Mohawk makes a loop pile carpet with a sisal look called Sisal Ridge - it is in the Aladdin line. This carpet has an extremely short pile, slightly thicker than 1/8". It is also very dense. I can't imagine a dog's nails being able to get under the loops in this carpet in order to pull it. Of course, anything is possible. Visit the flooring stores in your area and ask for this carpet - you may like it. The link below will take you to Mohawk's website. Select product gallery under the carpet tab, choose the Aladdin line, then click the green check mark, then from the drop down menu, select Sisal Ridge for some photos (click the green check mark a second time). Jeff http://jefflikescarpet.blogspot.com Here is a link that might be useful: Mohawk Flooring

as a person who has had almost any type rug you can think of, ill break it down for you.. sisals and jutes might be nice at first but over time, and within a couple years or so, the fibers tend to break down because of how rough or "scratchy" they are. i had some good quality ones before in my old beach house and they ended up frayed. this was not even used that much, no pets or kids at the time they can run expensive sometimes , sometimes you luck out and find an ok one but typically they are not cozy or soft on the feet. ive spilled my share of everything on them and after a while you see the stains if you think about it, they are somewhat plain and fit with every decor but their downsides in comfort, cleaning, maintenance and quality is par none to an authenthic good quality persian the oriental/persian rugs ive had all lasted for decades, they are inconspicous to dirt, stains, (because there are so many colors and patterns that you cant ever tell if someone spilled wine or spaghetti,) and despite being made of wool and tightly woven , they are actually soft , cozy or at worst, bearable to your feet as for decor, i used to stay away from persians because i thought theyre more classic , traditional or not modern enough for me, but it really is true when they say it fits with almost any decor. they are meant to be an added value to the room or subtle "star"to the room i think their price is worth it in the end because they havent ever let me down in terms of quality, color vibrancy, feel/touch and design. oh and dont let me.get into shags. i really like them but theyre like jute/sisal in that they look nice at first for a few years but then they collect so much hidden dust and grime and look faded after heavy traffic use you dont want to see my shag rugs now lol or my old sisal for that matter theres a reason persian rugs are timeless and ageless

Hmm, what does YMMV stand for, please? rdas, I am hunting for the same kind of carpet for two rooms. First, a loop most resembles sisal. Start there and hunt for the softest, best quality you can find and afford. Typically these will be Berbers. They will not be luxuriously soft like a cut pile or plush, though ; it's the price we pay for being au courant. :>/ As an aside...ya just know it's going to be passe the moment we install it since it's now featured in every type of home in every magazine! Ah well. Due to my dogs nails, a loop makes me a little nervous so I am looking at the next best thing for simulating the sisal appearance, which seems to be a cut/loop combo. That way if a loop gets a pull I can simply cut it to blend with the other cut yarns. Shaw had some that come pretty close to that look in their Tuftex line...if it's called a line.

I did a lot of research on natural fiber rugs last year. I was primarily concerned with durability, and ended up with seagrass. Jute is softer, but it sheds and is not water repellant the way seagrass is. It is my understanding that seagrass and sisal are the most durable. I bought a large 9x12 rug fom pottery barn for very little. I don't have a cat, but do have a large dog and 2 small kids. It still looks practically brand new, and it has dog vomit and urine on it. (I feel compelled to say that neither were from MY darling pooch. ;-) ). It isn't soft underfoot, and I really hesitated on whether it would be appropriate in our living room. But we don't mind it, and my kids still sprawl out on it with no complaints. It did make my house smell like hay for a good week. That didn't really bother me though, as it reminds me of my grandfathers farm.