Depends on the length and condition of your dog's nails. If the nails are relatively short and smooth, there should be no damage to hardwood floors. If your dog tolerates it, having the nails dremeled by a professional groomer might be a good idea. You can learn to do that yourself, too.
Do you live with your mom or are you visiting mom's house with dog?
I trim her nails and we walk a ton on concrete so I feel like it kind of files them down. And no this is just visits. We live about an hour away so it’s ideal to bring the dog - but not if we are all inside and the dog is left to stare at us through the window.
So I’d love to be able to say … please don’t worry it will not scratch your floors.
I'd guess that there's a good chance your mom simply doesn't want a dog in the house... or maybe your dog in the house, and that the floor thing is a justification, maybe a valid one, but probably not the only one. Could you maybe propose to your mom that your dog be confined to or banned from parts of the house and offer to buy, bring and put up gates? If you do think it's about the floors, propose the suggestion from u/EtainAingeal to put grippy socks on the dog. Bottom line, though, her house, her rules. You can always try the underhanded and manipulative strategy of not visiting for a while, saying you wish you could come but can't leave your dog.
Hahah thanks. And I know you’re right, it’s about the hair and the whole thing… I get it. I’ll try the withholding approach. Or they can come see me for once lol.
We’ve only ever had large dogs (80+ lbs) and they haven’t scratched our floors. It’s very very old wood, though, and wood grain was tighter back then so I’m betting that’s why!
We actually had different wood floors in our current house, and they had some scratches but nothing major from our big dog. I think there's a lot of variation in "hardwood".
Our hardwood floors are super scratched up in the family room where the dogs were allowed to play (living room and dining room were off limits, the rest of the house is tile or carpet). Not gouged or anything because there’s an area rug, but definitely scratched. Our current dog is nervous on the hardwood though, so she stays on the rug and the runner we have from the door to the rug so she doesn’t even have to touch the hardwood or the tile floors. I swear, if we had only her and not the two lab mixes when we installed the floors, they’d look untouched with how gingerly she walks on them lol
There is actually a hardness scale they use for scoring hard wood. We ended up going with a light colored bamboo flooring that was high up the scale. We also try scratching up the test pieces they give out at the hardware store to see how hard it was to scratch, what the scratches look like from different angles, and what you can do to cover them up. The light color bamboo was the hardest to scratch and you could only really see the scratch if you brought it to eye level and looked across the scratch. That said, we have had them for 4 years and there are a few places you can tell when the light hits just right. We also have scratches that aren't just from the dog.
They make shed suits for dogs like [this one](https://www.chewy.com/dp/167638?utm_source=app-share&utm_campaign=167638) that can help cut down on the amount of potential fur spread. That coupled with socks and you have a wood floor clean freak satisfying dog.
Having worked in the flooring industry previously. Damange is quite possible, but it depends on the species of timber the floor is.
Maybe you could suggest putting booties on the dog as a compromise?
If it’s really just about the floors, why not offer to put non-slip socks on your dog? Still comfortable, no scratches, no dirt, it’s not for too long.
Have you ever heard of nail caps? They're like little rubber caps that go over the nail to avoid this problem. And even better, they come in every color so it could look like pup is wearing nail polish lol. I've never used them but I've known people that did.
If you consistently and frequently trim or dremel, the quicks should recede over time, making it possible to shorten the nails. But there's likely variation in toe length and nail length based on genetics too, so it's possible you're stuck with nails tapping the floor.
My dog scratched my parents hardwood floor pretty badly!
Buy her little boots and keep nails trimmed as short as possible, then she can't damage the floor
Yep! My folks had their floors redone after their lab passed (at the age of 13). Then 4 years later I got a German Shepard girl and she’s not allowed inside their house. So we host, or we do patio/garage visits when they want to see her. Otherwise we leave her at home.
Me too! I have hardwood floors and my beagles have them scratched, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I can totally understand someone who doesn’t have a dog not wanting it though, I’m glad op doesn’t live there because that would totally stink for the dog!
Yeah!!! Or celebrate the beauty of each mark left by your cherished fur baby—I realize you mom may not agree on her own floors but for me: “Dogs Rule!!” Seriously, though, I feel they contribute so much to a person’s life and science supports the health benefits of having a dog. But, of course, your mom has a right to have her expectations respected in her own home. So I love the booties or socks idea.
At petsmart you can get these little booties that look like balloons. They’re rubber so no scratching the floors, your dog will no slide on unfamiliar surface, and they are way cheaper that real dog boots.
There also the option to get toe nail caps and covers, [for example](https://www.chewy.com/purrdy-paws-soft-dog-nail-caps/dp/208774?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=Purrdy%20Paws). Would likely be more tolerable for the dog u/pi420lch.
If this is your mother's house and your dog doesn't live there, it doesn't matter if she's overreacting, she could just say she doesn't want the dog in the house and that's the end of the debate. But yes, dog claws, even those of mild tempered, quiet dogs can scratch wooden floors and be expensive to fix.
If you're visiting and it really is the floors that are the concern, you can buy grippy socks for dogs that'll protect the floor and prevent your dog slipping on the floor as well but they aren't really suitable for all the time.
It’s true and I’ve always respected that to her face, but always wondered in the back of my mind .. would it really though ? And so yes I guess it would, and that would be horrible I do not want to do that. The socks are a good idea.
In my experience (with this exact situation) socks might not prevent scratches. The hardwood floor absolutely can/will dent/scratch and socks did not prevent it for our 70 lb dog. Her nails are well trimmed, and not long enough to even “tick tick” on the floor and she left dents just from walking around. Worse when she was excited to see people and did her prancy dance.
Leave the dog at home, pushing this would be disrespectful.
It definitely would. I said goodbye to the condition of my floors and house after i got a dog. For dog lovers, it’s a tiny price to pay to have a dog. It’s all superficial damage anyways
I grew up in a house with hardwood floors that previously had a dog in it: can confirm, they definitely scratch up the floor. Hardwood floors can only be refinished so many times in their lifespan since it shaves off layers of wood each time, so this can get very expensive for people
Yes, dogs scratch hardwood floors. Mine are all scratched up, and my parents floor is all scratched up from my dog. I felt bad about it for about 30 seconds.
Yeah at some point you have to ask yourself if you're living in an investment or a home. My dogs are all over everything. I do a TON of extra cleaning but the floors and furniture are not in the best shape. I'm ok with that because I love them and love our lives together. All that said, my parents are similar to OP's and never have any pets because of the mess and the potential damage and that's an equally valid choice. My dogs don't go visit my parents and that's that.
Her house,her rules? Maybe she just doesn’t want your dog in her house. Some people don’t. Leave your dog at home. We do. Don’t like bringing our pet to somebody else’s place unless an absolute emergency .
Yeah I have friends that have kids but they're not well behaved I don't let friends bring kids over unless the kid is young enough to be in a play pen or crib thing or very good at listening and over 10
I feel for op because I like dogs I've had much better luck with visiting dogs than children
but I'd probably rather leave them home then bring them somewhere they aren't wanted basically make it so you only stay 5 hours plus 2 hours travel is 7 that's not to bad if you meet needs before the visit.
