It’s never a good time for a cat or dog to lose a leg, but when it happens right after you install hardwood flooring in your home, it’s really bad timing! Fortunately, Scooby’s Dad showed us how to make these affordable “No-Slip DIY Tripawd Traction Rugs.”
DIY Tripawd Traction Rugs Prevent Injuries
Slippery floors are like having an indoor ice rink inside the home. Three-legged dogs and cats have far more confidence when our floors are easy to walk on. Traction boots are great for canine Tripawds in the outdoors, but they’re not a practical solution for inside our homes. After all, how many of us can remember do put shoes on our dogs every single day? And of course, cats won’t put up with shoes on any day, so why make our lives more complicated?
We recommend buying carpet runners for inside the home. And for your existing throw rugs that don’t have no-slip backers for them, try this DIY Tripawd Traction Rug trick that Scooby’s Dad demonstrated.
My solution that a friend recommended is to put beads of caulk on the back. I used silicone non-paintable caulk from Home Depot. It was $6 and I’ve done three rugs and two beds. It’s much cheaper than mediocre nonslip pads. It dried overnight and it really keeps rugs and beds from sliding.
I don’t recommend using it on really fine rugs like hand knitted wool rugs – that’s the place for a good nonslip pad.
Sure, it’s no fun covering up beautiful hardwood floors. And I’ll bet if we took a survey today, we’d find out that most Tripawds members have a mish-mash of carpet runners and throw rugs in their home. None matching, of course! As a wise member once said . . .
“I suspect most Tripawd homes are not going to make it as Better Homes and Gardens’ feature homes.”
But ask our Tripawds, and all of them will be grateful when we’re more concerned with their safety than having pretty floors.
From the Tripawds Discussion Forums:
Do i need to cover my floors long-term?
Other Tripawd Traction Tips
Do All Tripawds Need Boots?
Make Slippery Floors, Stairs Safer with Puppy Treads Traction Decals
DIY Tripawd Cat Traction Socks for Slippery Floors
Tripawds Navigate Slippery Floors with Dr. Buzby’s Toe Grips
Loving this idea for the dog beds! I try to keep them up against walls, but they do slip from time to time.
Do you think this would work on a kennel tray (plastic) or only fabric? My dog loves her kennel, I have no door on it, she can come & go but loves to sleep in it. But it’s too slippery for her back paws. Thx!
Certainly worth a try Leiah, just make sure the silicone is completely dry before placing it on the floor! 🙂
Good and useful tip! Will apply this idea in my kitchen to help Riley. He likes to be wherever everypawdy else is! Thanks!
(Learning the lingo,)