You probably find it hard to imagine your home without the ever-loyal companionship of your four-legged friend, and it’s well worth considering your dog whenever you make changes to the property. The type of flooring material you choose demands particular consideration, so here are just four reasons why natural stone is the best option.
- Water-Resistant
Even the most mature and well-behaved of dogs can have the occasional accident. If you have carpet, dog urine can be hard to get out – you might be able to soak up anything that seeps into the top section of the carpet, but most is going to seep down to the base. If you have floorboards, urine is going to leak through to the underfloor. Stone flooring is ideal because it is completely water-resistant.
- No Staining
Those unpleasant accidents can lead to unpleasant stains, but urine is really just the tip of the iceberg. Your dog may defecate instead of urinate, or they may simply come in with mud all over their paws and start rolling around. Stone flooring won’t suffer any stains, and it’s easy enough to clean stone surfaces using nothing more than a mop and some warm water.
- Doesn’t Harbour Hair and Dander
Hygiene is always an important concern when you’re dealing with dogs, and that doesn’t just mean keeping surfaces clean. You should keep in mind that dogs will shed hair and dry skin particles. They’ll also give off dander, which is what causes allergy flareups. Stone flooring is ideal for dogs because it doesn’t store hair, skin particles, or dander. Such particles will sit on the top of the floor and get easily brushed or vacuumed up.
- Minimal Wear
Finally, stone flooring will show very minimal signs of wear compared to other flooring materials. Dogs tend to wear down carpet as they run across it, flattening fibres and pulling others up with their claws. If bored, they may even try digging into the carpet. Wood or laminate is a little better, but it can be quickly scratched up by your dog’s claws. Stone flooring doesn’t take scratches very easily, so your dog won’t be able to cause any noticeable damage.