What can I do at home to help my dog with arthritis?

Canine arthritis friendly flooring

Just as we would help a relative with mobility issues and painful joints so we do with our pets too. Here, we show you what you can do at home to help a dog with arthritis.

 

The parallels between the challenges facing humans with arthritis and dogs with arthritis are remarkable. Where arthritis causes pain, limitations on everyday life thanks to reduced mobility, and anxiety about slipping and falling, we can assume that our beloved four-legged friends experience the same. So, as loving pet owners, is there anything we can do at home to help our arthritic pets?

Fortunately the answer is yes, we can make some small additions and changes in the home that will help!

Access to comfortable resting places

Consider increasing the number of dog beds in your home, positioning one in each of your dog’s favourite places to stop and have a lie down. Lying down eases joint pain so providing soft bedding such as blankets, duvets or specialist orthopaedic dog beds that offer extra cushioning , will go a long way to helping make your dog more comfortable.

Maintain a consistent temperature

Our wellbeing and state of mind is greatly affected by changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity levels, and so are our dogs’. Cold affects joint mobility and heat can causes discomfort, so try to maintain a consistent temperature in your home throughout the year. Keeping your home warm in winter and well-ventilated in summer are just a couple of things that can easily be implemented that will help your pet.

Shorter walks

While our focus in this post is changes we can implement in the home, it’s important to remember that arthritic dogs should still be walked wherever possible. Simply reduce the length of time they are walked – two or three shorter walks are much kinder to an older dog than one very long walk. And always remember to follow even, well surfaced paths.

Flooring

Perhaps the biggest change we can make as dog lovers, is to consider the flooring in our homes. Where your dogs are older and perhaps suffering from the occasional accident, you need a hardwearing and durable option that will be easy to maintain and keep clean. Unfortunately for arthritic joints, these types of flooring – laminate, ceramic tiles, solid hardwood – can be hazardous at the least and downright dangerous at the worst.

Non-slip flooring for dogs

Non-slip flooring for dogs is essential in minimising the risk of falling and therefore potential injuries. Tiles, laminate and wood flooring are slippery in the extreme so look for a flooring solution that offers a textured surface. This will provide traction that will allow unsteady dogs to move more confidently.

Cushioned flooring

Cushioned flooring is great underfoot for humans and for arthritic dogs, offers comfort to painful joints. The shock absorbing qualities of cushioned flooring will let your dog move between lying, standing and sitting easier and more comfortably.

Best flooring for dogs from Floors for Paws

At Floors for Paws we put the needs of your pets first in everything we do. Whether you are looking for luxury vinyl plank flooring (our Pawsafe Domestic range), or LVT (our Luxury Vinyl range), you will find a wide choice of modern designs with the most realistic wood effect finish in today’s market. Both ranges offer a textured, non-slip surface layer with the best slip rating of any vinyl flooring on the market, plus an extra-soft, cushioned layer for comfort. When installed by a Floor for Paws approved contractor, our domestic flooring options come with a 25-year domestic guarantee.

To find out more send an email to info@floorsforpaws.com or give us a call on 01522 300218 today.

The pros and cons of LVT flooring for pet owners

LVT for pet owners

The choice of flooring available in today’s market can be daunting but, for pet owners, it’s vital to choose the best flooring for dogs. Here, we look at the pros and cons of LVT flooring in particular.

 

What is LVT flooring?

LVT flooring is the abbreviation for luxury vinyl tile flooring, a synthetic flooring solution that, thanks to advances in production techniques, mimics the look of natural wood, stone, and ceramic.

The benefits of LVT flooring

Beautiful designs – LVT flooring offers the look and style that discerning homeowners demand. Innovative 3D printing techniques produce tiles that replicate the aesthetic of natural wood and stone, making this flooring suitable for anywhere in the home.

Strength and durability –  at Floors for Paws, our luxury vinyl range comprises several layers, including a high density fleece backing, a reinforcement layer and a coated anti-slip wear upper layer. Layers are heat fused together and this composition ensures maximum strength and durability, while protecting the design integrity of the floor.

Low maintenance –  stain and scratch resistant, LVT flooring is easy to maintain and will continue to look its best with a basic level of care. How to clean vinyl floors includes lots of dos and don’ts for regular maintenance as well as deep cleaning advice.

Waterproof – luxury vinyl repels moisture and when professionally installed it is virtually waterproof.

