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" I currently have carpeting but am considering laminate/ceramic tiles. I have three large dogs indoors. What type would be most durable for them -- resistant to scratches from their nails and easy to clean up? Also something that is lower in maintenance. The carpeting is great, but we have accidents that never go away. Thanks.   Joan  Dear Joan, With three large dogs in the house, choosing flooring can be a serious dilemma. While carpeting is usually quite durable, even with the latest technology in stain resistance it&amp;#039;s difficult to keep up with the day-to-day stains and odors from pets.   I think laminate is a great product, and it&amp;#039;s durable too. I have a laminate floor in my kitchen -- which, with one large dog and two children, is a very high-traffic area. I&amp;#039;ve liked the laminate a lot, but over the years it has started to show wear. I have also found it to be a little slippery for pets, so I would be concerned about the traction for your three dogs.   In your case, I would recommend ceramic tile. It&amp;#039;s very durable and easy to maintain. Plus, the ceramic floors of today look so much like real stone and wood that you almost can&amp;#039;t tell the difference, and with so many style and price options, you can&amp;#039;t go wrong. Ceramic tile is becoming an increasingly popular flooring choice. People love glazed ceramic tile because it is completely resistant to staining and needs nothing but regular washing to stay looking like new. Choose a nonslip finish for safety.   One down side to ceramic flooring is that it can be cold. However, your dogs may actually appreciate the cool temperature of the ceramic tile in the hotter months. If you think your new ceramic tile floor may be too cold during the winter, you may want to consider heating it with a floor-warming system, such as Nuheat, which comes in a 1/8&amp;quot; thick mat that is easily installed under a tile floor. Check out www.nuheat.com for more information.   There are a number of companies that carry a large selection of ceramic flooring. I like Crossville&amp;#039;s Porcelain Stone, which is actually stronger and more durable than marble, slate or granite. No waxes or sealants are needed to maintain this product, so it&amp;#039;s perfectly suited to a &amp;quot;high-traffic&amp;quot; home. Check out www.crossvilleinc.com for more information on its products. Crossville&amp;#039;s Porcelain Stone is a great flooring choice throughout the home, not only in the kitchen. Using it continuously throughout the house can make the space feel larger, and you can always add rugs to soften seating areas. Some other ceramic tile manufacturers to consider are Mannington (www.mannington.com), Armstrong (www.armstrong.com) and Dal-Tile (www.daltile.com).   Good luck with your project. Jennifer "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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