Lilyfinch, if it's just a few steps going in and out of your house, you can build, or buy, a dog ramp. Look on Craigslist. Someone is always selling one somewhere. The neoprene of indoor/outdoor rugs can feel slippery, but I've not had a problem with the dogs slipping on the braided treads I put on my steps. but then, I have only two steps, plus the floor at the top, on which I don't have a tread, not an entire staircase. If it's really just for the dog, I'd get treads. They're a LOT cheaper than a runner. A runner you either have to have the right tools to install it correctly yourself, or hire someone to install it. If they're not installed correctly, they are a serious slipping hazard. With treads, you just put them down with double-sided tape and a rug pad yourself, and then you can just take them up in the future if you want to do so. Any wood stairs w/o carpeting should be treated with anti-slip stuff so people in socks don't slip and fall. I have a very tough staircase up to the children's bedroom. It's very steep and the treads are very narrow, but there is no carpet on them. A carpet would make them more dangerous because of the narrowness of the treads. But they are treated, so they aren't slippery at all. Nosoccermom, if your treads are wide enough, the anti-slip stuff might be enough for your dog.

To me, seagrass is an exceptional material, far superior to sisal and yes, there is a big difference between the two. Seagrass is made from sea grass of course " mostly found in China where the majority of the rugs originate. Since it is grown in water, the product is basically non-absorbent and is a strong, sturdy fiber. The absorbency aspect is very important: seagrass is not easily stained. If something is spilled on it " coffee or coke " it can easily be cleaned with a damp towel - and it will eventually dry without leaving a spot or watermark. Sisal on the other hand is made from the agave plant. Spill something on light colored sisal and you might as well throw it out. If you try to get a coffee or coke spill out with a damp towel, you will get a lasting watermark stain. The only way to prevent the watermark on sisal is to wet the entire rug " not a viable solution. I found the better material at http://www.perfectlyhomerugs.com/servlet/Categories?keyword=seagrass Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.perfectlyhomerugs.com This post was edited by Chennapawankumar on Wed, Dec 17, 14 at 10:18

I just recently bought one seagrass rug and one jute rug off of Ebay from Natural Area Rugs (I think). The seagrass rug is in our primary living area which is really lived in as in to the extreme. It has been in place for about three months and is so easy to care for. It shows no stains and is not the most comfortable under foot but will do considering its wear capabilities. This replaced a sisal rug that was here before (from Lowes I believe) and after approximately a year and a half or two years it had to be pitched. It did not wear well at all and was extremely stained. That sisal rug replaced a jute rug (from Ballard) that was in the space for about three years but shed like crazy. I loved that jute rug for the look, but it was a pain the umhum to keep up. The shedding alone was like having two extra heavily shedding dogs in the house. It stained easily as well. I can't remember what the final issue was for us to throw it out, but it eventually did get the boot. The jute rug I just bought is for our den which is currently used primarily is our youngest son's play room. It is holding up remarkably well and isn't shedding like the other jute we had. It is also extremely comfortable under foot which is also the opposite of the original jute. I know you didn't ask about jute specifically, but my point in including it is that I think all differ in wear and feel not only by the type of grass but by the type of weave and the manufacturer as well.

After a flood from a 2nd floor broken pipe, the sisal on my stairs was destroyed. Stairs were refinished and looked so nice I didn't put anything on them. It's a VERY narrow staircase, and it's the first thing one sees when one opens the front door. Now, over 18 years later, my 12 yr old Cavalier, was having trouble with those uncarpeted stairs. She would lose her grip with her hind legs and come down way too fast, ending up in a heap at the bottom. Clearly, not an option. I tried holding her collar and going down one step at a time - it worked but not really a great solution as I need to be careful myself! So, I ordered seagrass carpet treads, bound in a very dark black/brown twill tape. They have a rubber backing and are to be taped down with carpet tape. I haven't taped them yet as I need to have the painted risers re-painted (cleaning women with vacuum damage). But just the rubber backing is holding them in place in the meantime and they look quite nice. My precious Shimmer, can now once again go down the stairs unaided - helps her going up at night as well. Can't remember where I ordered them - can't find charge on my AmEx bill. They came as a set of 13 and cost about $150 for the entire set. It's a great, inexpensive solution that is easy for dogs!