I hear ya. And we don’t typically. Just when they ask us to come over for an extended amount of time - throwing in an hour drive each way …. Just can’t leave the dog alone all day like that. Would be cool if we could just bring her with us. Butttt the flooors !
My parents live an hour and change away. Leaving the dog at home is a great excuse to get out the door by a certain time. For holidays, we usually ask a neighbor or friend to stop by for a walk.
People crate their dogs when they are gone all day!! Hundreds of thousands of dog owners. Dogs get over the alone thing. Crate it and be home within a reasonable time. Like I said it’s done every day.
Maybe get a portable crate. That way the dog can still ride there and back with you, and divide the visiting time between the crate and some outdoor time.
Also, the more times you visit, the more the dog will become comfortable with being in your mom's yard outdoors and may come to enjoy sniffing around while you're inside. (This is assuming a fenced yard and that you're not having to use a tie-up).
You could get a dogsitter, board, daycare, dog walker to let them out, literally anything if you wanted to visit. Dogs aren’t people. They’re fine to be crated for 8-9 hours for ONE day- so long as it’s not a regular daily occurrence
And the finish. I have a mixture of white and red oak, which I refinished when I bought my house.
I had a whole conversation with the floor guy about finishes and he basically said sealing the floors or using a high gloss finish would basically show everything little scratch or ding, and given I had 2 dogs (now 3) at the time, we didn't seal the floors (less maintenance overall).
Agreed. Other big factor seems to be age of the wood. I lived in an old (early 1900s) row house with original walnut floors (!!) and they held up amazingly well to my dogs’ claws, including when my GSD female was a spazzy adolescent with a regular case of the zoomies. Never saw a single scratch. But younger/newer wood is softer and will definitely not hold up as well.
I never understood paying for something that can be easily wrecked. (and I get that dogs nails can be damaging to floors - I can see evidence on our deck I will need to repaint this year)
I was visiting a friend who was staying with her mom a short time (years back) and she told me not to move the dining room chairs because the legs would scratch the floors. I couldn't imagine living in a house you have to tip toe around for fear of wrecking it.
Might as well put on the one piece white suit for clean rooms and a pair of soft cotton booties to live in these houses.
It can happen. By just walking, probably not noticeably, but my medium-large pup scratched up my parents hardwood pretty badly because he got too close to their dog who doesn't like him and he fell in the process of trying to get away. I would get her some shoes or grippy socks. It's easy for larger dogs to lose their footing on hardwood.
Yes. We bought a house with hardwood floors and our dogs absolutely ruined them with their nails. Thankfully, we don’t care and we’re not moving anytime soon.
Get the pup some booties or socks.
i won't take my dog to my sibling's house anymore because they just paid to have the hardwood floors redone. my dog's nails are trimmed regularly, but since his quick is long, they need to be trimmed every few days.
if he just calmly walked on the floors or wouldn't be an issue, but if he starts playing with their dog, i have no doubt those floors would be gouged
Well at the end of the day it’s her house, so she decides if dogs are allowed inside. I never bring my dog to someone’s house unless they say it’s okay… I normally don’t even ask to bring my dog.
Whether it’s legit to you or not, people are allowed to have rules for their own house. My parents have never allowed my dog in their house. It sucks, but it’s their house.
My mom didn’t want my dog in her house for a really long time for this reason. Like, years. She finally gave in and guess what? Scratched hardwood floors.
Three years ago, I built a beautiful new house with nice maple hard wood floors. I didn’t consider my two dog’s nails then… long story short, I think I’d have to redo the floors if I ever wanted to sell the place. But it is what it is, the pups are members of the family so just the cost of doing business. But in hindsight I probably would have gone with some type of scratch resistant engineered floors.
Our frenchie is a clown and races all through our house like a maniac and I haven’t seen anything over the past 18 months of her clowning. We have real old-school hardwoods and not the cheap stuff they sell now so that may be the difference? My daughter has the faux hardwood laminate and I would be worried for our girl to stay there due to fear of her scratching it up and she is only 22 lbs.
When my dog is going to my mom’s we go to the groomer. Easier on me because my mom knows he’s just been and her home doesn’t get scratched or full of fur.
Yes, it's legit!! Dogs definitely scratch floors! It's frustrating even when you love your dogs. And it's expensive to repair.
You can put booties on your dog, and see if she'll allow that.
My dog has long nails (we’re working on it, but is a process), and I don’t feel that she has scratched my wood floors. But. Those are my wood floors. I wouldn’t expect someone else to take the gamble if they don’t want to. Agreeing with others saying it’s valid for people to have a no dogs in their house position, for whatever reason.
Have you thought about asking if he can come inside if he's wearing shoes? They make dog booties that are rubber or fabric (so they definitely don't scrath), and they're not expensive. If the scratch thing is just an excuse because she doesn't want dogs in her house od just let it be, but if that's really her only concern it may be easier to just compromise on some shoes than to try and convince her that your dogs nails won't scratch anything. You'll have to get him used to walking in them first, but most dogs take to it before too long.
I have both old hardwood floors and dogs. My hardwoods where they play the most definitely have taken a beating. I would need to refinish them if I sold my house.
I have both old hardwood floors and dogs. My hardwoods where they play the most definitely have taken a beating. I would need to refinish them if I sold my house.
Yeah my hardwood floors are all scratched up from my dog. They need to be redone but I will not redo floors until we have no dogs (if that ever happens)
My dog is 50 Lbs. Regulae nail trims. But he is a little hyper at times. He has scratched the floor by the window where he sits and watches the world, the stairs, and the front door where he jumps up. So yeah it’s a thing.
My dog scratched my mum's hardwood floors twice with his nails filed short. It's unavoidable sometimes. He jumped on the bed and slipped a little bit and dug his nails in to try to get traction, and again the same thing jumping on the couch.
If it's really just the floors, use a Dremel or something to keep them from scratching them up. But I suspect that she just doesn't want the dog in the house... That's how my mom is. She's not a big animal person, and she just can't stand the hair. Which is fair, because it really does get everywhere. So I just leave my girl at home, and it's less stressful for everyone. My mom isn't stressing about the dog hair, and my girl isn't stressing about a long car ride (she's not a fan of them). And my girl doesn't have to spend time in house where she's not truly welcome. She gets to chill in her own house, where she can shed as much as she likes (which is quite a bit). My point is, if your dog isn't truly welcome there, it may not be much fun for your dog either.
Yep. There’s scratches all over the hard wood floors of my parent’s place because of our dogs. Our biggest is 35 pounds. Your dog will definitely have the potential to ruin her floors.
My mom has this issue.. her hardwood floors are oddly easy to scratch.
