lbbs wrote:

We are considering renting to a couple with 50 lbs Lab -Dalmatian. They
say the dog is does not even know how to bark and is very tame. I a
concern that the dog will scratch up the vinyl tiles (are delicate) through
out the longs hallway, kitchen and dining room. If a part of the floor is
scratched up I basically have to re floor half of the upstairs, because I
can't find matching tiles anymore (bought 3 year ago). I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the basement
tenant. Anyone with experience with dogs & floors wear? I have never
had a dog, so I don't know what to expect. Any advise.

Do you know how old the dog is? A young, energetic puppy will cause
more wear on the flooring than an older, more sedate dog. Just based on
my experience (older, sedate 90 lb. dog) and that of a friend with a dog
who is highly active inside the house (young, 45 lb. dog), I'd say that
the vinyl floos have held up quite well. My floors are 3 years old, and
the floors in my friends' house are quite a bit older. I've scuffed the
vinyl more with being careless with furniture and formal shoes than my
dog ever has. Similar advice on potential noise problem. My quiet,
well behaved dog creates a whole lot less noise than my nephew, who is
19 months old. My friend's young, active dog is more noisy in the
house, because she runs around playing, and bumps into walls and
furniture.

I would suggest that you meet the dog, and verify the claim that he is
quiet and tame. Determine whether he acts as if he is well trained.
Check the references with their previous landlord, and maybe ask for a
refundable pet deposit if they're amenable to the idea.

Suja

We are considering renting to a couple with 50 lbs Lab -Dalmatian. They
say the dog is does not even know how to bark and is very tame. I a
concern that the dog will scratch up the vinyl tiles (are delicate) through
out the longs hallway, kitchen and dining room. If a part of the floor is
scratched up I basically have to re floor half of the upstairs, because I
can't find matching tiles anymore (bought 3 year ago). I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the basement
tenant. Anyone with experience with dogs & floors wear? I have never
had a dog, so I don't know what to expect. Any advise.
.

I would suggest, as another poster has, that you check out the age of the dog,
meet the dog to see what it's activity level is, and ask for references from
where they've previously lived if they have previous landlords and/or
neighbors, tho I realize that none of that is foolproof. Older dogs can still
be extremely active and previous landlords and/or neighbors can lie just to get
rid of a tenant or protect their own butt from the tenant.

Also check out the length of the dog's nails. Nails that are kept short and
neat are a lot easier on flooring than long nails. Don't mention to them before
meeting the dog that you want to check nail length, so they don't think to run
quick to the vet or groomer and get the nails clipped. :-)

You mention that the vinyl tiles "are delicate". I'm not sure what you mean by
that. If the tile is cheap tile, you might have a problem. But you won't just
have a problem with the dog then, you'll have a problem with anything going
across the tile.

My floors are all hardwood and tile, no carpets except some small area rugs.
The hardwood floors are covered with something like 4 or 5 coats of
polyurethane. No way will dog nails ever penetrate it, and I redo it every 3
years or so.

My foyer and bathrooms have expensive vinyl no-wax tiles where the color and
pattern goes all the way thru the tile. I don't rely on the "no-wax" feature,
I also put down two coats of floor wax after I wash the floor. Doing this,
I've had absolutely no problems with dog nails or with anything else for that
matter. Given that the pattern and color go all the way thru the tile tho, the
extra wax might be overkill on my part.

My kitchen floor, on the other hand, is a very cheap tile where once it's
scratched, that's it. Instant white line or nick shows up because the color
and pattern are just on the top of the tiles. After the first couple of
scratches, I learned to keep more than just a couple of coats of wax on it
after washing and that's definitely helped.
But frankly, it wouldn't be just my dogs doing the damage (2 large dogs & 3
little ones), but anything that moves across the floor. I learned my lesson
about buying quality tile, I'll tell ya. One generally gets what one pays for
in vinyl tile.

The previous landlord, if there was one, might be willing to give you some idea
of how well they took care of the flooring in their previous residence.

