Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Houston we have a ...
Problem. A concern. An issue. A dilemma. I think you get the idea. We're not sure what to do. We recently bought laminate flooring (Pergo) for our entire house and have started putting it down room by room. Currently we have 3 rooms done. Here comes the problem: Duncan (our husky) can't handle the new floor. When I say he can't handle, I mean he CAN'T. HANDLE. We tried *helping* him by holding his collar to make him try it out. The second all four of his feet touch the new floor he freaks out and starts scrambling like in a cartoon with all four paws going every which way, then he falls down. I feel I need to mention that this is the same dog who has had $2000 worth of knee surgery, we DO NOT want him to fall down! So far we've only put the new floor in 3 of the rooms he hardly goes in, but the plan is to put it everywhere. Everywhere except the bathrooms, but he can't live in the bathroom. And before you even suggest it he can't live outside either. He's a part of the family who lives inside, plus he's too stupid to use his doghouse, and I'd be worried that he was getting frostbite or heat stroke or something. (We're not getting rid of him either!) We can't exactly put runners thru the entire house everywhere he might want to go, even if we did at some point he'd have to get off the runner, because I'm not covering my awesome new floor with carpet. We've thought about cutting his nails really short, maybe his nails are too long and he's having a hard time not slipping. We've thought about lightly sedating him to chill him out a little so then we can try out the floor again and maybe, just maybe he won't freak out. These are the next things we're going to try. However, these may not work, so I'm opening this post up to suggestions. PLEASE, solve my problem Internets!
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14 comments:
Let it be known that I know nothing about dogs, but my gut tells me that if you put down the floor everywhere and he doesn't have a choice but to walk on it he'll figure out how to maneuver it. :)
Would strategically placed rugs help the poor fella out?
I would buy a few rolls of that rubbery-waffley shelf liner. Lay that down in areas he HAS to walk on - either in long strips or in stepping stones. Maybe moving pieces in front of him as he walks. (No one said having animals was easy!) He will 'feel' the wood flooring through the shelf liner. Let him get used to this for a couple of weeks; and then start removing a small piece at a time. The "look" of the new floor is also freaking him out - not just the feel. (Let him get used to it.) After all, he DOES walk on the lino in the kitchen. DO clip the dogs' nails - not too short so they bleed.
I wish I could help, but I have no idea. Just wanted to say that your dog is not the only one too stupid to use his doghouse.
I would get his nails trimmed as short as possible. You can also try claw covers. It will take him a few weeks to learn to maneuver on the new floor, but he'll get it figured out. Also, I would put runners down in the halls and a big rug in the living room. My dogs, don't like to lie down on hardwood floor. Grandma is right, it's the shine of the floor that is freaking him out it addition to the feel. there's a learning curve. He'll be okay.
Maybe booties with rubber soles? If it wasn't for the surgery I'd say he'd get used to it, but that's a big chance to take after spending that much on knee surgery. Maybe try area rugs, and then slowly spread them out so he gets used to the new floor?
Gosh, I am so sorry! I was just telling friends today that we would love to have pergo instead of our carpet but our 13 yr. old dog would not be able to handle it. He has hip dysplasia and degenerative joint disease in his shoulders. The only thing that I can think of is maybe get him some doggie boots. Cabela's online sells them. Good luck.
Sharon D.
I truly believe he'll conquer his fear with some love and help. Maybe start with a rug runner he can walk on and lead him to the middle of the room where he can calmly sit on your lap and be soothed by you. It may take some time, but he will figure it out sooner or later. I have also seen (as another poster mentioned) soft bootie type things for dogs..I bet you could find something online by googling it.
My pug mix is the same way and I believe he has hip problems from it. We lived in a home with tile floors throughout (military housing) that were the hard, have to wax, kind. Kong would edge around the rooms and litterally run over open spaces, slipping and skittering all the way. We put down runners and area rugs which helped because he quit trying to outrun the floor. We have since moved to a home with sticky square linolium (has designs on them) and no problems from day one. HTH
One of my dogs can not do the purgo floors at my moms house. When we go there, we do put rugs through out the house. I wonder if you can have him in a main room during the day and put the rugs there and then a main room at night and again put the rugs there at night?
I agree with Molly's comment. You're the homeowner and the Big People on Campus (BPOC), so your lives and plans shouldn't stop for the dog, although he IS a part of the family. Like other family members though, he needs to fit in, so I think if you just put the floor down, he will get used to it. He will have no choice. He won't sit in one spot forever and he'll eventually get over his fears.
I'm sorry - I can't remember the name of it. But when one of my dogs was having anxiety issues I got a prescription for a plug-in kind of fixture - like the Glade Plug Ins? - that had the med in it. Sort of like aromatherapy. Put it in the room she spent most time in and it seemed to help. We couldn't smell a thing BTW. Check it out with your vet.
We have a Bloodhound and all wood floors....at first, he was very weary of the wood floors and would stay to the carpeted upstairs. He has since gotten used to it...so I would be your dog will too...maybe a few rugs around for him in the meantime could help?
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BARKIN BOOTS!! I kid you not. I have a dalmatian now who is two and we had a dalmatian before her who had trouble on wood and tile when she got older. There is a company called "Ruff Wear" that makes these booties you put on them- they will walk weird at first but they are WONDERFUL! My dad had originally gotten them for taking the dog out on the boat so her feet didnt get all cut up on shells and such on the beach, but when she got older we tried them out and she wore them for about two years before she died. They can cause some irritation from heat and- believe it or not- doggy foot sweat, so we got some infant/kids socks and put them on under the booties. Its worth a try- I promise you! They sell socks on the website, but the cheap ones from target work just as well. their website is www.ruffwear.com :)
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