Wood/woodlike Flooring

I think dog nails can do a number on just about any kind of wood flooring. But tile (ceramic, porcelain, etc) is pretty much indestructible so far as dogs are concerned. Just seal the grout, so you can clean it more easily. Spills (or potty accidents) can stain grout in nothing flat if they aren't sealed.

Like Riley, we have Pergo floors. I love it & hate it ( my husband HATES them). For us right now, it's our best option , messy kids, huge messy dog. I do have to sweep & wet swifter everyday for them to look descent . We have had the flooring for almost 10 years & they have held up great, for the wear & tear they've been subjected to, not one scratch. They are cold & has my husband says " institutional feeling " but for now , they work for us. There's so many more flooring options ,now. I'm sure you will find something to fit your families lifestyle. I got our Pergo , super cheap. It was a discontinued color. So it's possible to find a great deal, if you shop around.

Get the laminate and the kids and pets won't ruin it. We have Pergo floors and our kids are constantly zooming around the house on ride-on toys, dragging chairs around, dropping everything they touch, etc. The floors are in great shape. Do not go with real wood, as it will get totally scratched and ruined.

We put laminate flooring in the basement and it was really cheap, it looks great and it is easy to look after.

We went with stained concrete. We have a pool and my husband was concerned that the water dragged in would eventually warp the wood over time. We also have a very large dog, and we weren't sure what her nails would do to any flooring. We did the concrete ourselves. It was a VERY tedious job, but not difficult or tricky.. It was also very inexpensive. I have to wax it twice a year. Otherwise it just gets swept. I rarely even mop it. It's basically indestructible. We have a large area rug for lounging on.

We have one section of laminate in our upstairs and it has proven to be very durable. The brand is Formica (just like the countertops). There is no water the area (Its a long hallway) and we have had it down about 12 years and it still looks good.
BUT- brand matters! You say cost is a factor, but do your research on the best rated brands. Avoid the cheap stuff. There is nothing worse than peeling floor.
Also, there are some vinyl tile fake woods that look decent. Don't know the wear on those.

Laminate is great. Cheap, extremely durable, kid/pet friendly, and not difficult to install. Laminate has come a LONG way in the past few years. Some of the stuff you can buy now looks a lot like real hardwood floors at a fraction of the cost.

We were in the same situation--wanted to get rid of the carpet downstairs, but with a pool in the small backyard, a dog, a cat and 3 kids, we knew wood wouldn't hold up. We ended up with a ceramic tile that looks like distressed hardwood. Everyone who comes into our home thinks its the real thing and are shocked when we tell them it's tile, not wood. Easy to clean and requires no maintenance--still looks brand-new 4 years later! Good luck in your search for the perfect flooring.

The most durable thing would be tile.
As in ceramic tile.
Then your dog(s) or pets can't scratch it.

Or, a concrete floor, that is made to look like wood. You need a professional for this.

Wood laminate flooring. But if water is sitting on it, it will damage it. And it can scratch.
But it is a good alternative to "wood like" flooring.

Or, there is "Vinyl Plank", flooring.
Which comes in various qualities, and made to look like wood. Some are sticky backed and is laid down. And some are almost like tongue and groove type wood planks.