We love our dogs, but sometimes they interfere with our desire for pristine interior design. This can be especially true with area rugs and entry rugs. While there are ways to help keep the fur and mess at bay before it hits the floor, it takes patience and diligence that many of us lack.
Rugs can get torn up by dogs, attract clumps of dog hair, hold unattractive stains, and a host of other problems. Many dog owners find this a reason to give up on rugs altogether.
However, some rugs are designed to handle the strain a pet can put on them better than others. Yet, with the overwhelming amount of options on the market, it can be difficult to find these dog-friendly carpets.
To help you in your search, we chose 13 top-rated rugs and put them to the test with dogs. We used our testing to create this list of the Top 7 Best Rugs for Dog Owners plus 3 honorable mentions!
Bonus note: If you’re looking for a dog bed to compliment your newly designed room, check out our Best Cooling Dog Beds and Best Heated Dog Beds.
Our Top Picks
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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Best Overall: NuLOOM Moroccan Blythe Area Rug | With many colors and sizes, this stain-resistant, durable rug is a game-changer for pet owners. | Check Price |
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Best Bold Designs: Persian Area Rugs | This is a bold and beautiful rug that will transform any room. Entertain both pets and people in style with this option. | Check Price |
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Best Vintage Style Rug: Persian Area Rugs Store Distressed Area Rug | Add this durable, medium pile rug to your vintage aesthetic room without worrying about a furry friend tearing it to pieces! | Check Price |
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Best For Resisting Stains: Safavieh Madison Collection Stain Resistant Rug | This beautiful, vibrant rug will withstand all of your pesky pet messes with simple spot cleaning. | Check Price |
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Most Durable: Antep Rugs Alfombras Modern Bordered Area Rug | This high-quality rug has a neutral design to fit in most rooms and is built to withstand even the toughest pets. | Check Price |
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Most Affordable: Artistic Weavers Area Rug | Pet owners on a budget will love this affordable rug for rooms where their pets spend a lot of time. | Check Price |
How We Chose the Best Rugs for Dog Owners
We know there are an overwhelming amount of carpet options to choose from on the market. However, not all of them can handle the high-energy, mess-prone life that many pet owners live.
To accommodate the needs of these pet owners in our search, we turned to brands that are known for their durability and stain resistance. Dogs make messes, and we needed to find rugs that can hold up to frequent cleaning.
One of these is nuLOOM, a company dedicated to making high-quality and affordable rugs that meet the needs of modern homes. This company works with interior designers and retailers to create rugs that can accommodate both people and pets.
We also looked at Safavieh, a company that has been producing carpets and rugs for over 100 years. Family-owned and known for its particularly beautiful rugs, this company has perfected the creation of durable rugs since its inception.
After considering the major brands, we sifted through all of the options from popular sites like Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart to compare ratings and reviews from the rugs available. We then ordered the top 13 and put them to the test.
Best Rugs For Dog Owners
1. Best Overall: NuLOOm Moroccan Blythe
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 5/5 |
| Affordability | 4/5 |
| Durability | 5/5 |
| Comfort | 5/5 |
| Stain Resistance | 5/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 5/5 |
Smallest Size: 2 ft x 3 ft | Largest Size: 12 ft x 18 ft | Material: Polypropylene | Shapes: Rectangular, Round, and Runner
What We Liked
- Durable material that will last a long time
- Stains are not apparent and come out with a quick spot treatment
- Many color and size options
What We Didn’t Like
- Odor upon opening that was pretty strong
- Wrinkled when first opened which took awhile to come out
- Colors slightly off from pictures
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
This rug topped our list for various reasons, but our favorite is the adaptable style and color scheme.
This rug has multiple designs that give us a choice between dark and light color schemes. This was especially helpful for accommodating our dogs of different fur colors. We also were pleased by the neutral yet attractive pattern options.
We did find that sometimes the colors were slightly different than the pictures, but the rug was still a handsome addition to a room.
We were able to order this rug in a wide range of sizes, spanning from 2 ft x 3 ft, all the way up to 12 ft x 18 ft. It also came in many shapes, such as rounded and runner style. This rug offered the shape, size, and design to fit any room.
Material (Ease of Cleaning and Durability)
This rug is made from polypropylene, which is known for its durable yet soft nature. We discovered that this material was perfect for holding up to an energetic dog and heavy foot traffic.
