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<\/p>\n\u201cHow should I look after my floors when I have dogs?\u201d or \u201cHow do I stop my dogs from scratching the hardwood floors?\u201d are questions we regularly get asked. Dog lovers and hardwood floor lovers are constantly trying to find a balance between enjoying their lovable pets and caring for their pristine floors.<\/p>\n
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Maybe you\u2019re in the same situation.<\/p>\n
So what steps can you take to ensure your wood floors and dogs can coexist together?<\/p>\n
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Well unfortunately, no matter what finish you use or what type of wood you install, there\u2019s no magic formula to make your hardwood floors absolutely bulletproof. But we do have quite a few common sense suggestions you can implement that we\u2019ve listed below…<\/p>\n
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The first suggestion is probably the most obvious but it\u2019s also the one thing that we see the most neglected. If your dog\u2019s nails are long, sharp and pointy then it\u2019s only natural that it\u2019s going to be much easier for them to scratch or indent your floors, so\u2026 you need to make sure you keep them regularly trimmed.<\/i><\/p>\n
And while it\u2019s obviously important for large dogs to have their nails regularly trimmed because of the weight per square inch they exert on the floor, small dogs that scurry around can do a lot of surface damage with their pointy little nails too. The majority of the time when a dog \u201cscratches\u201d a floor it\u2019s actually indenting the wood instead of scratching right through the finish \u2013 but either way it\u2019s not good for the longevity of your floors.<\/p>\n
![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dog-Scratches-Wood-Floor.jpg\")
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Yes it costs a bit of money to keep your dog\u2019s claws in check, but remember \u2013 it will cost A LOT more to refinish your floors (sooner) down the road if you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Optional Suggestions:<\/i><\/b> Many dog owners rave about a product called Soft Paws\u00ae. We have no experience or affiliation with this company but it would definitely be worth checking them out. Soft Paws are vinyl nail caps that glue on to your dog\u2019s nails to keep them blunt and harmless to your wood floors. You can see their website here: http:\/\/www.softpaws.net\/<\/a><\/p>\n Another option that looks a bit goofier but in theory should also work, (again we have no experience or affiliation with this product) are dog socks called Power Paws\u00ae. They can be found here: http:\/\/woodrowwear.com\/power-paws\/why-socks-for-dogs\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dogs can drag in lots of dirt and grit on their paws between their regular rounds from inside to outside. Many breeds also shed a lot of hair. When grit, dirt and hair are walked on it acts like sandpaper and scratches up your floor. So it makes sense that if you keep you floor swept and cleaned regularly they\u2019ll last longer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also good practice to put down good mats inside and outside their doggy door entrance and wipe up after any mess they make with a recommended cleaner<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dogs naturally have lots of energy and love to play and skid, slip and slide around. It can be hard to resist a game of tug-a-war or a game of fetch when your best canine friend\u2019s in a playful mood. But these activities are really best left for outside play time, or for areas of your home that are tiled or carpeted.<\/p>\n That sideways power slide down the hall as your hyper pup chases a tennis ball doesn\u2019t seem as fun when you see the scratch marks they\u2019ve left behind!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Apart from scratches and indents, you also need to take care that your dog doesn\u2019t spill and splash water all over your floors, or pee on them. Water and urine can do huge damage to wood floors, especially if it\u2019s left standing for a long time.<\/p>\n If you have no other choice but to put his food and water bowls on your wood floors, then find the best rubber mat, with a spill proof lip, that you can to put them on. That way when they splash and spill outside of the bowls, the water will be contained.<\/p>\n If your puppy has urinary incontinence, then you will need to keep a close eye on him or her and make sure to clean up after the mess is made.<\/p>\n Below is a repair we had to do on a wood floor that their dog continually urinated on…<\/p>\n Once the stain is this bad, we need to replace the damaged boards with new ones as it won’t sand out.<\/p>\n And finally, if you live in an area that\u2019s rainy or snowy for months at a time, you\u2019ll need to get good at being consistent with wiping and drying your pooch\u2019s wet paws after their walks before they come inside too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have hardwood floors throughout your home and some areas are carpeted or tiled, you may want to think about limiting the time Fido spends scooting all over the hardwood.<\/p>\n You could either train him to keep off the hardwood floored sections, or if he\u2019s not as obedient as you\u2019d like, install baby gates to limit which areas he has access to.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whatever you do to try and protect your floors, if you allow your dogs to run around inside, they\u2019ll eventually get damaged and scratched up in areas. But, you don\u2019t want them to get too scratched up and damaged so they\u2019ll need a complete sand and refinish<\/a> prematurely.<\/p>\n We suggest a Clean, Screen and Recoat<\/a> for your hardwood floors before they get too far gone. That way you\u2019ll be able to extend the life of your floors and save a whole bunch of money in the long run.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When you have hardwood floors are in dire need of a re-sand anyways, then you have a bit more flexibility in the choices you can make for dog-proofing your floors. There are definitely professional finish systems available that will resist your dog\u2019s best attempts to destroy them far better than cheap big box store finishes.<\/p>\n You can read the in-depth article we wrote about choosing between different finishes and which ones are the toughest here:<\/p>\n2. Keep your wood floor clean<\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Limit type of inside play<\/h4>\n
4. Minimize water and urine damage<\/h4>\n
![\"Water](\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Water-Spills-Wood-Floor.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Pet-Urine-Stain.jpg\")
<\/p>\n5. Consider dog free areas<\/h4>\n
6. Regular preventative maintenance<\/h4>\n
7. Better types of finish and stain colors<\/h4>\n
![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/napervillehardwood.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dog-Wood-Floor.jpg\")
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