I was hoping that you would get more responses because I'm in the same state of confusion. We don't have dogs, but live in a rural area with dust, dirt, snow & temperature extremes. I've had wood laminate for the past 13 years (Wilsonart from when it first came out). What I really want is tile; however we're in our 50's and I have concerns over how hard it will be as we get older. So I'm leaning toward the Duraceramic or back to laminate possibly in a tile look. A young neighbor with small children put in the real tile & said it's hard to walk on so she's wishing she did the Duraceramic. I'm a little hesitant on the laminate because what we have looks fake, more plasticy, plus, it's peaked at the seams from the initial installation. We get a lot of sunlight so every seam is very evident. Have you checked on the differing needs for underlayment? That might influence your decision.

In order: Siberian Husky- my favorite Me and Aleksander Tatyana Mashenka Anastasia Rottweiler- a very close second K'Ehleyr B'Elanna Kate Moss Kang Lab and Golden retrievers Ms. Mike Max Also loved but not yet owned: Pit Bull and mixes Samoyed Chow and mixes Beagle Maltese

Saltidawg, during my research on the subject, long ago when preparing to begin a home cooked diet, I learned that the correct proportion is 1 1/2 teaspoons of calcium per 6 cups meat. I found this information from several sources, but I couldn't name them now. It was awhile ago. For instance if you cooked 12 cups of meat, you would add 3 teaspoons of powdered calcium or baked ground eggshell. As far as the ratio of phosphorous to calcium: it is easy to make this more complicated than it needs to be. Phosphorus is found in the meat and tissues of an animal while calcium is found in the skeleton. If you follow the equation: 1 1/2 teaspoons of calcium to 6 cups of meat (aka the phosphorus found in 6 cups of meat) you will have the correct proportion. If meat is the primary main ingredient, as it should be when feeding a carnivore, the phosphorus content of your food is taken care of. The key is to add calcium in the right proportion to the phosphorus in the meat. Those feeding a raw prey diet just feed the entire animal, for instance a whole chicken, and the bones and meat, aka calcium and phosphorus, are in correct proportion naturally. Those of us cooking dog food have two choices - either add powdered calcium to the meat we cook to replace the bones, or use a pressure cooker to cook an entire chicken, bones and all, being sure that the bones are cooked to the point they crumble apart when touched with a fork. For me, both feeding raw chickens or using a pressure cooker seem fraught with complications and dangers (although many choose these options with success.) I hope this helps. Also the proportion of every single meal need not be exactly in proportion. It is a guideline. Because, after all, a carnivore doesn't always eat the entire carcass of every animal he kills or scavenges. If you consistently fed meals lacking in enough calcium, eventually you would probably have nutritional problems. I hope this helps.

Sounds like she's really small -- in that case, if you still want to consider a harness, look in the cat-gear department. Really! They make harnesses for cats, too, and that would be a better fit. (I can't tell you how hard I laughed when I first saw a cat being walked in a harness...) Congrats on your "official" dog now. I can't imagine how that dog would've ended up on the loose when you found her. Maybe it got away from its owners who were traveling through the area (but why they wouldn't contact all the vets within a 100 miles -- as I would've done -- is beyond me). Or maybe they just couldn't afford to keep her anymore (but if I were in that situation, I would so want to make sure she went to a good home). Regardless, you all seem to be fitting in well with each other. Many happy walks together!