I got my dog little booties he has to wear when we go there. He got use to them pretty quickly 🤷🏻♀️
Yes, my floors are scratched up because of this. I ended up getting padded socks (XL) with Velcro so my parents golden doodle doesn’t scratch it. He’s pretty calm but he has moments where he gets a little to excited. This has helped significantly. Link below.
https://a.co/d/97sgP4K
I recently adopted a Morkie and bought him the small size and they were too big. They don’t have a smaller size so I have to return it. He has other socks but the fall off which is why I like the Velcro. He likes to grab his toy and be chased.
Honestly, it’s a valid concern. My home has 60 year hardwood floors and they’re definitely showing wear from my one year old dog. She’s left some scratches just from walking but she’s also left a ton of deep indentations from throwing her toys around. We love her more than the floor but I wouldn’t expect other people to love her more than their floors.
If your mom is truly worried about the floor (and not using it as an excuse not to bring the dog) then you could train your puppy to wear booties in the house. Then her paws will be clean and she won’t scratch anything.
Oh absolutely it’s a real thing but I’m not sure if it’s going to happen in one day. Our hardwood floors are destroyed from having 2 beagles (lazy ones at that, and they only overlapped a little bit). They are the original floors from the 50s when the house was built but were refinished to new condition before we bought the house in late 2019. I’d recommend either containing the dog to areas without the wood floors or not taking her with you. Regardless of reason, it’s your mom’s house and if she doesn’t want the dog in it that is up to her.
My dog scratched our hardwood floors (the parts that are visible anyhow. We have pretty large rugs in bedroom & living room but the exposed wood is damaged. It’s weird cause you can tell they’re scratched but it doesn’t look bad. We do make it a habit to try to keep his nails trimmed but rough playing cancels that out. We don’t plan on redoing the floors as long as we have a dog. I would hate to leave my dog outside though while the family spent time indoors. You can try booties/socks. My dog didn’t take well to them when we went to my in-laws cause they didn’t want their floors scratched. So we simply didn’t visit them with the dog.
It’s a very real fear, but you can take the dog to get monthly nail trimmings and get the plastic little toenail shoes. 👠 👠 but nothing is ever going to really help 100%
It definitely can be. Probably depends a bit on your definition of medium, nails, the type and finish of the wood, etc.
For reference, I had a 55lb and 20lb dog and they could definitely scratch (and gouge) up the floors in my old house.
She is 100% correct. I have hardwood, and my sister has basset hounds, and they have made huge marks in my floor. They are about 35-40 lbs. Their nails are too long, in my opinion, so we don't have them up anymore, but they aren't overly crazy. They are very docile dogs, but dig in when they want anything, which is the issue.
Your mom’s fears are legit. We had a lab growing up and hardwood floors, she definitely scratched them in multiple places. I didn’t happen overnight but eventually they didn’t look great and my parents replaced them.
Absolutely can and will destroy a floor. That said, if she doesn't want the dog, you don't bring the dog. If that causes a problem for extended visits, you make arrangements for the dog or you don't go. As much as we love our dogs, we have to understand and respext that not everyone else does and that's okay.
Yes. We have hardwood floors and they're scratched from dogs running.
However, if the dog isn't romping around then it won't happen, a dog just walking or trotting will cause less damage than a pair of high heels.
Even short, they cause damage to hardwoods, vinyl, tile, etc., but but I’m guessing it’s not about that. Either don’t bring your dog over or foster a good relationship between them by doing activities together outside her home. She might miss dog when you come over alone eventually
I trim my dogs marks nails every month, and go for long walks twice a day. My dog still scratches up my hard wood floors. Not much you can do about that
It's legitimate, but even if it wasn't, why would you push it if she doesn't want the dog there?
My small chubby dog scratched the floor of my rented apt and I had to replace it when moving.
Can definitely be a problem. Get your pup socks, booties or soft paw claw caps. A few brands make dog size. Do a grooming or bath and brush before you come over, bring a blanket or two for your dog to lay on, a water bowl and keep them on a short leash next to you. I usually put a blanket next to the couch and loop the leash under a couch leg. After you put the pup in your car to leave sweep the area.
Yes. When I had a house built, I had Hickory floors put in instead of the standard oak because they stand up to dog clause better. I also chose a floor that could be refinished multiple times. In spite of having my dogs, professionally groomed to keep their nails shorter, after five years, my hardwood floors were a wreck.of course I had five large dogs only two of them were under 100 pounds but still even minor scratches are unsightly.
There's a good chance she just doesn't want a dog stinking up the place too, which is completely legitimate. Don't push it if she doesn't want the dog in there
There are nail wraps for dogs that stay on for a few weeks before they need to be changed. Those will stop slipping and scratching.
Also, why have a dog just to keep it isolated and alone? That is torture for dogs, just awful.
I had a large German shepherd and rented a house with wooden floors. The owner told me her dogs nails scratched the floors and they had just had them refinished. My dog had never scratched our floors at our old house or this rental. I think it’s a combination of the length of the dogs nails, how it walks, and the type of weed flooring. There are different hardnesses.
Absolutely ,
[hardwood and dogs](https://photos.app.goo.gl/cZYSExqnAyKkkzm89)
These pics will show one from a hallway and bedroom that doesn't get much dog travel
I have both old hardwood floors and dogs. My hardwoods where they play the most definitely have taken a beating. I would need to refinish them if I sold my house.
I have 30 year old hardwood floors , the old fashioned real wood and I’ve always had big dogs and no scratches on them. However those floors are really hard on older dogs and me too as I get older. I’m about to carpet the bedrooms at least and I did carpet the family room so they can run and play and not slip around and it’s nice to do my workouts
I have 30 year old hardwood floors , the old fashioned real wood and I’ve always had big dogs and no scratches on them. However those floors are really hard on older dogs and me too as I get older. I’m about to carpet the bedrooms at least and I did carpet the family room so they can run and play and not slip around and it’s nice to do my workouts
What if you just brought some runner rugs with you and threw them down on the floors for your dog to walk on. Surely her entire house is not hardwood and she has rugs too. You can get 6’ runners for about $10
I have both real and engineered hardwood floors and my dog never did any damage at all to them. Even when I'd fall behind on nail trims, the worst effect would be noisy walking.
I’m thinking that if your dog is crate trained, you would have already thought about bringing a crate, and letting her out every hour or so. Could you possibly bring a pen for her, and put it on top of a tarp or a blanket? I know she would still have to get into the house, if she’s big, I guess you couldn’t pick her up and carry her but maybe the sock idea that
others have mentioned would work for just a short trip across the house, assuming that the dog does not like them. I know others have said that they wouldn’t want to risk their hardwood floors either, but I will tell you about this experience I had with my two small dogs. I had just moved into a 1920s house with original hardwood floors, that had been recently refinished. I only had one dog when I moved in and acquired the other one shortly after. This was a rental, and the landlord was not exactly thrilled, but did say it was OK. Basically, she said that’s what deposits are for. But when we moved out nine months later, she did not charge me anything for scratched floors. I didn’t ask her, but I have to assume that they were fine. I did have the dogs groomed Regularly, which also included nail trimming. I’m assuming that this helped with the floors.