Another thing that can damage your flooring when it comes to pets is the water
bowl. I always make sure there's a nice large rug with a waterproof backing
under the waterbowl and I always keep an old towel around to quick wipe up any
serious sploshing (the Golden Retriever is a neat drinker, but the Belgian
Sheepdog waters half the room's floor when she takes a drink).

As far as the noise bothering the tenants below, that'll depend on the activity
level of the dog and the humans and also on the temperament of the tenant
below. A 50lb dog just walking around the floors, or even chasing a ball or
toys, is going to make less noise than a family with human children I would
think. Anybody living in an apartment with another apartment above them has to
expect some noise from the tenants above them. If one doesn't want noise from
above, then one lives on the top floor. If the dog's young and the owners
aren't the type for nice long tiring walks, the activity level could be a
problem. Or barking could be a problem if they're not telling the truth about
the dog's level of barking. And sometimes other tenants are just plain jerks
and will magnify one bark a week into a non-stop barkfest and
complaincomplaincomplain. With the noise, a lot can depend on the relationship
that develops between the neighbors.

We are considering renting to a couple with 50 lbs Lab -Dalmatian. They
say the dog is does not even know how to bark and is very tame. I a
concern that the dog will scratch up the vinyl tiles (are delicate) through
out the longs hallway, kitchen and dining room. If a part of the floor is
scratched up I basically have to re floor half of the upstairs, because I
can't find matching tiles anymore (bought 3 year ago). I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the basement
tenant. Anyone with experience with dogs & floors wear? I have never
had a dog, so I don't know what to expect. Any advise.
.

I would suggest, as another poster has, that you check out the age of the dog,
meet the dog to see what it's activity level is, and ask for references from
where they've previously lived if they have previous landlords and/or
neighbors, tho I realize that none of that is foolproof. Older dogs can still
be extremely active and previous landlords and/or neighbors can lie just to get
rid of a tenant or protect their own butt from the tenant.

Also check out the length of the dog's nails. Nails that are kept short and
neat are a lot easier on flooring than long nails. Don't mention to them before
meeting the dog that you want to check nail length, so they don't think to run
quick to the vet or groomer and get the nails clipped. :-)

You mention that the vinyl tiles "are delicate". I'm not sure what you mean by
that. If the tile is cheap tile, you might have a problem. But you won't just
have a problem with the dog then, you'll have a problem with anything going
across the tile.

My floors are all hardwood and tile, no carpets except some small area rugs.
The hardwood floors are covered with something like 4 or 5 coats of
polyurethane. No way will dog nails ever penetrate it, and I redo it every 3
years or so.

My foyer and bathrooms have expensive vinyl no-wax tiles where the color and
pattern goes all the way thru the tile. I don't rely on the "no-wax" feature,
I also put down two coats of floor wax after I wash the floor. Doing this,
I've had absolutely no problems with dog nails or with anything else for that
matter. Given that the pattern and color go all the way thru the tile tho, the
extra wax might be overkill on my part.

My kitchen floor, on the other hand, is a very cheap tile where once it's
scratched, that's it. Instant white line or nick shows up because the color
and pattern are just on the top of the tiles. After the first couple of
scratches, I learned to keep more than just a couple of coats of wax on it
after washing and that's definitely helped.
But frankly, it wouldn't be just my dogs doing the damage (2 large dogs & 3
little ones), but anything that moves across the floor. I learned my lesson
about buying quality tile, I'll tell ya. One generally gets what one pays for
in vinyl tile.

The previous landlord, if there was one, might be willing to give you some idea
of how well they took care of the flooring in their previous residence.

Another thing that can damage your flooring when it comes to pets is the water
bowl. I always make sure there's a nice large rug with a waterproof backing
under the waterbowl and I always keep an old towel around to quick wipe up any
serious sploshing (the Golden Retriever is a neat drinker, but the Belgian
Sheepdog waters half the room's floor when she takes a drink).

