There are so many factors to consider when buying an area rug. Your dogs are one of them.
In this guide, I will help you discover the best rugs for dog owners.
We shall also discuss the following:
- Best rugs for dogs that shed
- Best rugs for dogs that chew
- Best rugs for dogs that pee
- Best rugs for dogs that dig
- Washable dog rugs
- Dog resistant rugs
- Dog-friendly area rugs
- Dog proof area rugs
Characteristics of best rugs for dogs
- Easy to clean, and if possible, machine-washable
- Chew-resistant
- Comfortable and warm
- It makes your home look good, classy, and beautiful.
- It is skid resistant to prevent slip and fall accidents.
- It is durable & affordable
Pro Tip: Shop for rugs marketed with the following terms, “pet-friendly,” “outdoor rugs,” “dog proof rugs,” and “dog-friendly,” among others.
USES OF BEST RUGS FOR DOG OWNERS
Here are some of the reasons why you might need to protect your rugs from your dogs. Solutions to each problems is also provided in this post.
#1 bring mud, grease, debris and other types of dirt
When most active and playful dogs go outside, there is a possibility that they will come inside the house all muddy, mucky, messy, and dirty generally. In such a case, one of these high traffic foot areas rug materials might be tolerant to that too much dirt.
#2 Cause Spots, stains, and odors from urine and poop
Lack of urination control, also known as incontinence issues, is also common in younger puppies and older/mature dogs. That urine can easily cause bad smells on your rugs if not cleaned on time. In such a case, you will need to look for best rugs for dogs that pee.
#3 Rug fleas & pests
Some dogs might have fleas and pests, which can easily deposit their eggs on your rugs. Check out this guide on how to get rid of rug moths.
#4 Chewing the rug fibers
Some dogs will also chew or rip up the rug fibers, especially those made from natural fibers. This can be a severe health risk, especially when small dogs swallow those threads and rug fibers. It can also be such a big loss because the chewing can quickly destroy highly expensive oriental rugs.
#5 Fur shedding
Additionally, some dogs shed a lot of hair, which means you will need to select the best rugs for dogs that shed. For example, Shag rugs are not the best choice for people with long-haired dogs or those with too much fur because that fur and hair will be easily trapped in shag rugs.
If you are a dog owner facing any of the above challenges and many others, continue reading this post to discover some of the best area rugs for dog owners.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING BEST RUGS FOR DOG OWNERS
Below are some of the factors you should consider when deciding which is the best rug for your dog.
#1 COLOR
With accident-prone or highly active dogs who are likely to cause spills and dirt stains, you will need to look for rugs with dark colors because the bright color ones will get dirty quickly and show dirt easily.
You will also want to choose a rug that matches the color scheme of your home décor to reinforce the aesthetic beauty of your home.
For dogs that shed heavily, you will need to choose a multi-colored rug color or one close to their fur hue to avoid vacuuming your rug all the time.
#2 ANTI-SLIP
Active dogs will jump up and down on the rugs. Such movements will easily cause rug migration or folding movements.
That movement and the rug bumps formed are dangerous for your dogs because it can cause slip and fall accidents which can e
In such a case, you will need to put rug pads, carpet tape, or anti-slip mats below your rugs to keep them in place.
You can also look for rugs with rubber backing, which helps to keep your rugs in place.
Pro Tip: when you are choosing rubber backed rugs, avoid the glued-on or tufted options because they are less waterproof and highly absorbent. This means urine and poop will easily soak into your rugs, causing bad smells and discoloration on your floors.
#3 MATERIAL
Rugs marketed as “outdoor rugs” and “high foot traffic area rugs” are the best pet-friendly rug materials.
Generally, what you need is a durable rug material, such as wool, Nylon, and Polyester. Some people also recommend Olefin.
Also, you need a material that is easy to clean either by hand, vacuuming, machine, or spot cleaning.
#4 PILE
The number of threads used to make a rug is what is called pile.
If you have a high shedding dog, you should go for a short pile rug because they are easy to vacuum out the dog hair.
Unlike looped pile rugs, cut pile rugs are mostly preferred for dogs with claws to reduce the possibility of damage resulting from trapped claws or chewing.
#5 SIZE
This will depend on the size of your dog. You need one of these best rugs for large dogs if you have a huge dog in your home.
Your budget will also determine the size you choose. The larger the size, the more expensive it becomes.
The space in your home will also guide the size. You must pick the perfect dining, Livingroom, kitchen, bedroom, or entryway rug depending on your home.