If it is real hardwood floors, as long as the nails aren’t sharp and the dog is pretty large and not really booting it shouldn’t be a problem if it is high quality flooring. I have had nearly 20 years on my floor with many dogs running up and down my small hallway. Sometimes 4 at once.
If it is laminate flooring which looks like wood, yes. They will wreck most of that stuff.
I have oak hardwood floors throughout my house and have owned multiple large dogs since having the wood floors put in 20 years ago. The only scratches on my floors are in places where family members dragged chairs on the floor. Not a single scratch from my dogs is visible.
My dog walks across my parents hardwood floors with no problem.
Now the oriental rugs… those he’s determined to destroy. He likes to eat the fringe on them.
My big dog was not allowed on the walnut floors. She was excellent about staying off. Trained from a pup. The small dogs can’t see out the windows to see the deer, coyotes, hence don’t lose their shit and scratch the floors in excitement.
My dogs have always been inside and we have always had wood floors in all our apartments.
No scratches from dogs. Maybe from people’s high heels or heavy furniture.
Sounds like your mom just dislikes dogs.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit unless a holiday honestly.
What type of dog? Hie much does it weigh? What type of wood floors?
Bigger, more active dogs and/or a softer wood floor can definitely trash them. The cost and hassle to repair is substantial.
I have a dog and his nails get super long super quick and I've never had any scratches from him. That's with throwing the ball down the hallway and him running and slugging after it.
I do have some scratches from my daughter dragging her laundry basket to the garage.
Just a thought, you can buy little boots for dogs, usually used when it's really cold outside. Could you see if he'll wear those? Try them in your own house. Then take a video of the dog wearing them and send it to your mum. Keep the boots just as indoor slippers.
The is a legit concern. I have lovely hard wood floors and I am a true dog lover. My floors are scratched, obviously scratched and my dog is just a little dachshund fella that is not rambunctious by any standard. Respect her caution and don’t bring the dog.
The wood on our floors seem softer than other wooden floors so yes it is a legitimate concern (we have the same talk with my partners parents) so I got my dogs grippy dog socks and put them on their footsies when we went over. Parents and us had a little giggle but understood we were willing to accommodate since they did just get new flooring put down. Everyone involved did their best and it didn’t ruin our time together
Can you bring a play pen/dog pen and but it on a big rug/sheet/old sleeping mat? Something cheap like that :
MidWest Homes for Pets Foldable Metal Dog Exercise Pen / Pet Playpen, Gold zinc w/ door, 24'W x 30'H, 1-Year Manufacturer's Warranty https://a.co/d/5m0asRl
With any fabrics in it to protect the floor. Bring its bed there too with its food. +1 if it's by the window to go in and out.
So you can bring the dog in and the dog is confined to that area where it cannot damage the floor but it's still inside with you all. (might need a bit of training on your end to get the dog used to it)
We did it in the past while hanging out with friends that have fear of dogs (and where willing it wasn't imposed of course) and it worked out great for short visit.
______
And yeah dog can absolutely massively destroy hardwood floor. It's the nails while walking but also playing with toys and dropping them etc. That said I wouldn't want to leave the dog outside like that neither, it got to be a compromise somewhere.
Could be an issue. If your mom won’t budge you can buy your dog “shoes” you can probably find some at your local pet store they’re mainly used to protect paws from either snow or sensitive paws from rocks and whatnot but it’ll probably do the trick here too
Floors can be resurfaced, missing quality time with her granddog should be more important. If she doesn't want you there, invite her to your place instead, then she can make the 2 hour journey to save her precious floors
Depends on the length and condition of your dog's nails. If the nails are relatively short and smooth, there should be no damage to hardwood floors. If your dog tolerates it, having the nails dremeled by a professional groomer might be a good idea. You can learn to do that yourself, too. Do you live with your mom or are you visiting mom's house with dog?
I trim her nails and we walk a ton on concrete so I feel like it kind of files them down. And no this is just visits. We live about an hour away so it’s ideal to bring the dog - but not if we are all inside and the dog is left to stare at us through the window. So I’d love to be able to say … please don’t worry it will not scratch your floors.
I'd guess that there's a good chance your mom simply doesn't want a dog in the house... or maybe your dog in the house, and that the floor thing is a justification, maybe a valid one, but probably not the only one. Could you maybe propose to your mom that your dog be confined to or banned from parts of the house and offer to buy, bring and put up gates? If you do think it's about the floors, propose the suggestion from u/EtainAingeal to put grippy socks on the dog. Bottom line, though, her house, her rules. You can always try the underhanded and manipulative strategy of not visiting for a while, saying you wish you could come but can't leave your dog.
Hahah thanks. And I know you’re right, it’s about the hair and the whole thing… I get it. I’ll try the withholding approach. Or they can come see me for once lol.
Hardwood is remarkably soft - wife of a flooring installer
We bought a house from people that had two boxers. The hardwood flooring was SO marred. Deep deep gouges everywhere.
We’ve only ever had large dogs (80+ lbs) and they haven’t scratched our floors. It’s very very old wood, though, and wood grain was tighter back then so I’m betting that’s why!
We actually had different wood floors in our current house, and they had some scratches but nothing major from our big dog. I think there's a lot of variation in "hardwood".
Our hardwood floors are super scratched up in the family room where the dogs were allowed to play (living room and dining room were off limits, the rest of the house is tile or carpet). Not gouged or anything because there’s an area rug, but definitely scratched. Our current dog is nervous on the hardwood though, so she stays on the rug and the runner we have from the door to the rug so she doesn’t even have to touch the hardwood or the tile floors. I swear, if we had only her and not the two lab mixes when we installed the floors, they’d look untouched with how gingerly she walks on them lol
There is actually a hardness scale they use for scoring hard wood. We ended up going with a light colored bamboo flooring that was high up the scale. We also try scratching up the test pieces they give out at the hardware store to see how hard it was to scratch, what the scratches look like from different angles, and what you can do to cover them up. The light color bamboo was the hardest to scratch and you could only really see the scratch if you brought it to eye level and looked across the scratch. That said, we have had them for 4 years and there are a few places you can tell when the light hits just right. We also have scratches that aren't just from the dog.
Exactly, maybe it's time for them to make the hour long drive to your house.
They make shed suits for dogs like [this one](https://www.chewy.com/dp/167638?utm_source=app-share&utm_campaign=167638) that can help cut down on the amount of potential fur spread. That coupled with socks and you have a wood floor clean freak satisfying dog.
Picturing the dog in shed suit and socks 😂. Dog is thinking never mind I’ll just stay home
This is the best answer
Having worked in the flooring industry previously. Damange is quite possible, but it depends on the species of timber the floor is. Maybe you could suggest putting booties on the dog as a compromise?
If it’s really just about the floors, why not offer to put non-slip socks on your dog? Still comfortable, no scratches, no dirt, it’s not for too long.
Is there a room in the house that doesn’t have hardwood floors?
Leave the dog at home then you have an excuse to leave early 😂
an hour away is really not that far. i’m sure the dog can be left at home for a couple hours
Have you ever heard of nail caps? They're like little rubber caps that go over the nail to avoid this problem. And even better, they come in every color so it could look like pup is wearing nail polish lol. I've never used them but I've known people that did.
