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lizrvt

Best floor for kids and large dogs

LizRVT
10 years ago

Hi all!
We are in desperate need to replace our gross carpet throughout the main living area. We have two large dogs: one is 11 and slowly down, one is 6 and runs like a banshee and a toddler. So, I really need help! I do not find it funny watching dogs slide across the floor. I have seen dogs severely injure their backs and knees from slippery floors. We have narrowed our search to luxury vinyl wood planks or ceramic tile. The tile seems less slippery for the dogs going around corners but the vinyl wood planks are warmer and sightly nicer on our joints.

What do you have? How do your dogs handle it? I have seen different products to put on their feet or nails to help with traction but they also have a dog door and would be going into the wet grass throughout the day. Others say throw rugs but I can't put throw rugs around all the corners.

We also have a toddler and more kids are in our future. The only thing that scares me with tile is how hard their little faces/heads will hit when they inevitably fall. Am I over-reacting to the scariness of tile and babies? Or am I not thinking of my children's safety since I am even considering tile?

Any incite would be appreciated. I am going to cross-post this to the pet forum as well (just the dog part, of course). Thank you in advance.

Comments (6)

  • JetSwet
    10 years ago

    A porcelain tile is what you will need. Its more durable of a tile and most manufacturers of Pocelain have a PEI rating which is a durability rating of the tile.

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    I've had hardwood floors for 12 years, with old and young dogs. We have a rug in the living room, a rug in the dining room, and one at the top of the stairs. Oh, our stairs are hardwood too, and not a problem for the dogs (or the peoples).

    Our pups never slid more on the wood floor than they did on the vinyl in the kitchen. Pretty much one slide into the wall, and they all managed to figure out how to slow down. Our 2-yr-old dog races from one end of the house to the other - but he knows enough to make his turns on rugs. Maybe our dogs are exceptionally smart!

    The big thing with dogs and hardwood is to keep their nails trimmed short, I cut doggie toenails about once a week (or as soon as I can hear the nails clickety-clack on the floor).

  • Marinewifenc
    10 years ago

    Ceramic is less sliding, less damage. However dogs are dogs and if you have one that goes through hyper fits like after baths etc, they will slide regardless. Keep in mind though, easier on your joints, easier on the dogs joins, so ceramic is rough on a dogs joints, especially if they have to sleep on the floor.
    Ceramic is tons harder to clean than the vinyl wood though, which you can pretty much dust, no matter how much you clean a ceramic floor if you take a white rag across it you will get dirt..

    I'd go with something like this
    http://www.bestlaminate.net/products/TILE_Black_Slate_Tile_Laminate_Fl ooring-940-0.html

    not that company per say, but the tile won't show damage from the dogs, it's not ceramic and will have an underlay which will help, it won't get super cold, and it would be less slippery than the faux wood, but more than the ceramic, but easier to clean than ceramic.

  • JetSwet
    10 years ago

    I think marienwifenc has ceramic confused with porcelain. You can put any porcelain tile out doors ceramic you can not and that's the tile that will last you. Porcelain is a stronger tile over all. A lot of ceramic tiles aren't even aloud for floors.

  • ellenandco
    10 years ago

    I can't comment about dogs, but my 4 kids have banged their heads more often on wall corners than tile floors. We've had 100% tile main floors off and on for a total of 4 years (and counting!), during which the kids ranged from 16 months to 10 years old.

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