NOOOO. do not do a laminate or an engineered wood. Do real 3/4 hardwood. If and when it scratches or if you will sell you can always refinished. Use area rugs. (Guardian of 4 boxer dogs)

Don't go too dark with blonde dogs! Every hair will show..
Real hardwood is best, as can be refinished. Also have big dogs , kids & wood floors No problems. Just character.

My reclaimed tobacco barn lumber is perfect for my puppies...imperfections add character

Wood look tile.

A dumb question for anyone who might have actual experience:

Wood-look tile is beautiful and clearly stands up to doggy paws, but it must be cold compared to real wood, right? I mean, it has that "warm" look of wood, but it's tile, so....

I'm asking because I'm a barefoot-in-the-house kind of person. I imagine that an entire house floored with a porcelain tile might be a little icy, not to mention echo-y. Please tell me I'm wrong.

Underfloor heating cures that in the winter. Cool tile is welcome in the summer.

Highly echo-y....rugs remedy some, but covering everything defeats the purpose

Just wanted to chime in regarding the pet fur... get a Roomba!

Wood will still work. We have two little dogs and it works fine. The floors still look good - those areas that don't are more due to sand / dirt getting caught under chair legs - even with pads and just life. They will need refinishing at some point, but if they were carpet, it would need replacing, or any other floor wears out eventually or goes out of style. Wood last generations. However, doggie accidents can ruin a hardwood floor if not attended to or repeatedly happen.

http://duchateaufloors.com/

Well now, that's the other thing. As jhmarie says, doggy paws will not necessarily harm your wood floors to any great degree, depending on the quality of the wood.

Go with what you want and keep your dog's nails clipped. Also be aware that some floorings can be slippery for dogs to maneuver on, you may want something a bit more rustic to allow for paws to grip and minor scratches to occur.

@dclostboy---I like your puppy! Oh, wait, that's not a puppy!!! Lol

I can't recommend Duchateau flooring enough.

it is very dog friendly. I have two Boston Terriers

it sealed with oil instead of uretthane. makes it warm to the touch.

it is distressed so it is already scratched.

Mine is the Pinga style and is made of ash and sealed with black oil. They make some styles that are sealed with white oil if you want a ligjter floor. it is engineered and comes prefinished. it is cleaned with soap and water. They recommend oiling it every year. I have not done that although I have had my flooring down since 2009. They are spot cleaned when my dogs have accidemts. My house keeper vacuums them and damp mops as necessary. The soap that is recommended is not rinsed off. it is just mopped up and the floor is left to dry.

They feel warm without ever heating them. These floors are distressed with wire brushes so that it exposes the grain and it is very even. you feel the ridges when you touch them. Thus, they are not slippery for my dogs when they run on them.

look at wood hardess scale

http://workshoppages.com/WS/Misc/Wood-Hardness-Chart.pdf

the harder the wood the better it does.