Are Moroccan Wool Rugs Good With Dogs and Cats?

Wool fibres are springy, so the pile stands back up after a dog has slept on it. The natural lanolin in the wool slows down stains, giving you a few minutes to blot a spill before it sets. And wool does not melt or flatten the way some synthetic rugs do.

A hand-knotted rug has a cut pile: each knot ends in loose wool, not a loop. Claws slide through cut pile instead of catching and pulling loops, which is what ruins many machine-made carpets.

A thick pile, like the 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) of our rugs, holds pet hair until you vacuum it out. A very young puppy that chews fringe or has accidents every day is hard on any rug. If that is your house right now, wait a few months or choose a smaller rug for the busiest spot.

• A rug close to the colour of your pet's coat: hair disappears into a matching field.
• Multicoloured or patterned rugs, which hide hair and small marks better than a plain ivory rug.
• Runners and smaller rugs in the places your pet uses most, so they are easy to shake out.

• Vacuum twice a week on low suction, without the rotating brush.
• Use a rubber glove or a rubber broom to lift hair from the pile before vacuuming.
• Put a rug pad underneath so the rug does not slide when pets run across it.
• Trim any pulled strand level with scissors. Never pull it out.

• Blot straight away with a clean, dry cloth. Do not rub.
• Dab with cold water, then blot again until dry.
• Use a cleaner made for wool if needed. Avoid ammonia: it smells like urine to a pet and can bring it back to the same spot.
• Dry the area fully with air moving around it, and turn the corner up if the rug is thick.