5 BEST RUGS FOR DOG OWNERS
DOG PROOF AREA RUGS
#1 Safavieh Madison MAD611B Area Rug
Low pile: It has a 0.375-inch pile height, which makes it easy to see stains and vacuum the rug. That low maintenance and easy cleaning property make it pet-friendly. The low pile also makes this rug smell, mold, bacteria, stain, and moth resistant.
Rubber backed: This makes it non-slip and keeps the rug in place. This is very important because rugs which moves can cause dangerous slip and fall accidents to your dogs, especially the very active ones jumping up and down. However, this feature means that this rug is NOT machine-washable.
Safavieh rug features
Material: A mixture of polypropylene, jute, polyester, and cotton, which makes it very durable.
Design: Features a Bohemian chic design that will make your home look stylish, elegant, and classic.
Versatile: Can be used in the living room, dining room, bedroom, kitchen, and all high traffic areas, which makes it ideal for use with kids and pets.
Non-shedding: All the materials above are of high quality and do not shed.
Brand trust: Safavieh is a highly trusted home furnishing brand that has been in the market for more than 100 years.
Reviews: This area rug has more than 7,000 customer reviews, and that is why it’s called “AMAZON’s BEST CHOICE.”
Affordable: These rugs go for less than $30, which means you get high quality for a pocket-friendly price.
DOG FRIENDLY AREA RUGS
#2 Sofia Unique Loom 3134080 Area Rug
Highly resistant: This rug is resistant to many things, such as water, mildew, and stains, and shedding.
Easy to clean: You can easily spot clean with this rug with a carpet cleaner or shampoo, even with tough stains.
Color: Comes in four color hues: Tan, Ivory, Blue, and Light Blue, to choose from.
Reviews: This pet-friendly rug has more than 5000 customer reviews, which means it’s popular to Amazon customers.
Pro Tip: This rug tends to crease and fold easily, especially when you buy it since it comes all folded up, so read this guide to learn how to get creases and bumps out of your area rugs.
Additionally, this rug does not have a rubber backing, which makes it non-slip. Therefore, remember to add a rug pad or other anti-slip solutions that keep this rug in place on carpeted floors, hardwood floors, and other floor type surfaces where the rugs need to remain in place to eliminate slip or fall accidents.
#3 Superior Modern Viking 3X5RUG
Dark color: This feature is good at hiding dirt and stains.
Design: Features a Moroccan Trellis pattern that will make your home look stylish and impressive.
Easy to clean: You can choose to vacuum regularly or spot clean.
Higher pile: This rug has an 8mm pile height, which makes it a little more plush. This feature adds more warmth and comfort to your dogs when they lie on the rug.
Highly resistant: This rug is mothproof, hydrophobic, fire retardant, and anti-static.
Pro Tip: This rug does not have a non-skid backing, which means you will need to add a rug pad beneath it to keep it in place.
DOG RESISTANT RUGS
#4 RugStyles Pet Paw 9102 Runner Rug
Design: Features a unique pet paw and bone design, which is beautiful.
Color: Comes in three main hues-green, brown, and beige.
Low pile: Makes it easy to vacuum and see stains or spot clean them.
Rubber backed: comes with a rubber backing, which gives the rug anti-slip properties, which means you shall not incur extra cost for that.
WASHABLE DOG RUGS
#5 Unique Loom Trellis 3115917 Moroccan Area Rug
Machine-washable: They do not have any non-slip backing so you can wash the washer.
Made from polypropylene: This is a durable synthetic rug material made for high traffic areas.
Short pile: this feature makes it easy to clean these rugs even by hand through spot cleaning or vacuuming up.
Below are other recommended washable dog rugs similar to the one above:
BEST RUGS FOR DOGS THAT PEE
All the five best rugs for dog owners featured above are ideal for dogs that pee.
Practice the following rug care features if you have dogs that pee.
#1 Clean as soon as possible
If you catch your dog peeing, you should clean the mess immediately before it sits in and dries up on the rug.
For fresh urine or pee deposits, take a paper towel and collect any solid remains first.
Use another paper towel or cotton towel to soak out as much liquid as possible and to dry out the rug thoroughly.
You can then spray the Rocco & Roxie odor and stain eliminator to remove any stains, or bad pet smells left by the urine or pee.
If the pee or urine has already dried out or left a deeper stain, you can use baking soda, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide to remove it, as explained in that post.
#2 Choose easy to clean rugs
Go for rugs marketed as “short pile rugs” because they are easy to spot clean and vacuum.