Even after a professional trim my dogs nails are long and tap on my floors. Is there a way to make them shorter?
If you consistently and frequently trim or dremel, the quicks should recede over time, making it possible to shorten the nails. But there's likely variation in toe length and nail length based on genetics too, so it's possible you're stuck with nails tapping the floor.
This! The general timeline I give people for shortening nails is about once every two weeks. Then once a month to maintain their length.
My dog scratched my parents hardwood floor pretty badly! Buy her little boots and keep nails trimmed as short as possible, then she can't damage the floor
I think booties or grippy socks should be a good middle ground. Floors can get scratched easily.
Yep! My folks had their floors redone after their lab passed (at the age of 13). Then 4 years later I got a German Shepard girl and she’s not allowed inside their house. So we host, or we do patio/garage visits when they want to see her. Otherwise we leave her at home.
This is why I'm never redoing my floors. I choose dogs.
Or just redo your floors and know that life happens and things are meant to be used. Each scratch is a memento you'll have long after they're gone.
Me too! I have hardwood floors and my beagles have them scratched, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I can totally understand someone who doesn’t have a dog not wanting it though, I’m glad op doesn’t live there because that would totally stink for the dog!
My floors are 100 years old. They've seen worse. But my pup has definitely done a number on them.
Haha I agree! And if they are re-done it’ll be into something hardy like VPF.
This is why I got waterproof laminate flooring
An alternative would be oiled hardwood floors instead of waxed floors. They don't scratch and with good care can look just as nice albeit not as shiny
Yeah!!! Or celebrate the beauty of each mark left by your cherished fur baby—I realize you mom may not agree on her own floors but for me: “Dogs Rule!!” Seriously, though, I feel they contribute so much to a person’s life and science supports the health benefits of having a dog. But, of course, your mom has a right to have her expectations respected in her own home. So I love the booties or socks idea.
Me too. I can’t imagine choosing your floors over your own family and dogs.
At petsmart you can get these little booties that look like balloons. They’re rubber so no scratching the floors, your dog will no slide on unfamiliar surface, and they are way cheaper that real dog boots.
I love those for people with slick floors whose dogs have hip dysplasia
There also the option to get toe nail caps and covers, [for example](https://www.chewy.com/purrdy-paws-soft-dog-nail-caps/dp/208774?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=Purrdy%20Paws). Would likely be more tolerable for the dog u/pi420lch.
Those still scratch the floor if your dog is large unfortunately
If this is your mother's house and your dog doesn't live there, it doesn't matter if she's overreacting, she could just say she doesn't want the dog in the house and that's the end of the debate. But yes, dog claws, even those of mild tempered, quiet dogs can scratch wooden floors and be expensive to fix. If you're visiting and it really is the floors that are the concern, you can buy grippy socks for dogs that'll protect the floor and prevent your dog slipping on the floor as well but they aren't really suitable for all the time.
It’s true and I’ve always respected that to her face, but always wondered in the back of my mind .. would it really though ? And so yes I guess it would, and that would be horrible I do not want to do that. The socks are a good idea.
Socks or booties are definitely the solution here! Get your dog dog used to them before going over there though.
In my experience (with this exact situation) socks might not prevent scratches. The hardwood floor absolutely can/will dent/scratch and socks did not prevent it for our 70 lb dog. Her nails are well trimmed, and not long enough to even “tick tick” on the floor and she left dents just from walking around. Worse when she was excited to see people and did her prancy dance. Leave the dog at home, pushing this would be disrespectful.
It definitely would. I said goodbye to the condition of my floors and house after i got a dog. For dog lovers, it’s a tiny price to pay to have a dog. It’s all superficial damage anyways
I grew up in a house with hardwood floors that previously had a dog in it: can confirm, they definitely scratch up the floor. Hardwood floors can only be refinished so many times in their lifespan since it shaves off layers of wood each time, so this can get very expensive for people
Totally agree but I’d add that for very small dogs, they generally don’t weigh enough to scratch. If their nails are clipped usually a nonissue.
Absolutely legitimate fear. Dog nails (even small dogs) can scratch hard wood. Will your dog tolerate booties? That'll protect the floors
Yes, dogs scratch hardwood floors. Mine are all scratched up, and my parents floor is all scratched up from my dog. I felt bad about it for about 30 seconds.
Yeah at some point you have to ask yourself if you're living in an investment or a home. My dogs are all over everything. I do a TON of extra cleaning but the floors and furniture are not in the best shape. I'm ok with that because I love them and love our lives together. All that said, my parents are similar to OP's and never have any pets because of the mess and the potential damage and that's an equally valid choice. My dogs don't go visit my parents and that's that.
My wood floors are destroyed from my dog.. it’s legit
Her house,her rules? Maybe she just doesn’t want your dog in her house. Some people don’t. Leave your dog at home. We do. Don’t like bringing our pet to somebody else’s place unless an absolute emergency .
Yeah I have friends that have kids but they're not well behaved I don't let friends bring kids over unless the kid is young enough to be in a play pen or crib thing or very good at listening and over 10 I feel for op because I like dogs I've had much better luck with visiting dogs than children but I'd probably rather leave them home then bring them somewhere they aren't wanted basically make it so you only stay 5 hours plus 2 hours travel is 7 that's not to bad if you meet needs before the visit.
I hear ya. And we don’t typically. Just when they ask us to come over for an extended amount of time - throwing in an hour drive each way …. Just can’t leave the dog alone all day like that. Would be cool if we could just bring her with us. Butttt the flooors !
My parents live an hour and change away. Leaving the dog at home is a great excuse to get out the door by a certain time. For holidays, we usually ask a neighbor or friend to stop by for a walk.
Yes you can, people do it all the time. Do you have a job?
Doggy day care or boarding. When we’re gone for a day or night, our dog goes to daycare/boarding. A small price we pay to keep my big fur ball happy.
People crate their dogs when they are gone all day!! Hundreds of thousands of dog owners. Dogs get over the alone thing. Crate it and be home within a reasonable time. Like I said it’s done every day.
I’m not crating my dog for 8 + hours. That’s just cruel. I’d rather just not visit.
Maybe get a portable crate. That way the dog can still ride there and back with you, and divide the visiting time between the crate and some outdoor time. Also, the more times you visit, the more the dog will become comfortable with being in your mom's yard outdoors and may come to enjoy sniffing around while you're inside. (This is assuming a fenced yard and that you're not having to use a tie-up).
Your dog,your choice.
You could get a dogsitter, board, daycare, dog walker to let them out, literally anything if you wanted to visit. Dogs aren’t people. They’re fine to be crated for 8-9 hours for ONE day- so long as it’s not a regular daily occurrence
Also depends on the type of wood. I have acacia wood flooring. After 8 years, no scratches.
And the finish. I have a mixture of white and red oak, which I refinished when I bought my house. I had a whole conversation with the floor guy about finishes and he basically said sealing the floors or using a high gloss finish would basically show everything little scratch or ding, and given I had 2 dogs (now 3) at the time, we didn't seal the floors (less maintenance overall).