Our favorite part about this rug, especially from a pet owner’s perspective, is its almost magical ability to disguise stains. Our dog’s regular habits didn’t stand a chance against staining or damaging this rug.
We did find that this rug had a slight odor and was quite wrinkled when we first opened it, but the wrinkles and odor dissipated after a few days.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZON2. Best Bold Designs: Persian Area Rugs
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 4.5/5 |
| Affordability | 4/5 |
| Durability | 4/5 |
| Comfort | 5/5 |
| Stain Resistance | 5/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 4/5 |
Smallest Size: 2 ft x 3 ft | Largest Size: 9 ft x 12 ft | Material: Polypropylene | Shapes: Rectangular, Round, and Runner
What We Liked
- Durable
- Bold, unique design
- Easy to clean
What We Didn’t Like
- Colors were lighter than pictured
- Corners were prone to curling up
- Not very soft
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
This rug is a truly unique accent piece for any room. It comes in a wide range of colors, sporting a modern and eloquent design.
The brilliant and bold design added an element of style to our rooms and hid any signs of shedding or small pet accidents. While we did find the colors to be a little lighter than shown in the pictures, it did not diminish the beauty of this rug.
Material (Ease of Cleaning)
This rug is made of polypropylene, which held up to the antics of our rambunctious pups. Although not the softest of rugs, we felt that this was a perfect fit for high-traffic areas.
While we did find this rug to be durable, we did notice that the corners tended to turn up making them a slight trip hazard.
This rug can stand up to everyday messes, but we found that even when there was a hair accumulation or larger pet accident, we could easily vacuum or spot clean this carpet without the hassle of having to take it outside.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZON3. Best Vintage Style Rug: Persian Area Rugs Store Distressed Area Rug
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
| Affordability | 4/5 |
| Durability | 5/5 |
| Comfort | 4.5 |
| Stain Resistance | 4/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 4/5 |
Smallest Size: 2 ft x 3 ft | Largest Size: 9 ft x 12 ft | Material: Synthetic | Shapes: Rectangular and Runner
What We Liked
- Subtle, vintage style
- No frills or extra material for pets to tear at
- Durable for high traffic
What We Didn’t Like
- No round rug option
- Colors were more vibrant than pictured
- Not the most stain resistant
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
For our pet owners looking for a more subtle, vintage style for their home, this product from Persian Area Rug Stores was a dream come true. This rug comes in various colors and patterns, but they all feature a muted color scheme and antique design.
Be careful because while these rugs do still fit an antique style, the colors are a little more vibrant in person.
Like many of our other options, this rug comes in various sizes ranging from 2 feet x 3 feet, all the way up to 9 ft by 12 ft. Unlike some other options, though, it did not offer rounded options, and its runner options were limited.
Material (Ease of Cleaning)
This rug is made from a synthetic woven material that we found was able to handle the high traffic of pets and people. The simple no-frills design didn’t leave any frays for our dogs to chew, and we found this rug was able to lie flat after a couple of days of being unrolled.
In terms of softness, this rug fell somewhere in the middle, which we found was a perfect happy medium. We found it comfortable enough that our dogs were willing to lie on it, but not so soft that it left fuzz and stray material to tear at.
Although not the most stain-resistant option we tested, this rug was easy enough to vacuum or spot clean for hair and accidents.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZON4. Best for Resisting Stains: Safavieh Madison Collection Stain Resistant Rug
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
| Affordability | 4/5 |
| Durability | 4.5/5 |
| Comfort | 3.5 |
| Stain Resistance | 5/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 5/5 |
Smallest Size: 2.3 ft x 4 ft | Largest Size: 12 ft x 18 ft | Material: Polypropylene | Shapes: Rectangular, Runner, Square, Round
What We Liked
- Unique distressed design
- Stain-resistance for easy cleaning
- Great fit for high traffic areas
What We Didn’t Like
- Colors were slightly off from the listing pictures
- Less soft and thick than other options
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
Safavieh is a company known for its interior design expertise, and they do not disappoint with this Madison Collection Rug. The design of this rug is a perfect blend between modern and vintage and comes in a variety of colors to fit any room. However, the colors were slightly more vibrant than the muted coloring in the pictures.
