I am interested in getting a bamboo floor put in. I want it to be darker than usual and I understand that the bamboo has to be heated to get the color. I also understand that the darked the color, the softer the bamboo is? I want to know how soft this flooring is going to be HONESTLY. Is it going to be like a pine floor? And how well does it really hold up to animals? Any input welcome!

You can actually stain the bamboo floor without heating it. This is where we got our floor. Bamboo also hardens more as it ages. It still get dings in it but it is harder than my sisters cherry floor. Well, at least it can take harder hits. :)I would definitely not go with the heated kind. Unless you want the natural wood with not glaze. It will still have a clear coat over it, or at least it should. This is where we bought our floor.
Discount Bamboo Flooring : Simplefloors.com (http://www.simplefloors.com/products/Bamboo-Flooring/category2.aspx)

Simplefloors sent me $2K worth of defective flooring and refuse to refund me. It was tested twice by flooring experts and both found it to be a manufacturing issue but Simplefloors and the NASTY manager of customer service MOLLY, will be handed a suit very soon. Spend your money elsewhere.

Personally I like laminate flooring, get the look of wood with much better durability. I have two dogs and two kids and have had the laminate for over 5 years, not one scratch or ding, and it's a floating floor, so easy to replace pieces of damage occurs. Sorry, I don't know much about bamboo flooring. Good luck.