25 replies to this topic

[sanford]

I will be replacing my wall-to-wall carpeting and have tried to research new flooring, floor coverings that would be more practical for a dog. Beneath my carpeting is a solid wood floor that I can have scraped & sanded, which may turn out to be the most practical thing for me to do, but wood gets scratched & can also be slippery, absorb odors & get stained/discolored if the dog has an accident that isn't discovered in time.

Everything I've looked at seems to have some drawbacks; stone tiles are durable & cleanable, but the grout can absorb odors and the tile can be too slippery. (Tile installation might also be too expensive for me!). I've read that Pergo/laminates can have the seams lift up if liquid/urine seeps into the seams.

If I go with one of the above slippery surfaces, I'm open to using inexpensive throw rugs, that can be tossed out & replaced if necessary, but do rugs stay put or just slide around?

I would really appreciate knowing what your experience has been and what recommendations you would offer. Thanks!

Edited by sanford, 07 September 2010 - 06:16 AM.

[Idaho Cairns]

If it were me and I had hardwood floors under my carpet and they were in good condition, I would have them refinished. There are some superb varnishes available that will completely seal the wood from water and protect from scratching. With the availability of inexpensive and attractive area rugs, hard finished wood floors just make sense for pet owners--they are easier to keep clean in my opinion and generally look better than carpet over the long haul.
We are going thru this debate right now--our carpets need replacing badly (not because of the dogs--the carpeting is just old) and I think I am going to go with engineered hard wood floors--much less expensive and easier installed than solid hardwood. We have a laminate floor in our kitchen and the clean up on that bit of flooring is much quicker than either the linoleum or the carpet in other areas of the home.
Your initial investment to get the floors refinished might be higher than carpeting but in terms of durability and appearance--a good hardwood floor is superior--then there is the resale value of a home with hardwood floors!

[lindasue]

One word; hardwood! Our house has hardwood floors in all rooms but 2, and those rugs need replacing after training Pegi (she's now 1 year and has only had 2 accidents in 6 months). She doesn't scratch the floors at all. We do have a few rugs here and there. During her training I was much happier when the accident happened on the hardwood! In fact I took the runners out of the hallways (that was her favorite place to go) and never replaced them. Go with the wood!

[kjwarnold]

I'd love to have hardwood floors, but with rocks and stuff being easily tracked in our house (and not from dogs), I was afraid it would get very scratched. My sister has hardwood and has a Lab, and hasn't had any problems. We went with ceramic tile and I really like it. Yes, grout can get dirty but if you seal it and clean up after any accidents or spills, you won't have many problems. It is slippery, but the dogs learn when to put on the brakes and how far they'll slide if they're running. It's pretty entertaining watching them, actually!

[hheldorfer]

Another vote for refinishing the hardwood. As Idaho Cairns said, the new finishes protect the floor from moisture. The last time I had my floors refinished was 15+ years ago and the finish still prevents any accidents from seeping through to the wood. I have two large area rugs in the living room where the dogs play, eat, etc.. Yes, there are scratches in the finish from doggie toenails but they're not all that noticeable and I'd rather live with scratches than without dogs.

[Zekey's Mom]

Another vote for hardwood!

I pulled up some rugs when I moved into my house -- the floors weren't too bad, but tons of icky padding bits were stuck to them. I got someone from the Mr. Sandless franchise to come in to clean/polish all of the floors. Now that I have Zekey, I'm glad that I didn't refinish them-- his scratches just blend in with the old ones! And really, the only place he slides and digs in is at the top of the stairs -- he runs up and has to make a 180 degree turn onto the landing.

You could always try your existing hardwood before making a decision to sand/replace.

[jodi0553]

and yet another vote for refinished hardwoods, especially if they are old oak or another harder wood. I researched hardwoods recently and learned that older oak flooring is much harder than what you can buy now because they used to harvest older growth trees while modern oak floors are from younger softer trees. I refinished my circa 1955 oak floors and it was incredibly affordable and in 3 years they've barely shown a bit of wear. However, my mother put in new oak floors a year ago and they scratch much more easily. I went out and bought inexpensive area rugs and have found that they stay in place well with a cheap no-slip mat underneath. If you are considering new hardwoods, even if you ultimately buy from a big box store, go to a wood floor website or store and check out the different hardnesses. I recently bought "strand bamboo" for a refinishing project and it is ridiculously hard and durable and has a really unique look.

[Islander]

Looks like you don't need another vote to convince you that hardwood is the way to go, but here's my 2 cents anyway! I have engineered hardwood in the downstairs of my house, and it's been much easier to clean than the carpets. I'm planning to replace the carpet upstairs with bamboo flooring. Haven't had any problems with scratches from Cairn nails. My friend's border collie has a phobia about slippery floors though (like Cesar & the Great Dane) and when my pal comes to visit she lays down a trail of towels for Doji to walk on!

[Hawkeye]

Ditto. I've had hardwood for a long time now and would definitly do again. We also have tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. I have not had a problem with them damaging the floors and we do have some area rugs so they have some place to get cozy on.

My only problem is our senior dog Casey has a difficult time in the 'hardwood' staircase. She doesn't trust herself going downstairs any longer and even going upstairs she has slipped a few times, so we now carry her up and down. Not really sure if this problem is only because of the flooring or a combination of her vision and age too. Regardless, she gets spoiled and she's worth it!

[Tuesday]

Peanut Gallery speaking up for hardwoods. Had them for years with a lab who liked to play catch in the hallway and would skid out quite often - no problems.

We currently have ceramic tile (with rugs/runners on them), and the boy does fine on them as long as he's not doing his crazyrunaroundthehouselikeamaddogchasemechaseme routine. When he's playing chase, he doesn't like the tile, so he's devised a plan to leap from rug to rug. Sometimes we outsmart him (not very often) and he tries to run on the tile and stays in one place.

My only downfall to the tile is if it gets one drop of water on it, it's very slipperly for humans, and dangerous for those of use humans who are not very graceful.

[oscar's mom]

I would say the hardwood floors also. I think your concern is that Sanford is getting up there in age and you don't want him to slip and fall from walking on hard woods.
Have you thought about a boot shoe product so he can walk in the house?

http://www.petboots.com/

Good luck in your decision

[ScruffynMag]

Edited by ScruffynMag, 07 September 2010 - 01:40 PM.

[ScruffynMag]

""I think your concern is that Sanford is getting up there in age and you don't want him to slip and fall from walking on hard woods.""







Are you Sanford? I know I am!!

I have carpets downstairs but I am looking for another alternative since getting Scruffy.

Edited by ScruffynMag, 07 September 2010 - 01:41 PM.

[cairnrescueleague]

How about sheet vinyl? The less seams the better!

[ScruffynMag]

I am soooo sorry, I was thinking Oscar's Mum had done a typo error and meant to say Carrington could slip. I feel a complete idiot! I realise now that her concern was for Sanford although Carrington is an elderly pooch.