Like many of the other options we tested, this rug comes in various sizes, ranging from 2.3 ft x 4 ft to 12 ft x 18 ft. We were also impressed by how many shapes this rug came in. With round, square, and rectangular options, along with runners of every size, everyone can find a fit for their space with this rug.
Material (Ease of Cleaning)
This was the most stain-resistant rug that we tried. Although it came in mostly lighter colors, the machine-woven consistency and medium-thick pile make the stains seem to dissolve away.
We found this rug perfect for high-traffic areas of both pets and humans. However, we did want to note that this is a thinner rug, and while it is still durable, it was one of our less thick and soft options.
This rug did have some issues upon opening, such as a distasteful odor and tough wrinkles. For the most part, these problems dissipated after a few days but it is something to be aware of.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZON5. Most Durable: Antep Rugs Alfombras Modern Bordered Area Rug
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
| Affordability | 5/5 |
| Durability | 5/5 |
| Comfort | 3.5/5 |
| Stain Resistance | 4.5/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 4/5 |
Smallest Size: 2.3 ft x 4 ft | Largest Size: 8 ft x 10.3 ft | Material: Polypropylene | Shapes: Oval, Rectangle
What We Liked
- Very durable material
- Neutral colors and design
- Low maintenance material
What We Didn’t Like
- Limited sizes
- Not comfortable for sitting on
- Not really washable
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
Unlike many of the other rugs we tried, this one has a very neutral design, being mostly solid colored with a design around the border. However, the medium, earth tones of the carpet and the textured design still did the trick against shedding dogs and spilled treats.
This rug was much more limited in size than some other options. The smallest size is 2.3 ft x 4 ft, and the largest size is 8 ft x 10 ft. There is one 5 ft by 7 ft oval option but no squares or runners. While some homeowners may find their perfect fit here, the options are limited.
Material (Ease of Cleaning)
Antep Rugs is known for its dedication to quality, and their rugs are imported right from Turkey. This rug delivers on the durability front; however, it does not offer much comfort. This product is low maintenance, and we found that it served well in laundry rooms or right outside of a pet’s crate, but it may not be the best for a formal living room.
The rug was very easy to spot clean or vacuum, but we don’t encourage a formal wash because it did not hold up to intense cleaning. Additionally, although this carpet does have a gel backing to prevent slipping, we think it needs a carpet pad beneath it to prevent wrinkles and floor scratches.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZON6. Most Affordable: Artistic Weavers Area Rug
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
| Affordability | 5/5 |
| Durability | 4/5 |
| Comfort | 3/5 |
| Stain Resistance | 4/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 4/5 |
Smallest Size: 2 ft x 3 ft | Largest Size: 12 ft x 18 ft | Material: Polypropylene | Shapes: Oval, Rectangle, Square, Runner, Round
What We Liked
- Affordable price for the rug sizes
- Neutral pattern and colors
- Easy to clean
What We Didn’t Like
- Very thin weave
- Lacks comfort
- Limited color options
- Needs a rug pad to protect floors and prevent skidding
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
This one is a fashionable bargain for dog owners looking for an affordable, modern-styled rug. Coming in at a lower price than all of the options on our list, our dog owners on a budget love this rug.
This rug comes in a modern pattern, with blue, black, and gray color options. While it didn’t offer as much versatility in design as some of the other options we tested, the neutrality of its design complimented almost any space.
Where it may have lacked in color and design options, this rug compensated with its wide range of size options, spanning from 2 ft x 3 ft all the way to 12 ft x 18 ft. It also had square, oval, and runner options galore.
Material (Ease of Cleaning)
This rug is the most affordable on our list, so unsurprisingly, it is also one of the thinnest. We liked this rug for particularly rowdy dogs and puppies because it didn’t break the bank, tear, or shed, but we didn’t feel dismayed if a chewer put it to the test.
Also, it offered very little for a pup prone to digging to claw or pick at. Cleaning this rug was also a breeze for our pet owners, as it can be easily vacuumed or spot cleaned. We also were able to put it through the wash without damaging it.
