iRobot's new 'robust' Roomba - What about the dog and cat issues? While Preneta didn't specifically say whether the new, 'robust' Roomba will survive the pounce of a 100-pound Labrador, he did say it survived many drop tests from about 5 feet. Preneta also said the new Roomba 500 series does a better job of picking up pet hair lodged into carpets compared with upright vacuums because its rubber and bristle brushes beat against the carpet in addition to applying suction. 'We've done tons and tons of testing in hairy environments, for lack of a better way to put it,' he said.