Dogs and Hardwood Floors?

[stacie_d]

We just moved to a new townhouse. There is hardwood covering 2/3 of the main floor (Kitchen and dining room). All of the thownhouses around here are the same, and all have the wood floors. Practically everyone here has a dog--some small, some really large. We have a cocker spaniel-poodle mix and he weighs about 40 lbs or so. I would say he is a medium sized dog. He is currently at my mother's home. We haven't moved him here yet, because I am worried about him scratching the floor. I want to get him groomed really well and get his nails trimmed down as short as possible. He is about 7 years old, and is generally a pretty lazy dog.

Anyone have any experience with dogs and hardwood floors?

 

[stinkerbelle]

we just built a house, have hard wood floors in most of the house, and have a dog - about 50lbs.

yes, scratches happen...but a house is meant to be lived in - you know? Not going to fret over every single mark.

that being said...she's only cause a few scratches...barely noticeable to anyone but me (cause I'm the one that cleans/sweeps them). When I notice her getting 'louder' when she walks around - I have DH clip her claws.

if you have hardwood stairs - be careful...our dogger has taken some tumbles down the stairs - no traction so she just slides down. (lovely hearing THUMP THUMP THUMP at 3am ) so just train your dog to go slow on the stairs.

good luck

 

[EsmeraldaX]

It really depends on your dog. Mine, I would not feel comfortable with because he has torn up carpet and linoleum and I'm pretty sure he'd scratch up hard wood as well.

But he's a terrier and a Jack Russell terrier at that. He likes to dig. He likes to "explore".

If you are concerned at all, maybe get an area rug to cover the floors. You can find some nice ones (that's what my aunt did when she moved) or if possible, put up a dog gate so he can't get into that room.

Good luck! I'm sure you will find something that works out, even if you just have to keep your dogs nails very trim. Maybe get them trimmed once a week or so.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Believe it or not, you can get plastic nail covers for your dogs toe nails! I know it sounds wierd, but if he isn't very active, I would get them for him. It will protect your floor, and he maybe wont slide around so much.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
we just built a house, have hard wood floors in most of the house, and have a dog - about 50lbs.

yes, scratches happen...but a house is meant to be lived in - you know? Not going to fret over every single mark.

that being said...she's only cause a few scratches...barely noticeable to anyone but me (cause I'm the one that cleans/sweeps them). When I notice her getting 'louder' when she walks around - I have DH clip her claws.

if you have hardwood stairs - be careful...our dogger has taken some tumbles down the stairs - no traction so she just slides down. (lovely hearing THUMP THUMP THUMP at 3am ) so just train your dog to go slow on the stairs.

good luck

Mine would probably tumble down hardwood stairs too. He has a hard time with any surface that is not covered in carpet. Of course, he also will be running 60 mph outside then see a chipmunk or something, stop short and well...let's just say 60 mph brought to a sudden halt + the laws of physics and you have one very confused dog who doesn't understand why , even though he's stopped, he's still going (tumbling across the lawn).

He has not mastered the art of "slowing down" yet.

I could see him slip sliding across hard wood floors unintentionally (so I think-who knows though, maybe it's fun) and scartching it up that way too.

 

[KathyTX]

Check these two (very similar) products out:

Soft Claws

Soft Paws

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
I could see him slip sliding across hard wood floors unintentionally (so I think-who knows though, maybe it's fun) and scartching it up that way too.

our dog actually got smart...when we play 'catch' in the house (yes - on the hardwood floors) we throw from the living room to the kitchen (greatest distance w/ no obstacles - however all hard wood).

she runs onto the big throw rug in the middle of the kitchen to slow down now...so she's getting smarter.

I had one area rug with no 'non-slip backing' on it yet (forgot to purchase) and she tried to slow down on that rug...her AND the rug went sliding through the foyer. too funny

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
....so just train your dog to go slow on the stairs.

good luck

How do you do that, LOL?? How long is the training take??