As far as the noise bothering the tenants below, that'll depend on the activity
level of the dog and the humans and also on the temperament of the tenant
below. A 50lb dog just walking around the floors, or even chasing a ball or
toys, is going to make less noise than a family with human children I would
think. Anybody living in an apartment with another apartment above them has to
expect some noise from the tenants above them. If one doesn't want noise from
above, then one lives on the top floor. If the dog's young and the owners
aren't the type for nice long tiring walks, the activity level could be a
problem. Or barking could be a problem if they're not telling the truth about
the dog's level of barking. And sometimes other tenants are just plain jerks
and will magnify one bark a week into a non-stop barkfest and
complaincomplaincomplain. With the noise, a lot can depend on the relationship
that develops between the neighbors.

"lbbs" wrote in
:

I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the
basement tenant.

Just to follow up on 55's comment about dog noise. Don't assume that the
larger the dog, the more noise. Small dogs can get a lot more speed in a
small space than large dogs can. We are in a 2 bedroom apartment, and
Moogli (10 lbs) has a *lot* of room to run in. He can turn a lot tighter
and go under couches and sofas while running. A bigger dog doesn't have
that problem. Small dogs can "launch" themselves off of a
sofa/couch/bed/chair and go a lot further (relatively) and with a lot more
speed than a large dog.

--
*******************************************
Marcel Beaudoin & Moogli

*******************************************
'PC! Politically Correct (or) Pure Crap!'
*******************************************

"lbbs" wrote in
:

I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the
basement tenant.

Just to follow up on 55's comment about dog noise. Don't assume that the
larger the dog, the more noise. Small dogs can get a lot more speed in a
small space than large dogs can. We are in a 2 bedroom apartment, and
Moogli (10 lbs) has a *lot* of room to run in. He can turn a lot tighter
and go under couches and sofas while running. A bigger dog doesn't have
that problem. Small dogs can "launch" themselves off of a
sofa/couch/bed/chair and go a lot further (relatively) and with a lot more
speed than a large dog.

--
*******************************************
Marcel Beaudoin & Moogli

*******************************************
'PC! Politically Correct (or) Pure Crap!'
*******************************************

Marcel Beaudoin:
Just to follow up on 55's comment about dog noise. Don't assume that the
larger the dog, the more noise.

I've often been amazed at the size restrictions by landlords and the fact that
it can really give the larger breeds a bum rap.

99% of the time that I hear complaints from renters regarding dog noise, the
complaints are concerning the incessant yapping of a small dog. Personally,
I'd much rather have a big booming WOOF! once in a while from a 60lb Lab than
the yipyipyipyapyapyapyipyipyipyapyapyap that can come all day from some of
these small dogs.

Or Beagle baying? Oh. my. gawd. Two doors down from me was a family who went
off to work every morning and left their Beagle home to bay out the window all
day. And bay it did. I could hear it two doors away and we're talkin'
single-family homes, not apartments. Imagine if that dog was in an apartment
baying out the window all day.

Small dogs can do just as much damage albeit maybe in generally different ways.
This is just generally speaking from things I've seen personally, but the
larger dogs tend to do damage thru methods like chewing and the smaller dogs
seem to be less housebroken and do damage with their urine instead of their
teeth. Personally, I'd take the teeth marks over the urine if I was the
landlord.

And smaller dogs can actually do more damage with their nails and scratches
because people with small dogs often seem to neglect the nail trims much more
than folks with large dogs. When a smaller dog is, as Marcel writes,
propelling itself off a piece of furniture onto the floor, a good scratch can
occur from that small dog.

Much as I believe in renting to folks with dogs, I also realize that, since
it's a rental and not their own property, the natural inclination of many
people is to not care any too much about the place if there's no security
deposit, so I honestly don't think it's out of line to expect a security
deposit. Nowadays, many landlords in the Chicago area who rent to pet owners
are insisting on some very heft security deposits.

Cindy

Marcel Beaudoin:
Just to follow up on 55's comment about dog noise. Don't assume that the
larger the dog, the more noise.

I've often been amazed at the size restrictions by landlords and the fact that
it can really give the larger breeds a bum rap.

99% of the time that I hear complaints from renters regarding dog noise, the
complaints are concerning the incessant yapping of a small dog. Personally,
I'd much rather have a big booming WOOF! once in a while from a 60lb Lab than
the yipyipyipyapyapyapyipyipyipyapyapyap that can come all day from some of
these small dogs.

