How to Protect Wood Floors From Dogs

Hardwood floors are a beautiful feature of many homes. Unfortunately, though, they are susceptible to significant damage from a dog's toenails. A whole range of options are available for protecting your wood floors, ranging from products to place on the floor to products applied to your dog. Some of them require a one-time investment, others long-term.

Things You'll Need

  • Dremel tool
  • Acrylic floor finish
  • Commercial floor wax
  • Soft Paws nail caps
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure your dog's toenails are trimmed and rounded. Regular nail trimmers still leave a sharp edge to a dog's nails, and it's often this edge that scratches a hardwood floor as your dog tries to gain traction on it. You can round a toenail's sharp edges is with some type of file like an emery board or with a Dremel tool. Check the Resources section below for a link for how to train your dog to tolerate having his nails filed with a Dremel.

    • 2

      Coat your floor with several applications of hard, clear acrylic. Then apply several layers of commercial floor wax.

    • 3

      Try Soft Paws nail caps. Nail caps are small, safe sacs that you adhere to a dog's nails. They cover the nail completely, so the nail does not show any hard or rough edges. One application lasts four to six weeks. Nail caps are nontoxic and biodegradable, and if one falls off, it is safe for the dog to ingest.

    • 4

      Exercise your dog outside and make sure she runs on a hard surface. This will naturally keep your dog's nails shorter and smoother. Furthermore, a dog that's had plenty of exercise outside is less likely to run wild inside.

    • 5

      Consider laying down area rugs and hallway runners. The dog will prefer to walk on a softer surface where he won't slip as easily.