I think you're right about the height difference. When our tile floor was put down in the Kitchen, PR, and Foyer (b/c of our dogs, btw), the tile installer put down a layer of hardi-backer b/f laying the tile. When my DH removed the carpet and installed an engineered Brazilian Cherry floor in the DR, he had to lay down a layer of plywood to raise the floor so the DR's finished floor height would match the kitchen's finished floor height. We have two standard poodles (40 & 55 pounds). They are very active (especially the female) and are always scrabbling around corners, etc. In less than a year, they had badly scratched our vinyl kitchen & foyer floors. The vinyl was installed in 1995 and was the "top of the line" for wear & tear at the time (but, that was almost 15 years ago!) When we remodeled, we discussed many flooring types but decided on tile for the area the dogs seemed to use/scratch up the most. We were also considering putting hardwood in the rest of the first floor...but that was eliminated due to budget. However, since our DR is now are main eating area, we knew the carpet could not stay...so we installed the engineered wood for the DR until such time as we could afford the 10K or more it would cost for the entire first floor (minus the Kitchen, Foyer, & PR). Results? The tile floor has held up very well...no scratches whatsoever! Yes, I'm starting to find that it is hard to stand on for hours at a time, but it's wonderfully cool in the summer! The engineered wood floor, OTOH, is already pretty badly scratched b/c of the dogs careening around the corner from the LR or Library/Office into the DR & then kitchen. But, as others have mentioned, the scratches aren't that noticeable unless there's bright sunlight and you're looking at the floor from the right angle. One thing...it seems to me that I read somewhere that often scratches in hardwood floors are actually scratches in the finish, not the wood. So, maybe you should be asking what hardwood finishes seem to hold up the best...

Is the "scratch resistance" a requirement or "urine concerns" the issue? Hardwood will withstand the scratching (solid hardwood can always be refinished = 60 - 80 years of service). Vinyl will take care of the urine concerns (sheet vinyl is better because there are no seams for urine to settle into) but vinyl can and will scratch (maybe not as much as hardwood....but it will STILL DO IT). If scratch resistance is a HUGE issue (keeps you awake at night) then "wood-look" porcelain tile is the way to go. Personally I think owning big dogs comes with compromises. The "finishes" in our home become compromised because of our pets (we love them....so we put up with whatever they do to the home - that's the compromise). Go ahead and choose the floor that fits your needs as much as possible and then allow it to age naturally. That's the compromise. Or porcelain tiles and compromise on the cost of installation.

Keep us posted. I fear in a couple years I will need to replace my flooring. It is Bruce laminated hardwood. It has been finished twice now and it looks meh. I have 6 different flooring types if you stand at my front door. It used to be the fashion to have different floors for different rooms. Apparently, not any more. Now it is all the same flooring thruout. So, when we get to the point of thinking about selling, I am sure I will have to bite the bullet. We have an 85 pound German Shepherd. She is a sweetie, but her nails are black and the people that Dremel them are very good with her. But, it only lasts for about 2-3 days, and then she is clicking again. Drives me crazy!! So, I am following your post in hopes to learn something. Thank you for sharing!

Tile can be very long lasting and is the better choice for some climates and locations. However, tile can crack, grout does discolor and tile styles change frequently. My hall tile is 30 years old - probably could go on another 30 years - but there are hairline cracks in a few tiles - which I could replace with some extra tile I have stored in the basement. The repair would show since the grout is discolored. I could then use grout paint, which would hold up a few years before it needed reapplying. The tile I have is no longer in style and hasn't been for 15 years. I suppose I could claim it is vintage but it really just looks like not the best style of 1989:) I have some friends working on an old victorian house. The wood floors are in great shape. The tile in the bathroom has a big crack running across the floor. The tile is a sweet vintage penny tile, but the bathroom floor will need to be replace. It did hold up a long time - not sure when the big crack happened as they bought the house that way.