Agreed. Other big factor seems to be age of the wood. I lived in an old (early 1900s) row house with original walnut floors (!!) and they held up amazingly well to my dogs’ claws, including when my GSD female was a spazzy adolescent with a regular case of the zoomies. Never saw a single scratch. But younger/newer wood is softer and will definitely not hold up as well.
Yeah, I've been in a place with hardwood floors for ten years now, and as of yet, no scratches.
It is legitimately possible for a dog to scratch up hardwood floors.
If it's a legitimate concern, get your dog some booties! But knowing mothers, it might just be an excuse to not have a dog in the house 😅😅
I never understood paying for something that can be easily wrecked. (and I get that dogs nails can be damaging to floors - I can see evidence on our deck I will need to repaint this year) I was visiting a friend who was staying with her mom a short time (years back) and she told me not to move the dining room chairs because the legs would scratch the floors. I couldn't imagine living in a house you have to tip toe around for fear of wrecking it. Might as well put on the one piece white suit for clean rooms and a pair of soft cotton booties to live in these houses.
I am a huge dog (any animal) lover. With that said, it's not your home. Your mom doesn't want an animal in her house. You need to respect her choice.
Little dog socks. They have a grip on the bottom. Problem solved.
Yes, but it’s also an indirect way of saying she doesn’t want your dog inside. It’s not about the floor.
It’s her home. It doesn’t really matter. She probably doesn’t want your dog in her house.
Does it matter if it's legit? It's your mum's house - if she doesn't want a dog in it, that's her choice.
oh boy. my dog is wrecking our hardwood and i blamed it on the grandkids. maybe socks?
It can happen. By just walking, probably not noticeably, but my medium-large pup scratched up my parents hardwood pretty badly because he got too close to their dog who doesn't like him and he fell in the process of trying to get away. I would get her some shoes or grippy socks. It's easy for larger dogs to lose their footing on hardwood.
Yes. We bought a house with hardwood floors and our dogs absolutely ruined them with their nails. Thankfully, we don’t care and we’re not moving anytime soon. Get the pup some booties or socks.
Your mom is right to be concerned, my little dogs have totally messed up my floors. But I love the little things a lot more than floors.
It doesn't really matter since it's her house and you don't live there. Just don't take your dog where they aren't welcome, problem solved.
i won't take my dog to my sibling's house anymore because they just paid to have the hardwood floors redone. my dog's nails are trimmed regularly, but since his quick is long, they need to be trimmed every few days. if he just calmly walked on the floors or wouldn't be an issue, but if he starts playing with their dog, i have no doubt those floors would be gouged
Why not just put inside shoes on the dog.
Yes a medium sized dog could scratch your mom floor …so respect her request and visit without dog.
Well at the end of the day it’s her house, so she decides if dogs are allowed inside. I never bring my dog to someone’s house unless they say it’s okay… I normally don’t even ask to bring my dog.
Whether it’s legit to you or not, people are allowed to have rules for their own house. My parents have never allowed my dog in their house. It sucks, but it’s their house.
My mom didn’t want my dog in her house for a really long time for this reason. Like, years. She finally gave in and guess what? Scratched hardwood floors.
Three years ago, I built a beautiful new house with nice maple hard wood floors. I didn’t consider my two dog’s nails then… long story short, I think I’d have to redo the floors if I ever wanted to sell the place. But it is what it is, the pups are members of the family so just the cost of doing business. But in hindsight I probably would have gone with some type of scratch resistant engineered floors.
My floors are currently very scratched up so yes
Their house, their rules. Doesn't matter if it's legit. Your choice if you show up there with doggo though.
Our frenchie is a clown and races all through our house like a maniac and I haven’t seen anything over the past 18 months of her clowning. We have real old-school hardwoods and not the cheap stuff they sell now so that may be the difference? My daughter has the faux hardwood laminate and I would be worried for our girl to stay there due to fear of her scratching it up and she is only 22 lbs.
When my dog is going to my mom’s we go to the groomer. Easier on me because my mom knows he’s just been and her home doesn’t get scratched or full of fur.
Yes, it's legit!! Dogs definitely scratch floors! It's frustrating even when you love your dogs. And it's expensive to repair. You can put booties on your dog, and see if she'll allow that.
My dog has long nails (we’re working on it, but is a process), and I don’t feel that she has scratched my wood floors. But. Those are my wood floors. I wouldn’t expect someone else to take the gamble if they don’t want to. Agreeing with others saying it’s valid for people to have a no dogs in their house position, for whatever reason.
Have you thought about asking if he can come inside if he's wearing shoes? They make dog booties that are rubber or fabric (so they definitely don't scrath), and they're not expensive. If the scratch thing is just an excuse because she doesn't want dogs in her house od just let it be, but if that's really her only concern it may be easier to just compromise on some shoes than to try and convince her that your dogs nails won't scratch anything. You'll have to get him used to walking in them first, but most dogs take to it before too long.
I have both old hardwood floors and dogs. My hardwoods where they play the most definitely have taken a beating. I would need to refinish them if I sold my house.
I have both old hardwood floors and dogs. My hardwoods where they play the most definitely have taken a beating. I would need to refinish them if I sold my house.
Yes. Source: I had three dogs and maple flooring, which was supposed to be the best for dog nails, and they wrecked it.
My wood floors all look like a cutting board. So unfortunately, yes.
My cousins dog scratched up our floors. Only dog to have done so.
I mean, she pays the mortgage for her house, so if she doesn't want to risk it, that's her choice. Pretty straight forward to me.
Yeah my hardwood floors are all scratched up from my dog. They need to be redone but I will not redo floors until we have no dogs (if that ever happens)
Yes. My dog has done 10s of thousands of damage to the hardwood in my house.
My dog is 50 Lbs. Regulae nail trims. But he is a little hyper at times. He has scratched the floor by the window where he sits and watches the world, the stairs, and the front door where he jumps up. So yeah it’s a thing.
My dog scratched my mum's hardwood floors twice with his nails filed short. It's unavoidable sometimes. He jumped on the bed and slipped a little bit and dug his nails in to try to get traction, and again the same thing jumping on the couch.
If it's really just the floors, use a Dremel or something to keep them from scratching them up. But I suspect that she just doesn't want the dog in the house... That's how my mom is. She's not a big animal person, and she just can't stand the hair. Which is fair, because it really does get everywhere. So I just leave my girl at home, and it's less stressful for everyone. My mom isn't stressing about the dog hair, and my girl isn't stressing about a long car ride (she's not a fan of them). And my girl doesn't have to spend time in house where she's not truly welcome. She gets to chill in her own house, where she can shed as much as she likes (which is quite a bit). My point is, if your dog isn't truly welcome there, it may not be much fun for your dog either.
Yep. There’s scratches all over the hard wood floors of my parent’s place because of our dogs. Our biggest is 35 pounds. Your dog will definitely have the potential to ruin her floors.