We would encourage using a rug pad under this rug to prevent skidding and floor scratches and to increase comfort.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZON7. Easiest to Clean: Unique Loom Sofia Collection
Product Ratings
| Overall Rating | 4/5 |
| Affordability | 4/5 |
| Durability | 4/5 |
| Comfort | 3/5 |
| Stain Resistance | 5/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 5/5 |
Smallest Size: 2 ft x 3 ft | Largest Size: 9 ft x 12 ft | Material: Polypropylene | Shapes: Rectangle, Square, Runner, Round
What We Liked
- No extra fabric for dogs to tear at
- Both vibrant and muted color options
- Easy to clean
What We Didn’t Like
- Lacked comfort
- Needed rug pad to prevent skidding
- Didn’t offer the largest sizes
Design (Size, Color, Appearance)
This vintage-style rug with a floral vibe will add pizzazz to any room. We appreciated its diverse color options; unlike some of the other rugs we worked with, this rug offered both vibrant and muted color schemes. We love this design’s ability to mask dog hair and minor stains.
Not only was this rug offered in many colors, but it also has sizes ranging from 2 ft x 3 ft to 9 ft x 12 ft. Although this is not the largest rug we tried, it comes in shapes like rectangular, round, square, and runner. This is a solid option for pet parents looking for a medium-sized rug.
Material (Ease of Cleaning)
Like many other pet-friendly rugs on the market, this product is made of polypropylene, so it can stand up to the rough and tumble antics that pups get into.
This is a thinner rug, so it lacks a bit of comfort, but for our owners whose priority is a rug that their dogs can’t claw at, this was a worthwhile compromise.
We loved the ease of cleaning this rug. We found that we could vacuum or spot clean this rug and that it could be shampooed without damage. It also dried quickly after deep cleaning.
We would recommend using a rug mat for this product, as it did tend to skid without one.
SEE PRICE ON AMAZONComparison Chart
| Product | Best Overall | Best Bold Designs | Best Vintage Style Rug | Best for Resisting Stains | Most Durable | Most Affordable | Easiest to Clean |
| Overall Rating | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Affordability | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Durability | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Comfort | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Stain Resistance | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Size and Color Versatility | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
The Winner
Overall, we felt that the nuLOOM Moroccan Blythe Rug offered the best balance of quality, price, and versatility. It offered the comfort that our older dogs were looking for while also providing the durability our puppy parents were looking for.
How We Chose the Best Rugs for Dog Owners
It can be difficult to consider all of the necessary variables when choosing a rug as a pet owner. However, we found that considering the following factors were helpful in making a choice that best suited our pet-friendly homes.
Design
There are many beautiful rugs out there, but not all of those designs best fit our pups. When we narrowed our search, we tried to look for color schemes and patterns that could handle dirt and dog hair.
We found that this was possible with both light and dark options, but carpets that offered multiple colors to accommodate dogs of different hair colors were something we saw as a plus.
Additionally, we found that carpets with patterns helped blend dirt and stains.
Material
Be sure to choose a carpet with durable material. There are many synthetic, woven materials out there that will stand up to the chaos of an energetic puppy, but polypropylene is one that stood out to us.
We also looked for carpets that provided comfort but were not so soft that there was an excess of thick material for our dogs to pull at. Any rugs with frills or tassels were eliminated because these are a dog owner’s worst nightmare.
Read our related article on How to Remove Dog Hair From Carpets (and rugs). We share 9 tips to help you keep your soft surfaces clean and smelling fresh!
Honorable Mentions
Here’s a brief look at the 3 options that didn’t make our list of top dog-friendly rugs.
1. Glory Rugs Hand Carved Contemporary – Considered for Runner Up
This rug was similar in style to the Persian Area Rug we loved for its bold designs. We appreciated the high quality and durability of this rug but felt that its design and coloring weren’t as aesthetically pleasing as the Persian Area Rug.
2. Diagona Modern Stripes – Considered for Most Affordable
This rug came in at a very competitive price point compared to some of our other options. We loved its neutral style and durability. However, we found that this rug had some quality control issues like discoloration and fraying corners that led us to choose the Artistic Weavers Rug instead.
3. Unique Loom Baracoa Collection – Considered for Easiest to Clean
This rug is another option from the Unique Loom Brand that we were impressed with. This product was durable and easy to clean. It also had a unique style that made it a great conversation piece.
The Unique Loom Sofia Collection was easy to clean and more affordable, so it made our top picks instead.
