Pawsitively Perfect: Choosing the Best Rugs for Dogs and Their Unique Needs

The best rugs for dogs do exist!

If not housetrained, dogs can wreak havoc on carpets and rugs. This is especially true if they go out for their walk on a rainy or muddy day and you don’t have a pet friendly rug. Tracking all that mud and debris over your clean carpets can be nothing short of a nightmare.

However, just because you have a dog doesn't mean you can't have nice rugs. You can simply look for a pet friendly rug that can stand up to a muddy paw or four.

 

What Are the Best Rugs for Dogs?

You have to consider a lot when looking for the best rugs for dogs. The first and most important factor is how your pet interacts with the rug. Most dogs shed, and your rug will pick up all that hair. Senior dogs may also need a soft place to lie down that’s easier to get up from than hardwood or tile flooring.

The rug you choose will have to be tough and able to endure quite a bit as far as your dog is concerned. A dog friendly rug is often made of synthetic fibers such as Olefin or polyester. Unlike the plush high pile or shag rug made of natural fibers, these rugs should be flat-woven.

Synthetic rugs tend to be tougher. They are also much easier for pet owners to clean. Furthermore, synthetic fibers are toxin-free, which is good for the family and dogs.

The Best Rugs for Dogs

With that in mind, here are some of the best rugs for dogs today.

Best Overall: Skid-Resistant Area Rug Black Ripple

This skid-resistant area rug in black ripple is perfect for dogs. It comes with a non-slip rubber backing, which does wonders for your pet's confidence when they are walking around the house. Very few things are as scary to a dog, especially an elderly dog, as a slippery surface.

Surfaces like tile or wood floors can be frightening for our four-legged friends. Their paws simply can't handle the lack of traction, and that's where this skid-resistant area rug comes into play. With this rug adorning the surfaces around your house, your dog can confidently walk around without slipping or falling.

Besides that, this skid-resistant area rug is made out of tough Olefin fiber, which can resist those pesky pet stains while still being comfortable on your dog’s paws. The low and soft loop pile surface and design easily blends into the floor and ensures your pet won't trip over the rug as they wander around the house or get a case of the zoomies. This rug can also help reduce noise, which is always a welcome benefit where children and pets are concerned.

Finally, this area rug features finished edges, giving it a beautiful yet neat look and preventing fraying. Loose strands often tempt puppies (or dogs who think they’re puppies) into playing with them and making the fray worse. With this kind of finish, there's no need to worry about that.

Pros:

• Easy to clean
• Low-pile design
• Finished edges
• Comfortable
• Non-slip rubber backing

Cons:

• Some found it difficult to clean stuck on leaves and debris off the rug when shaking it

 

Best Themed Option: Street Rug Skid-Resistant Area Rug

If you have kids who love both their dog and racing cars, this street rug skid-resistant area rug might be a way to give them the best of both worlds.

Designed to look like a road–complete with yellow lines running down the middle–this Street Rug Skid-Resistant Area Rug is fun to look at and safe for your kids and pets. Made from Olefin material, the rug is tough and easy to clean.

The design itself works perfectly for a race track-themed room. The non-slip rubber backing makes it safe for all family members, both two-legged and four. The non-slip feature ensures they don't skid when running around and playing. The Olefin material has no toxins or fibers, making it ideal for kids and pets with allergies.

Is that style a little too racy for you? You can still take advantage of everything this rug has to offer a home with a dog. It is also available in a classy mocha brown stripe design, perfect for any neutral color palette in the home.

Pros:

• Comes in a fun-themed design or neutral color scheme
• Non-slip rubber backing
• Made out of tough Olefin material
• Easy to clean
• Comes in different size options

Cons:

• The road-themed colors might not work for everybody

Best Option for Stairs: Set of 15 Skid-Resistant Carpet Stair Treads – Moroccan Trellis Lattice – Coffee Brown & Vanilla Cream

Most of us live in homes with stairs. Whether wooden or concrete, having a covering on them is good for your family members and your pets. This set of 15 skid-resistant carpet stair treads are perfect for people who have stairs and want to make them safer and more comfortable for their furry friends to walk up and down.

Made using high-quality polyester, these carpet treads are comfortable and stain-resistant. They feature a low-pile design (1/4 inch), blending with the rest of the staircase.

With finished edges, these skid-resistant carpet stair treads are beautifully serged to prevent fraying, giving your staircase a clean look.

As far as your dog goes, these carpet stair treads are comfortable to walk on and feature a non-slip rubber backing, so you don’t have to worry about them slipping while running down the steps to greet you. The soft surface keeps your pet's paws happy while preventing slipping and allowing them to move up and down the stairs more confidently, especially as they get into their senior years.

Pros:

• Low-pile profile
• Easy to clean
• Beautiful design
• Non-slip rubber backing

Cons:

• Only for your staircase and shouldn’t be used elsewhere

Best Runner Option: Skid-Resistant Carpet Runner Floral Bloom – Classic Brown

Designed for hallways between bedrooms or any surface you deem fit for runners, this skid-resistant carpet runner in floral bloom and classic brown is ideal for people with dogs who love to run around the house.

Made of high-quality polyester, this skid-resistant carpet runner has a non-slip rubber backing, making it almost impossible to skid and fall on. This means you have less to worry about as your children and dogs run freely around the house.

The low-pile height design is also thoughtful, as it lies almost flush with the floor, allowing for easy door movement. This skid-resistant carpet runner is stylish and easy to clean. It also features finished edges, ensuring the runner doesn't fray over time with high-traffic use.

You can also get an area rug and stair treads in a matching design.

Pros:

• Easy to clean
• Ideal for hallways
• Low-pile height design
• Made out of high-quality polyester

Cons:

• Not ideal for staircases

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Rugs for Dogs

Here are some key factors to consider when choosing the best rugs for dogs in your home.

• Non-slip: The rugs need a non-slip rubber backing to ensure your dogs don't fall when they take sharp turns running around the house.
• Easy to clean: It’s inevitable–eventually your dogs will make a mess on the rug. So look for a rug that is easy to clean and dries quickly.
• Durable: The rugs in your house will go through some abuse from both pets and children. They need to be made of tough, stain-resistant materials that are easy to clean.

There are also other factors to keep in mind, such as price and size. But with such a wide variety of options, you should be able to find something that fits both your space and your budget.

When shopping for the best rugs for dogs, keeping all this in mind and marrying them with your specific style will give you the best possible chance of choosing the right rug.

The above options are excellently built and designed to withstand your pets' attention. All you have to do is choose one that suits your specific needs and style.

 

FAQ

 

Why should I buy the best rugs for dogs?

Placing rugs around your home is a great way to make life more comfortable for your dogs. Just as you don't like walking barefoot on a cold, hard floor, your dog can't have much fun doing the same. The best rugs for dogs can also help with dirty paws, drool, slobber, and even housetraining a new puppy. Pet messes happen, so you want to find the best rug that is easy to clean and can withstand wear and tear from your dog.

Does the color matter?

Yes. Choosing colors that make it easier to hide dirt or stains might be ideal. Although the options above are easy to clean and resistant to stains, you probably don't want to wash them daily. Darker color rugs with patterns are great for hiding pet marks. If you have a dog that sheds a lot, you might want to choose a color that hides the fur.

What is the best rug material for pets with allergies?

Materials such as olefin, jute, sisal, and polypropylene are good for pets with allergies. They don't have that many fibers, if any. Low pile carpets are also great for those with allergies because they are much easier to clean.

 Author Bio: Sara Ochoa is a small animal veterinarian. In her free time she can be found working on a quilt or hanging out with her husband and son.