Thank you Katie for sharing you amazing review of Shaw Primavera. We are delighted to know that you are super impressed with this flooring. We are very happy to know that the installation went well once you were able to get a feel for how the planks engage and that you were able to cut the planks easily. We are also happy to know that the flooring is proving its durability by holding up to your 80 pound excited dog. I do not blame the dog, I get pretty excited at meal time too. This flooring does have a high color variation and it is wonderful for hiding pet hair and dust bunnies. Planning the layout of the room as well as working from multiple boxes will help with the fact that there are only 5 patterns to this flooring. It will take a little extra planning, but the end result is stunning. We have a Consumer Concierge team available if you should have any questions or concerns. Please contact this team at askshaw@shawinc.com or (844) 742-7429, Monday through Friday, 8 am until 6 pm est. Thank you again for the amazing review and have an awesome day!~clf