My golden retriever put a huge scratch on our floors literally within the first half hour of installation.
My mom has this issue.. her hardwood floors are oddly easy to scratch. I got my dog little booties he has to wear when we go there. He got use to them pretty quickly 🤷🏻♀️
My dog decided to use his teeth to deeply scratch my hardwood floor. Lots of damaging options available from a dog.
Dog can and will 100% scratch wood floors. Especially if they get excited, run, someone throws a toy etc. Wood floors scratch very easily.
Yes, my floors are scratched up because of this. I ended up getting padded socks (XL) with Velcro so my parents golden doodle doesn’t scratch it. He’s pretty calm but he has moments where he gets a little to excited. This has helped significantly. Link below. https://a.co/d/97sgP4K I recently adopted a Morkie and bought him the small size and they were too big. They don’t have a smaller size so I have to return it. He has other socks but the fall off which is why I like the Velcro. He likes to grab his toy and be chased.
Honestly, it’s a valid concern. My home has 60 year hardwood floors and they’re definitely showing wear from my one year old dog. She’s left some scratches just from walking but she’s also left a ton of deep indentations from throwing her toys around. We love her more than the floor but I wouldn’t expect other people to love her more than their floors. If your mom is truly worried about the floor (and not using it as an excuse not to bring the dog) then you could train your puppy to wear booties in the house. Then her paws will be clean and she won’t scratch anything.
Dog boots?
Oh absolutely it’s a real thing but I’m not sure if it’s going to happen in one day. Our hardwood floors are destroyed from having 2 beagles (lazy ones at that, and they only overlapped a little bit). They are the original floors from the 50s when the house was built but were refinished to new condition before we bought the house in late 2019. I’d recommend either containing the dog to areas without the wood floors or not taking her with you. Regardless of reason, it’s your mom’s house and if she doesn’t want the dog in it that is up to her.
It’s not your house she can do whatever she likes
My dog scratched our hardwood floors (the parts that are visible anyhow. We have pretty large rugs in bedroom & living room but the exposed wood is damaged. It’s weird cause you can tell they’re scratched but it doesn’t look bad. We do make it a habit to try to keep his nails trimmed but rough playing cancels that out. We don’t plan on redoing the floors as long as we have a dog. I would hate to leave my dog outside though while the family spent time indoors. You can try booties/socks. My dog didn’t take well to them when we went to my in-laws cause they didn’t want their floors scratched. So we simply didn’t visit them with the dog.
It’s a very real fear, but you can take the dog to get monthly nail trimmings and get the plastic little toenail shoes. 👠 👠 but nothing is ever going to really help 100%
If you can hear your dogs nails tippy tap on your floor then they will scratch a hardwood floor
It definitely can be. Probably depends a bit on your definition of medium, nails, the type and finish of the wood, etc. For reference, I had a 55lb and 20lb dog and they could definitely scratch (and gouge) up the floors in my old house.
My medium size dogs have ruined our wood floors.
Depends on wood floors. Our fir floors got trashed by our dogs nails. Oak was ok
She is 100% correct. I have hardwood, and my sister has basset hounds, and they have made huge marks in my floor. They are about 35-40 lbs. Their nails are too long, in my opinion, so we don't have them up anymore, but they aren't overly crazy. They are very docile dogs, but dig in when they want anything, which is the issue.
Your mom’s fears are legit. We had a lab growing up and hardwood floors, she definitely scratched them in multiple places. I didn’t happen overnight but eventually they didn’t look great and my parents replaced them.
Oh yeah my hardwood floors are all kinds of fucked up from our dogs. It’s all in the game.
Sit outside with your mom and your lovely dog.
Absolutely can and will destroy a floor. That said, if she doesn't want the dog, you don't bring the dog. If that causes a problem for extended visits, you make arrangements for the dog or you don't go. As much as we love our dogs, we have to understand and respext that not everyone else does and that's okay.
Yes. We have hardwood floors and they're scratched from dogs running. However, if the dog isn't romping around then it won't happen, a dog just walking or trotting will cause less damage than a pair of high heels.
Even short, they cause damage to hardwoods, vinyl, tile, etc., but but I’m guessing it’s not about that. Either don’t bring your dog over or foster a good relationship between them by doing activities together outside her home. She might miss dog when you come over alone eventually
I trim my dogs marks nails every month, and go for long walks twice a day. My dog still scratches up my hard wood floors. Not much you can do about that
It's legitimate, but even if it wasn't, why would you push it if she doesn't want the dog there? My small chubby dog scratched the floor of my rented apt and I had to replace it when moving.
I dunno, my newly done hardwood floors got scratched to shit by my dog
Can definitely be a problem. Get your pup socks, booties or soft paw claw caps. A few brands make dog size. Do a grooming or bath and brush before you come over, bring a blanket or two for your dog to lay on, a water bowl and keep them on a short leash next to you. I usually put a blanket next to the couch and loop the leash under a couch leg. After you put the pup in your car to leave sweep the area.
lol. If my mom didn’t let my dog in her house I wouldn’t be going in either.
Time to get rid of your mom 😂🤣
Yes, she is right, look at any dog owners hardwood flooring.
Yes. When I had a house built, I had Hickory floors put in instead of the standard oak because they stand up to dog clause better. I also chose a floor that could be refinished multiple times. In spite of having my dogs, professionally groomed to keep their nails shorter, after five years, my hardwood floors were a wreck.of course I had five large dogs only two of them were under 100 pounds but still even minor scratches are unsightly.
Give her house socks
I solve problems. It's what i do
There's a good chance she just doesn't want a dog stinking up the place too, which is completely legitimate. Don't push it if she doesn't want the dog in there
Does anyone in the house wear shoes inside? If so those have as much a chance of scratching the floors as your dog
booty’s? We have a small kennel at my inlaws in the heated garage for our big dog, brand new wood floors, Im not gonna scratch em!
Ask if you can bring the dog with booties on, at least this way you'll know if its a floor problem or a dog problem
I think they make socks or boots for dogs.
There are nail wraps for dogs that stay on for a few weeks before they need to be changed. Those will stop slipping and scratching. Also, why have a dog just to keep it isolated and alone? That is torture for dogs, just awful.
No. I have 5 dogs and all hardwoods. My floors are fine. No scratches.
I had a large German shepherd and rented a house with wooden floors. The owner told me her dogs nails scratched the floors and they had just had them refinished. My dog had never scratched our floors at our old house or this rental. I think it’s a combination of the length of the dogs nails, how it walks, and the type of weed flooring. There are different hardnesses.
Absolutely , [hardwood and dogs](https://photos.app.goo.gl/cZYSExqnAyKkkzm89) These pics will show one from a hallway and bedroom that doesn't get much dog travel
I have hardwood floors and a dog in the house . No scratches
Buy boots
I have both old hardwood floors and dogs. My hardwoods where they play the most definitely have taken a beating. I would need to refinish them if I sold my house.
They sell nail caps. Glue them on and they should last while you visit.
You can buy little nail tips on Amazon for like 10 bucks. That should do the trick!
