Harlee visits and has lessons on walking on Pergo :)

[Pam]

Harlee is staying with us this weekend while her human mommy and daddy have some time away. Robyn surprised Rob with a get-together at a restaurant last night with all of his friends and later a romantic get-away overnight for his 30th birthday.

When she arrived we soon discovered that Harlee was having a lot of difficulty walking on our Pergo flooring in the kitchen which has been installed since the last time she was here. My own dogs had a little trouble adjusting to its slippery surface but quickly adapted. If she walks too fast she goes *splat* and when a 90 lb. dog goes *splat* that is quite a sight to see and hear. Poor Harlee - yesterday she was even afraid to come into the kitchen and had to be coaxed through, with a treat, there to go outside. Today she is much better, although still wary and acts like she is walking on eggs.

I took some pictures this morning of the dogs outside and then after they came in I got a couple more. As you can see, Harlee's appetite is still intact.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. Also, has anyone else had trouble with their dogs adjusting to Pergo?

[Cincy'sMom]

I haven't seen Harlee in a while...what a beautiful girl she has grown up to be!!

We installed wood laminate in our dining room about a year ago, and it took the dogs some time to adjust. They still slip and slide when they get involved in a game of chase. If they got a vote, I'm sure they prefer we go back to carpet!

[borzoimom]

Hottie did when I lived in a house with that floor type. I had to keep his fur really short on his paws. Hottie fell going down the stairs and then blamed the landing as " the dangerious part". He sleeps with me, and would stand at the bottom of the landing and bark . I put short little runners down. It helped but he was still suspecious. Little by little he came around.
I am sure you already have the nails short, so take a look at the paws for side hair around the paws and underneith. Some poodles have alot of fur on the pads. Also if you wash the pads, it will raise the natural padding " flesh" cleaning it, and it will grip more. Do not soak the pads- just a wash.

[gemini9961]

We had laminate installed about a year ago and the dogs didn't even hesitate to walk on it. They all run full force through out the house without a hitch. Maybe mine like to slip and slide??

When Grant comes out of his crate in the morning he runs to the door to go out but he has to make a pretty sharp turn to get into the kitchen and he normally slides into the wall/garage door on the way out.

I'm surprised I don't have more marks than I do on my walls from them running/sliding into them.

Harlee looks gorgeous as ever.

[chocolatepuppy]

Don't have that type of flooring Pam, but those are great pictures of your poodles and grandpup!

[Rachel]

Yes, it can be a challenge. We have a dog cage in our kitchen which normally sits next to a window. The dogs like to sit on top of it to look out the window. After we got the Pergo type flooring I had to put down an area rug (the longer narrow kind) so they could have a runway for take off to get the momentum to jump to the top of the cage (which has covered with a thin dog bed). We have another area rug down by the door from the garage so dirty feet can be dried off. I know area rugs defeat the purpose of this type of floor, but in certain places they can be helpful.

How do you like the floor otherwise? Mine shows every spot, i.e. water from drippy chins.

Are Bella and Harley as close in height as they look? That really surprised me, as I thought Harley would be bigger than Bella.

[Pam]

How do you like the floor otherwise? Mine shows every spot, i.e. water from drippy chins.

Are Bella and Harley as close in height as they look? That really surprised me, as I thought Harley would be bigger than Bella.

Rachel I LOVE the floor. It is so easy to care for and stands up to anything. I have noticed those droplets of water since I chose a dark color. I have a small area rug by the back door to help dry wet paws on rainy days to keep it to a minimum. Harlee spent a lot of time on that rug yesterday.

Harlee weighs just about double what Bella weighs. (Bella is about 45 lbs. now and Harlee is 90). Harlee is longer, wide and more DENSE than Bella. She is taller than Bella but Bella has long legs. Also Bella looks more petite since I gave her a close haircut when the weather hit 70 degrees recently. She will not get another close shave until the spring.

Ripley actually is able to race in the kitchen. He has learned when to *apply his brakes.* Nothing stops that little dynamo! Robyn commented yesterday that it would be nice to have Pergo in her house to stop Harlee from running to the front door when the door bell rings. She sounds like a galloping elephant. With Pergo she would sound like a walking elephant.

[borzoimom]

I loved my pergo floor. It does show water spots sometimes but it was easy to take care of. Also I point I made with Pam on pm as she commented that it was noted to that they might want a pergo floor to stop the running through the house- Hottie is the only one that doesnt occasionally run through the house- he was always raised on a wood floor until 2 years ago. I had a spray I put on the dust floor mop and clean. Unlike carpet where dog hair can get into the pile requiring a daily run of the mop. Poodles dont shed- but Borzois do.. Considering how much coat, not too bad- but still. ...

[buttercup132]

Oh I just love seeing pictures when she comes to visit! She is so pretty,
Lol I love how shes eating out of a bowl that says "MY bowl" I'm sure it's one of your dogs.

[cyber-sibes]

Wow, Harley is all grown up! Such a pretty girl. I love the pics of her with Bella. Nice to see Bella, Ripley & Harlee together.

Pam, that floor is gorgeous! Question - does the Pergo scratch up like a regular wood floor? I have pinewood in my studio where I let mine in & after few months, it's really getting scratch up.

(By the way, did you see that the white toy poodle won the toy group in the Eukanuba show last night? I thought of your beautiful Bella!)

[shais_mom]

She sounds like a galloping elephant. With Pergo she would sound like a walking elephant.

until she crashes into the front door!

great pics and love the story!

[lizbud]

Wow, Harlee looks so grown up now. She is beautiful. I never considered
that flooring because I didn't want Buddy to have any accidents that would
injure his legs. Out of habit, I'd probably still put a throw rug down. just in
case. It does look great in your pictures.

[Pam]

I didn't want Buddy to have any accidents that would
injure his legs.

Liz that is a real concern especially for small dogs. One day at the vets I got talking to the owner of a teacup poodle (they aren't really recognized) but the little cutie had a cast on her front leg. She had also broken the other one previously by sliding into furniture. Fortunately Harlee is sturdy and will probably be just fine after some unplanned quick trips to the floor. She is getting better as we go along. In fact hubby (a dyed in the wool poodle man) recently said that if it wasn't for the large piles in the yard she would be a pleasure to have permanently. Her personality is just so sweet.

The floor holds up to everything. I can't sing its praises enough. Hubby first saw Pergo at his friend's house several years ago. This guy actually crushed out a cigarette on it. (I am not endorsing this as a good test of this flooring though )

P.S. Cybersibes, I forgot the dog show was on. I watched a rented video instead.

[luvofallhorses]

I don't have that kind of flooring either, but your poodles and Harlee are beautiful!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Great pictures, Pam! Harlee has matured beautifully. What a gorgeous girl she is. I can't believe her pink nosie is gone. Bella looks like she's your program director there and Ripley looks as if he goes along with anything Bella says

I have laminate flooring through the biggest part of the house. The girls never missed a beat when I had it put in. They do great on it. I worry about Daisy with her luxated patella problem but she seems to do fine.

My son has a problem with his laminate flooring, with his Aussies, so he added alot of rugs to slow them down. It helps alot.