Pets do three things to a floor: they scratch it, they wet it, and they slip on it. Most flooring handles one of those well.
Ranked, for a house with animals
1. Luxury vinyl plank, 20 mil wear layer or thicker. Waterproof, so an accident that sits all day does nothing. Scratch-resistant, and softer than tile so an older dog can stand up on it. The wear layer is the number that matters. 6 or 12 mil is builder-grade and will show claw marks. Ask for the mil rating specifically, because it is often left off the sample tag.
2. Tile. Effectively indestructible and completely waterproof. Two real drawbacks: it is cold and hard, which older or arthritic dogs struggle with, and grout stains if accidents are not cleaned quickly. Sealed grout helps.
3. Laminate with an AC3 rating or better. Harder than LVP, so it resists claw scratches better. But the wood core means one bad accident that soaks in overnight can swell a plank permanently. Only for homes where accidents are rare.
4. Carpet, if it is the right carpet. Solution-dyed nylon with a moisture-barrier pad is far more forgiving than standard carpet. The barrier stops liquid reaching the pad and subfloor, which is what causes the smell that never leaves. Still the highest-maintenance choice.
5. Hardwood. Beautiful and the worst practical choice. Claws dent it, urine stains it black through the finish and into the wood, and the repair is refinishing the whole room.
The numbers to ask for
Wear layer, in mil. 20 mil or better for dogs. Not the total plank thickness. The wear layer specifically. They are different numbers and stores quote whichever sounds bigger.
AC rating, for laminate. Under EN 13329 the scale runs AC1 to AC5. AC3 is heavy residential and is the realistic minimum for a house with a dog. AC4 is general commercial and AC5 is heavy commercial: more than a home needs, and you will pay for it. Anything below AC3 is not a pet floor.
Pad, for carpet. A moisture-barrier pad costs more and it is the entire difference between a spill and a permanent problem.
The one nobody mentions: traction
Dogs slip on smooth floors. A dog that runs through the house on slick LVP or polished tile can tear a cruciate ligament, which is a four-thousand-dollar surgery. Textured or embossed finishes give measurably better grip than smooth gloss.
If you have a big dog, ask to see textured samples specifically. It costs nothing extra and it matters more than the color.