possible. When her neighbors had their floors replaced, they went with this same guy....and can't believe the difference it makes.

Also, laminate flooring, while it *will* stand up to pet claws a lot better, will also echo those same claws in ways you just wont believe. I just had my floors done a few months ago, and while I love the my new floors (wanted hardwood, but my subfloor is concrete), it definitely took me a while to get used to hearing even my 7 pound cat walk across the floor. Now that I'm used to it, it doesn't bother me so much, but it was a side effect I hadn't banked on.

Tara

[A sad homeowner]

We've used Pergo, which was a big waste of money. Scratches, dents and staining happened very quickly. As for water, even a small amount if left on a seam will start to raise. That was the old glue down. We've also tried newer snap lock laminate which was a lot easier to install but the seams have raised from small amts of water. Pergo sent a rep to look at the floor for warranty and said since we have dogs and toys on the floor it wasn't covered. Good luck!

[Robert Green]

"A sad homeowner" wrote in

Really? I could have sworn I've seen TV ads for Pergo with a whole troop of dogs running over it.

[willshak]

They were actors and didn't live there.

[Robert Green]

wrote

(-:

But seriously, I recall something be advertised to stand up to a whole litter of dogs, and not just tiny poodles but big dogs. Someone here must have seen it. I'd be miffed if they pulled a "you had dogs and it voids your warranty" if I had bought the flooring based in part on them showing it standing up to dogs. I guess it doesn't, or at least didn't for the poster I was responding to.

Maybe there was one of the 1 second long burst of micro-text at the bottom of the screen that said "Simulated dogs, artificially colored real wood like substance, do not wash, do not walk on, do not clean, do not vacuum - doing so may void warranty!"

[Art Todesco]

When I built this house, I wanted hard wood floors, however, the flooring subcontractor said that if you have a big dog, you'd be sorry and to use laminate. I have a Shaw product which shows absolute no scratches or dent. We have a 50+ dog, she chases (and slides because it's like glass) back an forth and has heavy duty nails. Still, no problems.

[John G]

*Ceramic tile with an epoxy grout.

[Robert Green]

Your comments are making me wonder about the claims of warranty denial. If I cared, I might contact the floormaker to confirm, but I don't. Care, that is. (-:

[Paige Roane]

replying to fake.e-mail, Paige Roane wrote: I live in Canada ontario, I have a st bernard so alot of drool and standing water from drool left on floors. I would say ceramic tile is your best bet. Yes it's cold but you can get wood style in tile which is what we have and it looks amazing! Throw a few area rugs an your good with a pair of slippers? Goodluck!

[Paige Roane]

replying to limeylew, Paige Roane wrote: My house is almost all tile that looks like hardwood and it is pretty cold but it's not so cold as in stepping outside probably a bit colder then the temperature of your house an I'm located in Ontario Canada. But nothing you can't stand, you usually wear socks in winter anyways! ? I personally like how tough it is for water and traffic area? having a st bernard that drools alot .. tile is about as best as it can get because the rest will weap an start to split from drool. I guess to each their own though! Some people don't like the feeling of tile for animals but to me be just as slippery as laminate except more durable!