If you’re like me you love your furry friend more than some of the humans in your life!\u00a0 Dogs are loyal, happy, and cuddleable.\u00a0 But, even though we love them, sometimes our pets can be a little messy and damage our things.\u00a0 \u00a0If you have an active dog and hardwood floors, you might start to wonder;<\/p>\n
Do dog nails scratch wood floors?<\/p>\n
Yes, dog nails can scratch hardwood floors.\u00a0 Luckily you can prevent this by keeping your dog’s nails trimmed short and ensuring they get plenty of exercise.\u00a0 You can also protect your hardwood floors with rugs and protective wax coatings.\u00a0 In worst-case scenarios, real wood floors can be sanded down to remove any scratches!<\/strong><\/p>\n Let’s take a look at how your dog can damage your floors and what you can do about this!<\/p>\n\n If you have real hardwood floors, you probably already know that they aren’t indestructible.\u00a0 Even though hardwood is more resistant<\/a> than softwood to scratches, it can still get wear and tear over time.\u00a0 All types of real wood floors are susceptible to defects!<\/p>\n One of the things that can cause damage to your floors is a dog.\u00a0 So, how can dogs damage hardwood floors?\u00a0 There are two main ways!<\/p>\n Dog nails are tough, thick claws made of keratin.\u00a0 Unlike human nails, dog nails can be used for digging, climbing, and of course scratching!<\/p>\n Years ago, in the wild, dogs used their long strong claws as tools.\u00a0 Claws and toes were essential for survival.\u00a0 Some dogs, like Great Pyrenees<\/a>, even adapted to have extra toes and toenails to help them navigate especially rocky terrains.\u00a0 Even though dogs don’t use their claws in the same ways they used to, these claws still grow in fast!<\/p>\n It’s not likely that your dog’s nails will scratch floors when they are just walking over them.\u00a0 However, if you play with your dog in the house or if your dog runs around in the house for any reason, expect to see some marks on your floor.<\/p>\n Hardwood maintenance is a lot of work and although this news about dog nails can be discouraging, there are plenty of workaround to this issue!<\/p>\n There is one other way that dogs can damage wood floors that we want to mention.<\/p>\n If you have a puppy that isn’t potty trained, an older incontinent dog, or just a dog that has accidents, be very careful of your wood floors!<\/p>\n When left on wood floors, urine can burn through protective seals and stain the wood itself.\u00a0 Urine will usually leave a deep black stain that can be really difficult to remove.\u00a0 If your dog does have an accident on your wood floors, make sure to clean it up ASAP.<\/p>\n The best way to avoid urine stains on wood floors is to focus on potty training your dog and to keep them confined to a smaller area with different flooring while you’re away.\u00a0 Prevention is the best treatment for this issue because once the urine has soaked into a wood floor, it can be difficult to remove it.<\/p>\n Let’s get back to the issue of your dog scratching wood and see what we can do about it!<\/p>\n There are two approaches to keeping your wood floors scratch-free!\u00a0 You can either focus on your dog or you can focus on protecting the floors themselves.<\/p>\n Here are a few things you can do to keep your dog from scratching up your floors!<\/p>\n The number one way to prevent scratches is to keep your dog’s nails short.<\/p>\n In reality, dog nails should always be kept so short that they don’t touch the ground when they walk.\u00a0 \u00a0This is equivalent to about every 3 – 4 weeks for most dogs.\u00a0 \u00a0When nails are left to grow out, they can cause discomfort and lasting injury to your dog.<\/p>\n Short nails mean that as your dog runs around your house, they might not be able to sink their claws into wood floors.\u00a0 It also means that when they take hard turns, or jump up onto their back feet, most of the weight will be on their paws and toes, not on their nails.<\/p>\n So, how do you keep your dog’s nails short?<\/p>\n Well, one option is to get your pup’s nails trimmed by a professional.\u00a0 You can take your dog to a groomer or a veterinarian.\u00a0 If your dog is comfortable with this it’s a good option!\u00a0 However for some dogs, it can be stressful, and it can get costly.\u00a0 If you’d like to see price comparisons, check out our article where we compare the costs of doing it yourself to the cost of paying a groomer or veterinarian to trim your dog’s nails<\/a>.<\/p>\n The cheaper and potentially less stressful option is to trim them at home.\u00a0 It could take a while for your dog to allow you to trim its nails, and you might have to start with just one nail at a time.\u00a0 Make sure you are never cutting their nails to the quick and that you are reinforcing their cooperation with treats.<\/p>\n A great way to get comfortable starting to trim your dog’s nails is to take a short class on it.\u00a0 This master class can teach you how to give your dog a manicure without any stress or injury for either of you.\u00a0 If you’re interested, check out the class by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed short will not only protect your wood floors but will also keep your dog happy and healthy!<\/p>\n Another good tactic to keep your wood floors scratch-free is to make sure your dog gets plenty of stimulation outside of the house1<\/p>\nCan Dogs Damage Wood Floors?<\/h2>\n
Dog Nails Can Scratch Wood Floors.<\/h3>\n
Dog Urine Can Stain Wood Floors.<\/h3>\n
How To Prevent Dogs From Scratching Wood Floors<\/h2>\n
Keep Your Dog’s Nails Trimmed<\/h3>\n
How Do You Trim Your Dog’s Nails?<\/h4>\n
Take Your Dog Outside To Play<\/h3>\n