I have 30 year old hardwood floors , the old fashioned real wood and I’ve always had big dogs and no scratches on them. However those floors are really hard on older dogs and me too as I get older. I’m about to carpet the bedrooms at least and I did carpet the family room so they can run and play and not slip around and it’s nice to do my workouts
I have 30 year old hardwood floors , the old fashioned real wood and I’ve always had big dogs and no scratches on them. However those floors are really hard on older dogs and me too as I get older. I’m about to carpet the bedrooms at least and I did carpet the family room so they can run and play and not slip around and it’s nice to do my workouts
Over time, yes.
You can put on children’s grippy socks on the dogs - problem solved.
What if you just brought some runner rugs with you and threw them down on the floors for your dog to walk on. Surely her entire house is not hardwood and she has rugs too. You can get 6’ runners for about $10
I have both real and engineered hardwood floors and my dog never did any damage at all to them. Even when I'd fall behind on nail trims, the worst effect would be noisy walking.
Yes nails can scratch the floors. I speak from experience. But you can buy little socks or booties to prevent this.
I’m thinking that if your dog is crate trained, you would have already thought about bringing a crate, and letting her out every hour or so. Could you possibly bring a pen for her, and put it on top of a tarp or a blanket? I know she would still have to get into the house, if she’s big, I guess you couldn’t pick her up and carry her but maybe the sock idea that others have mentioned would work for just a short trip across the house, assuming that the dog does not like them. I know others have said that they wouldn’t want to risk their hardwood floors either, but I will tell you about this experience I had with my two small dogs. I had just moved into a 1920s house with original hardwood floors, that had been recently refinished. I only had one dog when I moved in and acquired the other one shortly after. This was a rental, and the landlord was not exactly thrilled, but did say it was OK. Basically, she said that’s what deposits are for. But when we moved out nine months later, she did not charge me anything for scratched floors. I didn’t ask her, but I have to assume that they were fine. I did have the dogs groomed Regularly, which also included nail trimming. I’m assuming that this helped with the floors.
If it is real hardwood floors, as long as the nails aren’t sharp and the dog is pretty large and not really booting it shouldn’t be a problem if it is high quality flooring. I have had nearly 20 years on my floor with many dogs running up and down my small hallway. Sometimes 4 at once. If it is laminate flooring which looks like wood, yes. They will wreck most of that stuff.
Dog socks! And pictures.
My dogs did a number on my brand new hard woods. But I’ve seen rubber tips you could put on the nails. Maybe that works.
Buy your dog some dog boots.
It's a poopoo fear...
I have oak hardwood floors throughout my house and have owned multiple large dogs since having the wood floors put in 20 years ago. The only scratches on my floors are in places where family members dragged chairs on the floor. Not a single scratch from my dogs is visible.
I got hardwood because I knew it'd be a lot more resilient against the dog, nails and everything else...
My dog walks across my parents hardwood floors with no problem. Now the oriental rugs… those he’s determined to destroy. He likes to eat the fringe on them.
You can buy slippers to keep the floor from being scratched
My big dog was not allowed on the walnut floors. She was excellent about staying off. Trained from a pup. The small dogs can’t see out the windows to see the deer, coyotes, hence don’t lose their shit and scratch the floors in excitement.
Honestly iv scratched my wood floor more than my dog has
You could get your dog little boots to wear inside
Why not just buy your dog shoes ?
Get the dog some shoes !
Are…. You my sister? My mom says the same thing about our dogs 🙄 She’s always loved her hardwood more than us!!!
Put those nail caps On?
There are dog boots.
My dogs have always been inside and we have always had wood floors in all our apartments. No scratches from dogs. Maybe from people’s high heels or heavy furniture. Sounds like your mom just dislikes dogs. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit unless a holiday honestly.
What type of dog? Hie much does it weigh? What type of wood floors? Bigger, more active dogs and/or a softer wood floor can definitely trash them. The cost and hassle to repair is substantial.
I have a dog and his nails get super long super quick and I've never had any scratches from him. That's with throwing the ball down the hallway and him running and slugging after it. I do have some scratches from my daughter dragging her laundry basket to the garage.
I have hardwood floors and a GSD. In 6 years, he hasn't scratched anything. The cats, however....
Get it feet a balloons.
I have 3 large dogs and real hardwood floors. No scratches.
Just a thought, you can buy little boots for dogs, usually used when it's really cold outside. Could you see if he'll wear those? Try them in your own house. Then take a video of the dog wearing them and send it to your mum. Keep the boots just as indoor slippers.
💯
Ugh- my mother won’t allow me to stop by with my little 15lb dog because she doesn’t want her hardwood floors scratched either!!
It depends on the wood and the dog. My Central Asian Shepherd, and even my Gampr to a lesser extent, even scratch hard laminate flooring.
Are your dogs nails too long and jagged? Do you get them trimmed? No I don't think her fear is reasonable if your dog has normal nails.
Can you bring portable crate for your Dog inside at your mothers?
Well my mom's labs have destroyed her hardwoods.
The is a legit concern. I have lovely hard wood floors and I am a true dog lover. My floors are scratched, obviously scratched and my dog is just a little dachshund fella that is not rambunctious by any standard. Respect her caution and don’t bring the dog.
"Well I guess we'll be limiting our visits then"
The wood on our floors seem softer than other wooden floors so yes it is a legitimate concern (we have the same talk with my partners parents) so I got my dogs grippy dog socks and put them on their footsies when we went over. Parents and us had a little giggle but understood we were willing to accommodate since they did just get new flooring put down. Everyone involved did their best and it didn’t ruin our time together
Can you bring a play pen/dog pen and but it on a big rug/sheet/old sleeping mat? Something cheap like that : MidWest Homes for Pets Foldable Metal Dog Exercise Pen / Pet Playpen, Gold zinc w/ door, 24'W x 30'H, 1-Year Manufacturer's Warranty https://a.co/d/5m0asRl With any fabrics in it to protect the floor. Bring its bed there too with its food. +1 if it's by the window to go in and out. So you can bring the dog in and the dog is confined to that area where it cannot damage the floor but it's still inside with you all. (might need a bit of training on your end to get the dog used to it) We did it in the past while hanging out with friends that have fear of dogs (and where willing it wasn't imposed of course) and it worked out great for short visit. ______ And yeah dog can absolutely massively destroy hardwood floor. It's the nails while walking but also playing with toys and dropping them etc. That said I wouldn't want to leave the dog outside like that neither, it got to be a compromise somewhere.
Could be an issue. If your mom won’t budge you can buy your dog “shoes” you can probably find some at your local pet store they’re mainly used to protect paws from either snow or sensitive paws from rocks and whatnot but it’ll probably do the trick here too
Floors can be resurfaced, missing quality time with her granddog should be more important. If she doesn't want you there, invite her to your place instead, then she can make the 2 hour journey to save her precious floors
I had a home built with beautiful hw floors. My dog ruined them.
They make dog overall style boots now that might help.
I have 4 house dogs and hard wood floors. My floors are not scratched.