Owning dogs should be a fantastic experience. Having these loyal pets will bring a lot of joy to your life.
However, dogs are also known for shedding, being messy, and wreaking havoc on furniture. You can train dogs not to bother your couches and chairs, but many people like allowing their dogs to get on the couch.
Perhaps you want to be able to sit with your furry friend while relaxing in the evening. What couch material will work out best?
Read on to examine this topic further. You’ll learn about various options that you should consider as a dog owner.
Leather Couches
Leather couches can actually work out pretty well when you have dogs. Many people think of leather as a fragile material that needs to be looked after carefully.
There’s some truth to the idea that you need to be careful with leather couches. However, you can keep your leather couch safe even when you have dogs.
The biggest problem will be keeping the dog from scratching and damaging the leather. To keep things as safe as possible, trim your dog’s nails regularly.
Doing this will make it less likely that your dog will damage the couch. Dogs should have their nails trimmed every three or four weeks.
You can do this yourself if you’re so inclined. Some people hire groomers to handle this job, though.
One great aspect of owning a leather couch is that it will be easy to clean and wipe off. You can easily wipe away minor spills and dirt with a cloth and some water and vinegar.
Faux leather can be handled in pretty much the same way. Faux leather isn’t as durable as leather, but it’s far less expensive.
Microfiber Couches
Microfibers couches are fantastic when you have dogs. These are among the most pet-friendly couches due to being so easy to clean.
One of the biggest worries as a pet owner is that your pet will ruin the couch. You might be worried about it getting dirt on the couch or having an accident on the couch.
A microfiber couch is a good choice that can help to alleviate your concerns. This couch is durable, and it’s simple to clean no matter what.
You can easily clean the couch using standard cleaning methods. These couches can be cleaned deeply, and they aren’t as sensitive as many other couches.
It’s even unlikely that a microfiber couch will stain. Unless you give a stain time to set, it’s going to be easy to remove it.
So you can see why this would be an ideal couch type for dog owners. There are many attractive microfiber couches out there that you can choose from.
Canvas Couches
Canvas couches should be considered due to how durable they are. You likely already know that canvas is a material that’s made from cotton.
It’s good to have canvas furniture when you have pets because the material is resistant to scratches. It’s even easy to clean dog drool and pee off of the couch when your canine companion has an accident.
The only downside is that canvas isn’t the most common couch material. It’s common for canvas material to be used for outdoor furniture, but it’s less common to see it used in living room furniture.
Regardless, you should know that canvas couches are very convenient to own when you have dogs. They’re simple to clean and durable, and they look rather nice.
You’ll have an easy time keeping a canvas couch in good shape. If you can find a canvas couch for your living room, it’ll certainly stand up well to your pets.
Denim Couches
Denim couches certainly aren’t the most common. When you think of denim, you think of jeans and jackets.
There are some couch manufacturers that are starting to offer denim couches. This is great because denim is such a strong and durable material.
You can rely on a denim couch to stand the test of time. It’s durable enough that your dogs aren’t going to ruin it easily.
Denim is made out of fibers with a very tight weave. This makes it very hard to stain and that’s great when you have lots of pets.
It’s even harder for denim couches to get ripped, snagged, and scratched. So it works well when you have cats as well as dogs.
If you can find a denim couch and you like how it looks, it’s easy to recommend it as an option. Just note that it might be tough to find one in your area, depending on what local furniture companies are offering.
Velvet Couches
You likely didn’t expect to see velvet couches being mentioned here. However, these couches can work out okay when you have dogs.
One big concern is that your dogs will scratch the couch and tear the material with their nails. This is less likely to happen with a velvet couch than it is with some other couch materials.
Velvet couches are made in such a way that they don’t have loops of woven fabric. So there’s nothing for the dog’s nails to get snagged on.
There is a huge problem with velvet couches that you need to know about, though. Dog hair will stick to them like crazy.
So the couch will look rather hairy if you allow your dog to get on the couch. This can be solved by using a lint roller regularly, though.
