Large dogs and hardwood floors, best species and coatings

Q: I want to put down hardwood floors in the living room and dining room, but we have a 100 lb. Golden Retriever. What type of wood flooring would be our best bet against scratches on the floor?

He gets excited and prances around about 5 min. when someone comes over..

A: Any wood will get “impressions” from dog nails if enough pressure is applied. Plain sawn oak (red or white) with heavy grain pattern will do a decent job of hiding these. Maple, though harder, doesn’t really work because of it’s pencil line grain and light colour. White oak is harder than red, as is ash. Hickory might also be a good choice.

Similar Q: Can you recommend a high quality polyurethane varnish, regarding large dogs and hardwood floors? I have two large dogs at home and I am looking for something that would have a resistant finish to scratches.

A: Any finish can and eventually will scratch. However, I have used Poloplaz Primero with great success over the last 5 years or more and it is a very tough coating.