Rugs also, which are “machine-washable,” will make the washing process easy for you because you will just need to through the rug into the washing machine.
Rugs made from “high traffic areas rug materials,” such as wool, Polypropylene, Nylon, and natural fibers are also ideal choices for easy to clean rugs.
#3 Pick the color wisely
Bright colors will show the pet pee stains easily. They will also make cleaning hard because you want to retain that bring cream, white and other bright color hues.
Therefore, you will be safer to choose dark color shades, such as brown, black, and Ivory, among others if you have dogs that pee.
BEST RUGS FOR DOGS THAT SHED
All the five best rugs for dog owners featured above are ideal for dogs that shed.
Practice the following rug care features if you have shedding dogs.
#1 Brush & trim your dog hair regularly
This will help to remove excess hair, which might be deposited on the rug.
Make sure you do this outside to avoid dropping that fur on your rugs and carpets.
You can check out this Pet grooming Glove or this pet grooming brush, which will help you achieve the de-shedding process perfectly.
#2 Shop for short pile rugs
A high pile plush rugs will hide the dog fur, making it hard to get them out.
You will need to go for short pile rugs like the Safavieh Madison or the Sofia Unique loom because they are easy to vacuum out the pet hair.
#3 Vacuum regularly
If you wait for the dog fur to accumulate for more extended periods, getting them out will be more difficult.
Therefore, you need to buy a pet-oriented vacuum cleaner so that you can suck out the dog fur out of rugs at least once per week.
Pro Tip: If you cannot afford a Vacuum cleaner, you can use a Lint Roller to de-fur your rugs. You can also roll Duct Tape on your hand with the sticky side facing out, then place it in the rug and pull it out.
#4 Pick the rug color wisely
Pick a rug color or hue which matches that of your dog fur.
This will prevent the fur from being noticed easily before you vacuum them out, especially if your home is busy with many house guests.
BEST RUGS FOR DOGS THAT CHEW
All the five best rugs for dog owners featured above are ideal for dogs that shed.
Practice the following rug care features if you have dogs that chew.
#1 Avoid rugs with tassels or fringe
These are loose threads attached mainly on the rug edges.
A dog that chews will be easily attracted to such loose threads. Pulling on them can damage the other rug fibers.
In worst-case scenarios, it can result in health hazards, such as intestinal blockage, if the dog swallows some of those fibers.
#2 Use an anti-chew deterrent
There are several solutions you can spray on the rug to discourage your dog from chewing on it, such as this Roco & Roxie No Chew Bitter Spray.
#3 Dog toys
Some dogs, especially puppies, could chew on the rug because they have teething problems.
Get Dog toys for such a dog to keep them busy and distract them from chewing on the rug.
#4 Keep your dog active & less stressed
If your dog is idle and just lies on the rugs the whole day, it may develop stress and loneliness.
It may result in chewing on the rug to keep itself busy.
Thus, ensure you engage your dog with outdoor activities to keep it active.
#5 Train your dog
Dogs are easily trainable through the classical conditioning method, where you discourage a behavior through punishment and then reinforce positive response with a reward.
If you catch your dog chewing on the rug, you can say a firm no, remove them from the spot and pour some water on them using a spray bottle. Doing so will make them associate chewing with uncomfortable things, which will discourage them from doing it.
In cases where they do not chew after the punishment, give them a dog treat to reinforce the behavior.
BEST RUGS FOR DOGS THAT DIG
All the five best rugs for dog owners featured above are ideal for dogs that dig.
Practice the following rug care features if you have dogs that dig.
#1 keep your carpets clean
A dog may dig on the rug to look for food particles, pests, and other deposits on the rug. In such a case, vacuum your rugs regularly to get out any debris or particles in the fibers. You must also ensure your dog is well-fed all the time.
The rug might also have a smell that attracts the dog. Dogs hate the smell of citrus, so use the Loco Bitter spray to keep off the dog out of the rug.
#2 Keep your dog busy
Dogs dig on rugs when they are bored, anxious, stressed, or highly entertained.
Make sure the attention of your dog is positively engaged to eliminate the possibility of them using that extra energy to dig your rugs.
For example, you give them a Puzzle toy or take a walk with them.
#3 Manage the nails
Make sure you trim and cut your dog nails regularly to keep them at a safe size, which does not cause too much damage on your rugs in case they dig when you are not around.
You can also let your dog wear these dog socks or mittens to cover up their toenails and paw claws.
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