LVT lifespan

The average lifespan of LVT is around 25-30 years and at Floors for Paws, we are so confident in the quality of our products that, when they are professionally installed, they will come with a 30-year domestic guarantee. Manufactured to stand the test of time, luxury vinyl is a great option for busy homes.

The cons of LVT flooring

Compared to the benefits it offers, luxury vinyl flooring has relatively few cons. It can be difficult to remove once it has been glued down, and it can dent easily so furniture coasters/floor protectors should be used under heavy furniture.

Luxury vinyl flooring is the best flooring for dogs

Our luxury vinyl range is offered in a choice of finishes to suit every home and offers all the features and benefits outlined above. However, it is where a home has pets that this flooring really comes into its own. The range is endorsed by CAM (Canine Arthritis Management) and has been designed with your pets’ comfort in mind. With a non-slip surface and extra layer for comfort, our LVT also features a textured surface to enable older, infirm dogs or even gangly puppies, to maintain their footing and therefore reduce the risk of injury, allowing them to move safely.

Free samples available

If you would like to see for yourself what our luxury vinyl range can offer you and your pets, order up to three free samples, or more for a small charge. If you like what you receive, ordering with us couldn’t be simpler. Send us an email to info@floorsforpaws.com or give our friendly team a call on 01522 300218, and we will do the rest.

Why vinyl flooring is the best flooring for dogs

Vinyl flooring is the best for dogs

At Floors for Paws, we believe the best flooring for dogs is vinyl flooring and here’s why.

 

As pet owners, we have the pick of flooring solutions for our four legged friends, from deep pile carpet to real wood floors and lots in between but which is the best flooring for dogs and why?

Carpet – obviously comfortable and warm for pets to lie down on but not the best flooring for dogs that pee! Carpet fibres will retain odours, take a long time to dry out and can discolour easily.

Solid wood floors – hard, solid wood floors are uncomfortable for dogs to lie on and can be unyielding to older dogs with arthritic joints. Wood will absorb liquid (think puppies who are still being house-trained and older dogs who may have incontinence) and will stain easily. For dogs who are unsteady on their feet, wood flooring offers no traction and will succumb to claws easily, becoming scratched and damaged.

Tiles – ceramic tiles are undoubtedly waterproof but are cold and uncomfortable in the extreme. For dogs and owners alike, ceramic tiles can pose a real slip risk which can cause serious injury too.

Laminate floors – while laminate will withstand small spillages, excess liquid will penetrate the fibreboard construction of the flooring damaging it and causing it to buckle. Extremely slippery underfoot and paws, laminate will scratch easily and its hard surface is uncomfortable for dogs.

Vinyl flooring

Offering a choice of luxury vinyl sheet flooring, LVT flooring (luxury vinyl tiles), and luxury vinyl planks, vinyl flooring is popular with pet owners. As pet friendly flooring goes, vinyl flooring can’t be beaten. It’s durable and hardwearing and, when professionally installed, is waterproof. Additionally, vinyl flooring is easy to maintain and will resist scratches and dents, making it perfect for any room in the home.  For business or industrial use, vinyl flooring comes with a commercial-quality wear layer with fiberglass reinforcement and has a textured surface layer to help reduce the risk of slipping. A super soft comfort layer makes this extra comfortable for dogs of all ages too.

The best flooring for dogs from Floors for Paws

At Floors for Paws, we have worked with Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) to develop a flooring solution that is pet-friendly and budget-friendly.  Our Pawsafe Domestic Range is available as luxury vinyl planks and our Luxury Vinyl Range is supplied as tiles, allowing homeowners to choose from a wide selection of stylish patterns, both contemporary and traditional to suit every home.

We also supply a range of luxury vinyl sheet flooring – the Pawsafe Commercial Range – which is perfect for any commercial premises, including veterinary clinics, grooming parlours and dog daycare centres. Indeed, many of our commercial customers will choose from the Pawsafe Commercial Range for areas of high traffic that require thorough cleaning, for example in consultation or surgical rooms at vet clinics, and from the Pawsafe Domestic Range for reception areas to offer their own clients a warm and friendly welcome.

To see for yourself just why we believe vinyl flooring is the best flooring for you and your dogs, why not order up to three free samples today? Alternatively, our friendly sales team is on hand to help answer any questions you might have – simply send an email to info@floorsforpaws.com or give us a call on 01522 300218.