Or Beagle baying? Oh. my. gawd. Two doors down from me was a family who went
off to work every morning and left their Beagle home to bay out the window all
day. And bay it did. I could hear it two doors away and we're talkin'
single-family homes, not apartments. Imagine if that dog was in an apartment
baying out the window all day.

Small dogs can do just as much damage albeit maybe in generally different ways.
This is just generally speaking from things I've seen personally, but the
larger dogs tend to do damage thru methods like chewing and the smaller dogs
seem to be less housebroken and do damage with their urine instead of their
teeth. Personally, I'd take the teeth marks over the urine if I was the
landlord.

And smaller dogs can actually do more damage with their nails and scratches
because people with small dogs often seem to neglect the nail trims much more
than folks with large dogs. When a smaller dog is, as Marcel writes,
propelling itself off a piece of furniture onto the floor, a good scratch can
occur from that small dog.

Much as I believe in renting to folks with dogs, I also realize that, since
it's a rental and not their own property, the natural inclination of many
people is to not care any too much about the place if there's no security
deposit, so I honestly don't think it's out of line to expect a security
deposit. Nowadays, many landlords in the Chicago area who rent to pet owners
are insisting on some very heft security deposits.

Cindy

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 11:52:10 -0400, "lbbs" wrote:

We are considering renting to a couple with 50 lbs Lab -Dalmatian. They
say the dog is does not even know how to bark and is very tame. I a
concern that the dog will scratch up the vinyl tiles (are delicate) through
out the longs hallway, kitchen and dining room. If a part of the floor is
scratched up I basically have to re floor half of the upstairs, because I
can't find matching tiles anymore (bought 3 year ago). I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the basement
tenant. Anyone with experience with dogs & floors wear? I have never
had a dog, so I don't know what to expect. Any advise.

I'd be more worried about the doors and door frames than the linoleum
or vinyl. The wear doesn't show up at first, but as time goes on,
the finished starts to show the scratch marks. If the dog's
toenails are properly trimmed, they should not touch the floor much
when walking. I'd ask to look at their current home. Only fair,
IMO.

Barking is a very individual thing. Some dogs bark a lot, some don't.
Size and breed don't matter, it is the individual.

.

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 11:52:10 -0400, "lbbs" wrote:

We are considering renting to a couple with 50 lbs Lab -Dalmatian. They
say the dog is does not even know how to bark and is very tame. I a
concern that the dog will scratch up the vinyl tiles (are delicate) through
out the longs hallway, kitchen and dining room. If a part of the floor is
scratched up I basically have to re floor half of the upstairs, because I
can't find matching tiles anymore (bought 3 year ago). I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the basement
tenant. Anyone with experience with dogs & floors wear? I have never
had a dog, so I don't know what to expect. Any advise.

I'd be more worried about the doors and door frames than the linoleum
or vinyl. The wear doesn't show up at first, but as time goes on,
the finished starts to show the scratch marks. If the dog's
toenails are properly trimmed, they should not touch the floor much
when walking. I'd ask to look at their current home. Only fair,
IMO.

Barking is a very individual thing. Some dogs bark a lot, some don't.
Size and breed don't matter, it is the individual.

.

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 11:52:10 -0400, "lbbs" wrote:

We are considering renting to a couple with 50 lbs Lab -Dalmatian. They
say the dog is does not even know how to bark and is very tame. I a
concern that the dog will scratch up the vinyl tiles (are delicate) through
out the longs hallway, kitchen and dining room. If a part of the floor is
scratched up I basically have to re floor half of the upstairs, because I
can't find matching tiles anymore (bought 3 year ago). I am also
concern about the dog making too much noise, that could upset the basement
tenant. Anyone with experience with dogs & floors wear? I have never
had a dog, so I don't know what to expect. Any advise.
.
HORK! That dog is gonna RIP through your cheap-ass vinyl floor. You
better practice up for small claims court!

I know your type, BTW -- you're the type who'd **** in a pan and dig
through it with a fork if you swallowed a tooth filling.

Charlie