I can't say for sure what is best, but I can say that we have unstained semi-gloss red oak floors that have lived through three big dogs (one at a time, though) and as much as 20 years and still look fine. The current 80 pound doodle loves to run and make skidding corners around, through, and over everything. Scratches just don't show. Dirt and dust show relatively little. But drifts of black fur (she is unfortunately a shedding doodle) are another story. I think any stained floor, especially if the stain was significantly different from the natural color, would present problems eventually. I posted pics of the floor under the pegged oak thread below. I know this isn't the look you want, but it is darn near dog proof! Here is a link that might be useful: Pegged oak floors

I've researched A LOT on this and found that Cork is the way to go but you must be careful that it comes from Portugal. Anywhere else is likely to be mixed with something and you want 100%. Cork is naturally water repellent, antimicrobial, resistant to mold and mildew. It is a little pricey but well worth it. A bonus is it is bug repellent and great for those with allergies. Unfortunately, there is no sealant so far that resists ammonia which is the main component of pet urine. Waterproof only means water, we are dealing with a chemical here. That being said, while not resistant to it cork holds up best to the ammonia, meaning you still have to thoroughly clean that spot with the proper cleaner but not within 5 minutes of the dog peeing. Less wiggle room with waterproof sealants but cheaper. Definitely want to go for vinyl or tile if looking for the cheapest route and no floating floors or sticky floors use grout and seal it well and stay on top of cleaning. Again make sure you use the appropriate cleaners. BTW I have 3 Chihuahua's one who is an inbred so had some incontinent issues and another who was diagnosed with diabetes so also has some issues with incontinence it was just suggested to me to try a belly band so I am going to look into that. I hope I was of some help. Good luck.

My neighbours have two huge dogs (and two small children) and did LVT everywhere in their new 3,000 ft two story home. They are pleased with it but do have some scratches from pup’s claws you can see at some angles/lights. Another friend did it all on her main floor (carpet in basement) in her new build and likes it too - she thinks it is very comfortable for one - except for having to give up her steam mop. She has no pets though. I am not personally a fan of it unless for a basement but it is undeniable it has a lot of pros too. It does not have as great resale some on here say but I think that depends on market and so on. Here you see LVT in $500,000 - $800,000+ homes. If you are in a hot humid climate tile everywhere can be okay but I would personally never put it everywhere in my climate (Canadian prairies so not that different from Ontario) which has the full brunt of all four seasons, even with in floor heating. To me it is a bit sterile and unpleasant to walk or stand on for long periods. I love it when I travel to Carribean or other hot humid climates though! There if is cool and refreshing! Resale is reportedly better but again that is market dependent. Here it is not highly desireable. I was just in Ontario recently in GTA and out of curiousity browsed listings and I did see a few houses with all tile though on main so maybe it is not unexpected there. Laminate. You will get mixed opinions. I personally love laminate and prefer it even to hardwood (I know, sacrilege! But I also am one of those who likes carpet on stairs and in bedrooms - I just like what I like!) and it is so much better these days than used to be - if you get thicker wear layer etc. Great against dog claws and marks, but not so great for water though I understand they do have waterproof versions (can’t vouch for them). Honestly, if I were you I might do tile in mud room, foyer and powder room which are all right off front and high traffic (possibly with boots and shoes full of sand or salt from winter roads), and LVT elsewhere for a cohesive look. Or, do LVT everywhere if you really want one flooring only for main floor. Just be aware you still should be cautious as grit from your shoes at entry and such can cause scratching if “dragged” etc. But if you look at local listings and see a lot of tile everywhere in homes and you are okay with the hardness, look, cold issues (or adding in floor heating) it might be best choice - it would certainly be the most durable for you. But it is okay to do different flooring in different rooms if it makes sense - I am moving from a house with hardwood everywhere on main floor to one where we chose to with tile for foyer & garage entry and main floor bath, laminate for rest of main floor. But we have a cat, not a dog :)

We have hardwood everywhere on our main and second floors. Our 75 lb. GR has figured out he needs to limit his "zoomies" to the area rugs or 3rd floor carpeted game room where he can get better traction. I don't find him any more destructive to our floors than our 4 kids were as teenagers. Our satin sheen does a pretty good job of hiding scratches and paw prints. We keep his nails trimmed, and accept that our house is meant to be lived in. It will never be pristine, or I'd be vacuuming up dog hair 3x a day! If you want hardwood, don't let having a GR prevent that. And I say no to tile flooring--it'll be hard on your dog's joints as it gets older, and given the breed's predisposition to hip problems, not a good idea.