Just like humans need different types of flooring for certain activities, dogs will perform better and be safer when you match the right kind of flooring to the animal’s activity. Selecting the best flooring for dogs will depend on how you plan to use it.

Here are some ideas for the best floors to use when caring for and training dogs under common scenarios.

Dog agility training. Because dogs must be able to make quick movements during agility training, you’ll want a style of mat that is slip resistant for safety, while also standing up to repeated use.

EVA foam material will give you a strong level of performance, ranking highly as the best flooring for dogs in agility. Foam has plenty of cushioning to protect the joints of the animals as they practice. It also has a grippy surface texture, preventing the risk of slipping.

This type of foam tile often has a reversible design, meaning if any individual mat becomes damaged, you can just flip it to the other side. Foam will show scratch marks from the dogs’ nails, however.

Waterproof EVA foam is an easy-care material, as it can be swept to remove hair or washed for more stubborn stains. Multiple color options are available, allowing you to create any kind of design you want in your best flooring for dogs.

Dog obedience training. Some obedience training facilities will use a cement floor. After all, it’s easy to clean. But because dogs often will be sitting or lying on the floor during obedience training, having an insulating floor material over the cold concrete will keep the animal comfortable.

Because obedience training doesn’t require a lot of sudden movements or jumps, a few different styles of materials will work as the best flooring for dogs in obedience.

Rubber is easy to clean, and it’s extremely durable. You can save some money in this use case by going with a thinner material, as you’ll need less cushioning for obedience training versus other types of workouts with the dog.

EVA foam is an economical choice and is easy to install for obedience classroom facilities. It also is easy to clean. EVA foam offers better insulation and cushion while for the dog and hander while rubber delivers a much more resilient non-slip surface and will stay looking new significantly longer.

Dog daycare facility. A dog daycare needs to have multiple separate areas to care for the animals properly. They need a play area, an area for feeding and sleep, and an area to pee and poop.

Indoor rubber flooring works nicely for most of these functions. In a play area, rubber flooring gives dogs plenty of traction for running and jumping, yet it also has just the right amount of cushion for their joints, protecting them from impact.

While dogs will ideally go outside to use the restroom, indoor accidents do happen and rubber is easy to clean, making it a popular choice as the best flooring for dogs in daycare. When cleaning up urine or feces, the smell will not linger with rubber flooring when cleaned in a reasonable time frame.

If you are seeking to cover a large area, rolls of rubber provide a good value.

Dog kennels. Installing a slightly cushioned floor in a dog kennel will keep the animal comfortable as it rests. Foam is a good choice for an older dog that doesn’t chew or scratch regularly.

But for a puppy, you may want to install rubber flooring in a kennel. The young dog won’t be able to damage rubber as easily by chewing or scratching.

Foam is a more economical choice than rubber, but rubber will last longer. Both flooring styles are available in interlocking mat designs, which simplifies installation. You can cut both types of materials to fit. You also may want to consider perforated PVC flooring in kennels where a floor drain exists. These flooring tiles have holes in the surface that allow liquids to pass through the floor and into the drain while keeping your animal off of the wet floor.

Outdoor dog runs. For an outdoor kennel or dog run, consider artificial turf. Using artificial grass works much better than natural grass in a dog run, as the artificial turf will not become muddy after rain.

The faux grass will continue to look great in the winter time, as it won’t turn brown. And if the dog run has a roof or tarp for shade, natural grass may become thin and weak from lack of sunlight, whereas artificial turf maintains its thickness in all weather, which is a primary reason it’s a best flooring for dogs outdoors.

Additionally, maintaining the artificial turf is far easier than caring for natural grass. You don’t have to water or fertilize the artificial turf. Dogs can’t dig up the faux turf either.

If you live in a climate with hot summers and lots of sunshine, make sure to provide shade over the runs as artificial turf can become quite warm in direct sunlight.

Again, PVC plastic tiles that have a perforated design could be the best flooring for dogs in a dog run. With the perforations, moisture will drain away from the tiles, keeping the dog comfortable if it lies down. Rubber tiles will work outdoors too, as they will not absorb water, and they won’t freeze or crack in low temperatures.

Best flooring for dogs buying guide. To find additional information on the options for floors to use with canines and other animals, just click on any of the links in our guide. We have put together a series of product reviews, customer testimonials, and videos to help with your purchase decision.