Life with Dogs

Gracie, 2012. I am a Princess.

Gracie, 2015. I am still a Princess

Gracie,, 2017. I think I am promoting myself to Queen

My living room floor, under the area rug

Looks just great, doesn't it?

The good thing about putting your house on the market is you fix stuff that you have just forgotten. Or really don't care about. Or can't afford to correct. But the time comes that something has to be done. I have reached that point.

When I bought this house in April, 2009, the laminate flooring was brand new. I don't know why the kids selling decided to replace the flooring, but they did. It looked wonderful. It was shiny. It looked just like real wood. I decided within the first 6 months of living here that I wanted area rugs in the living room and office for warmth. Just too much dark wood.

Here is the thing about dogs, and this isn't all dogs, but it certainly pertains to my Princess/Queen Australian Shepherd: if stressed or ill or lazy, and you don't respond immediately to their request, they will pee in the house. Again, not often. But it happens. Gracie has a favorite spot in the living room, alongside the leather chair she sleeps in so she can look out the window. See above. "Princess" status.

I own a Hoover rug shampooer. It is excellent at cleaning rugs, but it does this with water. Because I am a part time idiot, I did not realize that hot water would warp and basically destroy the laminate wood flooring under the rug.  I didn't find all of this damage until I rolled up the old area rug to haul out for garbage a few years ago. So yes, I knew this was there and something had to be done. But I covered it up with a new rug pad and rug.  If you cover something, you aren't looking at it, right?

Handyman recommended by Cathy is coming today to give me an estimate on replacing the damaged pieces. This is a tongue and groove flooring, and there are quite a few extras in the utility room. I so need to pitch the current rug and buy another remnant. I don't do really good or expensive rugs, due to all of the above. I also no longer use my Hoover shampooer over the flooring.

This was my public service announcement for the year. Beware of this type of flooring. If I had my way and a lot of money, I would have ceramic tile throughout the entire house, with area rugs where needed. Life with dogs. I would not trade a second of it.
Linda