No. Many people with large dogs have hardwood flooring. Your dogs will scratch the floors and it will cause more wear; however, unlike vinyl and laminate floors, hardwood can be refinished in the future. Keep in mind that even under normal circumstances, your hardwood floors will scratch. That being said, as hardwood floors age they tend to mellow.

Carpet and padding are petroleum based products and therefore increase in price as the cost of oil increases.

Hardwood flooring expands and contracts due to changes in temperature and relative humidity. Having adequate levels of humidity in the home will help minimize the shrinkage of your floors during the heating months.