In the constant battle of dog vs. couch, it’s hard to believe there’s a world where the two can live harmoniously without causing physical or financial damage. The reality of bringing a pup home is a considerable amount of uncertainty. They may be docile and furniture-friendly or playfully anxious at the expense of couch cushions and corners when you’re away. Either way, no living room is complete without a couch and no family wants to send the dog away.
So, when looking for a sofa that makes sense for the whole family (including the dog), do you go for style or sacrifice for durability? Luckily, furniture design and materiality has come a long way. There are a lot more options available that’ll make both you and your dogs happy.
First, Diana Farberov, Brooklyn-based interior designer and pet owner as well, emphasizes considering your dog’s personality and size even before you consider the size and space of the couch. Depending on the size of your breed, you’ll need a couch with ample space for everyone to get comfortable. Then, consider the fabric. Not only does the fabric need to be resistant to all potential pet wear and tear, but it also needs to be easy to clean.
She also mentioned considering not only the size and scale of the couch in the space but also the depth and space as it pertains to actual use. Make sure to have enough room for you, the household, the pups, and potential guests if you plan to entertain. Couch depth is an important dimension here because it can impact how comfortable everyone can actually get on the couch. Erin Delander, owner of Much Love Interiors, also suggests finding a sofa that you can actually get comfortable in, the dogs will manage on pretty much anything.
Haven Leather 2-Piece Bumper Chaise Sectional
The Haven Leather 2-Piece Sectional from West Elm is the perfect stylish couch option for anyone with dogs. In typical West Elm fashion, it comes in a variety of fabrics. The leather option that it’s shown in is great for durability and ease of cleaning.
It’s a perfect size whether your dog is a cuddler or prefers its own space on the couch. The sectional orientation gives everyone the room they need and it’s low profile makes it easier for smaller pups too. As Farberove noted, size matters in this case, so make sure you’re selecting a couch with enough width and depth.
York Square Arm Leather Sofa
If your dog is prone to bring home messes or shows its love with extra drool, a leather couch like this York Square Arm Leather Sofa from Pottery Barn is a great solution. Leather is durable so you’ll get a long life out of your investment. It’s also easier to clean when compared to other woven fabrics.
This is also a very classic design so working it into your current room decor should be fairly easy. Pottery Barn does offer fabric choices, so if you can also select a pebbled or textured leather, like the Legacy Chocolate, to help hide potential scratches and wear and tear.
Berkshire Sofa
A tightly woven fabric might be exactly what you need if your dog is a scratcher. Tightly-woven fabric, like tweed, has tighter loops in its weaving when compared to other looser fabrics. That means it’s hard for Fido to dig claws into the couch.
Williams Sonoma offers a few performance fabrics for the Berkshire Sofa, which are great for scratch resistance. They guarantee them for pet friendliness, stain resistance, and fade resistance. As Farverove mentioned, performance fabrics that are more widely offered on the furniture market are longer lasting and stand up to pets.
Lugano Modular Leather Sofa
Bigger dogs need more room on the couch whether they’re cuddlers or like to spread out. As much as everyone loves a good dog cuddle puddle, those get hot and eventually one of your limbs falls asleep. A couch like this modular sofa from Restoration Hardware is the SPY team’s pick to solve the problem if you have the space.
The sofa is not only large in its length, but also offers almost 4 feet of depth in the seat, making it one of the most comfortable on the list—an important part of selecting a couch like Delander mentioned earlier. That means you’ll be able to sit all the way back with free hanging legs and your pup, regardless of size, should have plenty of room to snuggle next to you or on the other side of the couch.
Block Nomad Sofa Sectional
Everyone knows that pet hair gets everywhere and couches are the biggest magnet of them all, especially if the dogs are allowed up there. Luckily, Burrow offers the Block Nomad Sofa Sectional that is more stain, scratch, and hair resistant. Burrow’s tight olefin fiber weave is a great solution for homes with pets.
Coburn Three Piece Motion Sofa
Smaller dogs need a little help up on the couch, so something that’s lower profile is great for them. The Coburn Three Piece Motion Sofa from Arhaus sits at about 31” off the ground, making it one of the shortest couches on the list.
As an added bonus, the sofa is engineered with performance fabric that is stain, odor, and moisture resistant, making it friendly for your small furry friend in more ways than one. There are also built-in recliners that give it a little more room for relaxation or even help keep the dogs off the couch when needed.
Henry 2-Piece Sleeper Sectional
If the real issue is that there doesn’t seem to be enough storage space for all of Fido’s chew toys and play items (it’s ok, he/she deserves to be spoiled), then a couch with added storage might actually be the most pet friendly for your household. This sleeper sectional not only folds out, but also offers more storage in the chaise. Any extra toys that Fido isn’t playing with at the moment can be tucked away.
Terrain 4-Piece L-Shaped Bronze Sectional Sofa
A few things stand out about this sectional from CB2: First, the separate ottoman doubles as a dedicated spot for your dog. If you want it to feel like a part of the family without encroaching on your couch space, an ottoman is a perfect solution. Secondly, the sofa is modular sop you can orient it in whatever way makes sense for you and your pup.
Lastly, velvet is actually a great fabric option for pet-friendly homes. Because the fabric isn’t loop-knit like others, it becomes more scratch resistant. It’s also fairly stain resistant and easy to clean with a simple brush. At the same time, it’s a very luxurious looking fabric, so you won’t have to sacrifice style for functionality.
Amulya 3-Piece Upholstered Sectional
With all the added expenses that a dog can bring to a household, an expensive couch to accommodate it might not be on the table. Wayfair sells this affordable couch option, which is quite spacious if you need that extra room for you and the dog. The cushions are a polyester blend, which isn’t the absolute best pet-friendly material, but the savings you find in buying the couch leaves you with room in your wallet for slip covers that are.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sofas for Dog Owners
What are the best fabrics for a dog owner’s sofa?
Leather is easy to clean if your dog is on the messy side. Leather cleaners and wipes are widely available for upkeep and most stains come out if attended to quickly. Leather couches typically have longer life-spans as well. Farberov does caution that while leather is easy to clean, it attracts dogs because of its cool-to-the-touch temp and they can easily puncture holes. A textured leather can help camouflage minor scratches.
Velvet couches might seem like a fragile option, but the fabric is actually tightly woven and fairly stain resistant. The tight weave helps prevent scratch damage. It’s also easy to clean with simple brushes. The only downside is its propensity to attract hair, but if you’re a dog owner of a shedding-breed, you’ll need to invest in hair removers anyway. Farberov recommends velvet and linen for their durability and are great when combined with performance fabric finishes for pet-friendly couches.
How does one dog-proof a sofa?
Furniture protectors are great options for protecting the fabric on the sofa. This doesn’t have to be the plastic your grandparents had, but it can be a trendier furniture slip or a dog bed with built-in protection. Orvis offers a whole line of protectors for your sofas and couches.
Farberov and Delander both agree that throw blankets tucked into the corners and cushion of the couch can help protect them, especially if your dog is a digger. Although, they’ll ruin the blanket probably.
How should I style a dog-friendly sofa?
Luckily, styling a dog-friendly couch doesn’t vary much from styling a couch in any other home. Size becomes one of the biggest considerations. If you decide to size the couch to make room for you and Rover, make sure your living space can accommodate it. As far as materials go, use color to tie into the existing space. Neutral-tone fabrics, think browns, taupes, beiges, greys, navies, and olives, will blend into almost any space without having to change everything else in the room.