You could also buy a pet hair vacuum to help keep the couch clean and presentable. It’ll take a bit of work, but velvet couches are an option when you own dogs.
Couches with Tightly Woven Fabrics
Many couches with tightly woven fabrics will work out nicely when you have dogs. The good thing about using these types of couches is that they help to hide stains and pet hair.
When the couch has tightly woven fabric, it’ll be less likely to have issues with pet hair. Couches with loosely woven fabric can trap the pet hair, whereas that won’t be a problem with tightly woven fabric.
It’s also worth noting that tightly woven fabric is less likely to have problems with your dog’s nails. Dogs won’t be able to snag their nails on the fabric when it’s woven in this fashion.
So your couch will be less likely to rip or get seriously scratched. Many of these couches can even stand up to scratches from cats if you happen to also have feline companions.
You’ll also love the look of these types of couches. Couches with tightly woven fabrics are available in many modern designs.
It’ll make it easy to find a couch that is both durable and beautiful. This should definitely be among the options that you’ll consider when looking for a good couch when you have a dog.
You Can Always Use Couch Covers
Remember that you can always use couch covers as well. Many people choose to use couch covers because they can be removed and washed periodically.
Couch covers don’t cost a lot of money, and they can help to keep your couch from getting damaged by your dogs and other pets. For many, this will be a cost-effective way to extend the life of their couches.
However, it is inconvenient to have to use couch covers in certain ways. Firstly, the couch cover prevents you from being able to enjoy the natural look of your couch.
Also, the couch covers will sometimes shift a bit as you sit on them, and many might find them to make the couch a bit less comfortable. Of course, you should have an easier time if you buy a high-quality couch cover that fits the couch perfectly.
Being able to wash the couch cover is rather convenient. You don’t have to worry nearly as much about spills and dirt when you have one of these covers.
Most couch covers are machine-washable for your convenience. Just follow the instructions that come with the couch cover or look on the tag to see how you’re supposed to wash it.
You Could Keep Your Dogs Off of the Couch
You don’t have to let your dogs get on the couch if you don’t want to. Many people prefer to train their dogs not to jump on the couch.
Dogs track in dirt, mud, and other things from the yard. You will need to clean the couch more often if you choose to let your dog sit on it.
It might be more practical to allow your dog to sit near the couch instead of sitting on the couch. One good idea is to have a comfortable dog bed that’s located near the couch.
This allows your dog to stay by your side without actually having to get on the couch. You can easily reach down and pet the dog whenever you want to.
Some people will still prefer having their dogs sit on their laps. It’s up to you to decide how you want to approach things.
Just know that dogs can easily be trained to stay off of couches. It takes a bit of time to train them, but you can use treats to get them to do what you want them to do.
Final Thoughts
You learned that there are many options when looking for couches that can stand up to your dogs. Dogs do have the potential to get couches dirty, but you can choose couches that have the best chance against them.
Many people choose to go with microfiber couches due to how easy they are to clean. These couches make it simple to deal with minor messes when your pet regularly sits on your couch with you.
Even options such as leather couches and velvet couches can work out fine. You do need to keep these types of couches clean, but they can stand up to dogs when you take the right steps.
You aren’t limited to only a few couch types when you own dogs. It’s fine to buy couches with tightly-woven fabrics, denim couches, canvas couches, and so many other couch types.
Now that you’ve learned about the best couch options, it’s time for you to make a decision. Buy the couch that appeals to you the most, and you should have a great time using it.
Your dog can also be trained to avoid the couch if you’d like to go that route. Consider this if you’d prefer to buy a couch that isn’t listed here and isn’t known for standing up to pets quite as well.
I have two Associate’s degrees, one in Medical Assisting and the other in Computer Technician, and I am roughly five classes from a bachelor’s degree. Though I never ended up working in the medical field, I have five and a half years of experience in IT. I recently became a stay-at-home mom to my two young boys, and I’m so excited to start this adventure with them! In my spare time, I love to bake and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on.