 

[Christine]

I have all hardwood in my house. Got it last year. I have two dogs. One is an 11 lb Jack Russell Terrier who is very active (yet her nails aren't very "hard"). She has never scratched our floor. My other dog weighs 40 lbs. She is a hound mix. She has the hardest nails I've EVER seen on a dog (and I've had a German Shepherd and quite a few other mutts). Yes, this dog has put scratches in my finish. Some of them are quite deep and when I look at them, I just kind of wince. But, I'm sure that I'm the only one who really notices them. They are still shiny, don't look scuffed up, etc. I guess it really depends on the finish you have as to how well it will hold up. Since your dog is kind of lazy, I doubt that normal walking around will cause a problem. The problem is playing on the floors. The dog tries to run and can't get any traction and then the nails start clawing at the floor.

 

[lindajo]

Oh yes, our dogs have practically ruined our hardwoods. They are 90 and 100 lbs, not very active. But where they tear around the corners when it's time to go outside, there are scratches and grooves. We have been in the house for about 9 years, and are having the floors refinished this summer. I never heard of the nail covers, I wonder if they would stay on. Anyway, we could never get rid of our dogs just because of the floors, so we just deal with it...

 

[stacie_d]

Thanks for your opinions.

I had seen the softpaws advertised. Do these really work?

 

[skuttle]

We have a 7 pound yorkie and a 35-40 pound Corgi. Neither one of them has scratched our floors as far as I can tell and we've been in here over 2 years. The paint near the door where they go out is messed up since they scratch at the door to go out...and some door knobs are ruined because our Corgi decided when we leave he gets angry and bites the doorknob.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We have 2 dogs in the house and hardwood part way through the house. Our floors were already a little scratched from dogs before we moved in, but our Sheltie scrambles around alot, trying to pick up her pace on the wood floors and they are more scratched. our lab puppy hasn't seemed to have any trouble, haven't noticed him doing it.

My problem is all the dog hair that constantly covers the floors.

Steph

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

We had hardwood floors with our two dogs and I have to say, DH and I were the ones who did all the damage to the hardwood floor...between moving furniture around, and wearing scuffy shoes and my hairspray.

My dogs were a hardwood floor's best friends in comparison to us!

 

[mckryan]

Stacie,

The big question is are they real, solid hardwoods or engineered hardwoods? If they are solid, and they have a good poly seal, then you should be okay. Yes, you'll have scratches, but nothing too bad, and you'll be able to refinish the floors. If they are engineered hardwoods, they are soft, and dog's nails will scratch them very easily. These floors cannot be refinished as well as hardwoods because they only have a very thin layer of hardwood on the top. We have engineered hardwoods, and even though we keep our 35 lb. dog's nails short, they still get scratched.

 

[Magickndm]

We have a 75 pound greyhound, and put in hardwood floors just a few months ago. There have been a few scratches from him, but I have found that keeping his nails short isn't enough. They must be filed after clipping, otherwise the sharp edges are what really do the damage. Since I became aware of that, I don't think we've had many scratches at all.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by Dan Murphy
How do you do that, LOL?? How long is the training take??

well - after jazz fell down the stairs a few times...she got scared and wouldn't go down them at all (but she was FINE on the basement and deck stairs???)

she would sit at the top of the stairs and just cry! it was so sad. We had to walk next to her going "step...step....step" holding onto her collar so she wouldn't fall far if she slipped.

Maybe you CAN'T train them...maybe it takes them falling a few times to slow down?

 

[airhead]

I have 2 large Dobies. Their nails don't touch the ground/floor. I grind them every three days. this keeps their feet tight and their nails close to the toe. It doesn't hurt them and its much better to grind than clip especially if your dog has black nails. you can round the edges of the nail with the grinder/dremel tool.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have a 55 lb English Springer Spaniel and we have hardwood throughout about 3/4 of our house. I haven't noticed an enormous amount of scratching form his paws.

Our floors have a water-based acrylic finish, so I don't know if that makes a difference, but I clean them with a mixture of window cleaner and water, and they look fine after 10 years.

 

[Lanshark]

Big dog = lots of scratches

Dopey Golden whose 75 lbs = lots of scratches

If I had to do it again I'd go with tile