Choosing a Dog Friendly Sofa

Thinking of buying a new sofa? Many pet owners will put off the purchase of a new sofa or suite long past the point where their old furniture has become unsightly and uncomfortable, just because they have a dog or a cat. But as a nation of animal lovers it should come as no surprise to any of our customers that British manufacturers have risen well to the challenge of producing a sofa specifically for homes with pets. Just because you have a cat or a dog doesn't mean you can't have nice things! Read on for details on how to choose the best sofa for your family, four footed members included, as well as some handy tips to help your new sofa last longer.

Choosing the Best Sofa for a home with pets

Good Idea – Leather We've said it before and we'll no doubt say it again, leather is one of the most robust and easy to care for covers you can have on a sofa. Pet hair won't stick to it, blunt claws are less likely to snag on it, and any mud, dirt etc can be easily wiped off. [link to leather blog post]

Bad Idea – Recliners As comfortable as a recliner sofa can be, they're not always a great choice for households with small pets. When the sofa is reclined it leaves space underneath that a smaller dog or cat may be attracted to. For this reason if you do have pets, or small children of course, you should always without fail check thoroughly to make sure they are not underneath the sofa before you operate the recliners. Try one of our Italian sofas with the extending seats as a safer alternative. The slide out mechanism doesn't have any parts that form a scissor action, and as such are much safer for pets to be around.

Good Idea – Tightly woven fabrics A tightly woven fabric such as an easy clean plush, suede effect or microfibre fabric can be a good second choice. The short pile is less likely to hold onto hair from shedding pets, and the tight weave makes it less likely to snag on claws.

Bad Idea – Pale colours For best results we recommend darker colours, particularly dark greys and browns, or strong patterns as these will be more forgiving of stains. 

See below a photo of our dog Rosie, happily demonstrating all of the things you shouldn't do on a sofa that is definitely not dog friendly. She's a rebel.

Basic Training for pets

The best advice for making sure your new sofa or suite will last as long as possible is simply not to let your pet on the sofa in the first place, but we know how difficult that can be! Many people like to sit with their dog or cat on their lap and it isn't always practical to make sure they don't climb up when you're not in the room with them. Here are a few simple ways to keep the peace and protect your investment. Give them their own bed. If they have their own sleeping area in the living room they're less likely to sleep on the sofa when you're not there. Choose something soft and inviting, and place it somewhere warm and out of the way of draughts. If your pet has a comfortable spot of their own, the sofa becomes far less tempting.

Put a throw on it.

A washable throw or a set of removable covers is one of the easiest ways to protect your seats from hair, muddy paws and the odd accident. When it gets grubby you simply pop it in the wash, and your sofa underneath stays clean and fresh. Keep a spare so there's always one ready while the other is drying.

Keep claws trimmed.

Regular nail trims, whether you do them yourself or leave it to your groomer, mean far less risk of snagged threads and scratched leather. It's kinder on your pet too.

Caring for your pet friendly sofa

Even the most hardwearing sofa benefits from a little regular attention. A quick going over with a vacuum brush attachment once a week will lift away hair before it works its way into the seams and cushions. For leather, an occasional wipe with a slightly damp cloth keeps it looking its best, and a good quality leather conditioner two or three times a year will stop it drying out.

For fabric sofas, deal with any spills promptly by blotting rather than rubbing, and always check the manufacturer's cleaning code before you reach for anything stronger than water.

A word on smell

Let's be honest, dogs in particular can leave a home smelling a little less than fresh. Or at least, ours certainly does. Removable, washable covers help enormously here, as does regular vacuuming. Baking soda sprinkled over fabric seats, left for twenty minutes and then vacuumed away, is a cheap and effective way to keep things smelling clean between deeper cleans.On leather, you'll rarely have this problem at all, which is one more point in its favour.

The last word

Sharing your home with a dog or cat should never mean settling for tired, scruffy furniture. With the right cover, a sensible colour and a few good habits, there's no reason your new sofa can't look wonderful for years to come, muddy paws and all. If you'd like a hand choosing the right piece for your household, our team are always happy to help. Pop into the showroom or give us a call on 01257 824237, or email [email protected]. You can browse all of our discounted sofas here.