Pet Friendly Furniture Buying Guide

Pets are not only our friends but also part of the family.  Some of these lovely furry friends may love snuggling with you on the sofa as you are watching TV or sleep on it. That being said, every pet owner knows how hard it can be to keep nice furniture with a fur-baby around. Pet hair, claws, teeth, drool, and accidents can leave your furniture stained, scratched, and worn. Here is our guide for you to choose furniture wisely instead of locking your sweet furry roommate in her cage or panicking when she curls up near the furniture. 

All About Materials 

When it comes to pet-friendly furniture fabric, you want to look for materials that are smooth and shiny. These fabrics are less likely to attract fur. Polyurethane, polyester, leather, denim and silk are all great options for keeping your furniture hair-free.

Besides, when choosing couches, sofas and chairs for the living room, think stain-resistant fabrics. Microfiber, Ultrasuede (a microfiber suede alternative that’s cruelty-free) and Crypton are great choices. They’re stain-resistant and easy to clean.

If possible, choose leather, or the cruelty-free option leather. They’re durable and easy to clean, and will generally only suffer minor scratches from puppy’s nails (especially if you keep them well-trimmed). But those scratches also add patina, which is actually a desirable aging effect for many homeowners.

Suitable Colors

Picking the color of your furniture is pretty straight forward. In general you want to stay away from white and cream-colored furniture since it draws attention to dirt faster. Unless you have the cleanest dog in the world and are prepared to clean your furniture constantly, we don’t advise getting an ivory couch. If you simply must get white furniture, we recommend investing in a slip cover or some darker throw blankets. Many slip covers come in high-quality fabrics and a variety of fun colors and patterns.

So which colors are best? Opt for darker colors. It doesn’t have to be black. Brown, grey and green tend to be ideal for pet-friendly furniture. Also, small blocks of patterns will hide any dirt or hair that is on the furniture.

Choose the right design

For some pets, a furniture leg looks like the perfect chewing or scratching post. Furniture with wooden legs is just begging to get clawed or gnawed. The perfect solution to this problem is getting furniture with metal legs. These legs are far less enticing and much harder to damage.

Also worth considering are any scatter cushions that you plan to put on your sofa for extra comfort or decorative purposes, as your pet might take a liking to lying on them and nibbling at corners or exposed zips. Should your cushions be made with delicate fabrics or have distracting features, like tassels or sequins, that may pose a choking hazard if chewed, you will be best off removing them when your cat or dog is on or around the sofa.

For sofa extras, like cushions, it’s best to stick to the same pet-proofing advice we’ve discussed in this section. We have scatter cushions at Sofas by Saxon that are handmade with our premium leathers and fabrics so they're more than up to the job.

Use Slipcovers

Slipcovers aren't absolutely essential for a dog- or cat-friendly sofa, but they will certainly help when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. If a brand-new couch isn’t in the budget, give new life to an old one with a washable slipcover. That way, if your dog makes a mess, it’s easy to clean up. Moreover, this can give your furniture a fresh look for your house. But, remember to get one that fits your sofa, as opposed to draping it, for the neatest look.

Buy only machine-washable bedding, covers and throw blankets

Some furry friends cannot sleep without their owner, opt for bedding that will stand up to weekly washings. You also may want to add a more durable mattress pad, which will protect your bed from “accidents”. 

Additionally, when picking up some charming throw blankets to accent your new furniture, make sure they are not made of a fabric so fussy it will be ruined if you toss it into the washing machine. With a pet in your home, it’s wise to make sure that any blankets are durable and machine-washable.

Pet Training

Is your dog or cat prone to having an ‘accident’ every now and again on your sofa? Then the best solution is to get them properly house trained to modify their behaviour. This can be common with puppies and kittens, especially when they’re getting used to living in a new home, but older dogs and cats can be raised without being trained too, so it’s worth bearing this in mind. By teaching your pet to go to the toilet outside or in a litter tray, you can save your furniture some trouble.

House training can be a long process that requires some patience, but it really is worth it in the end. Thankfully, there is a lot of advice out there to help you overcome this hurdle: Blue Cross has guides for house training puppies and adult dogs respectively, while they also have a guide to cats spraying and soiling indoors to get you on the right track.

Taking care of your pet

Even if you choose the very best pet-friendly furniture, claw marks and stains can still happen. The best way to prevent these snafus is to regularly groom your pet. By keeping your dog's or cat's coat nicely brushed and trimmed, you can get rid of excess hairs that will end up ingrained into your sofa when they jump up. Likewise, getting your pet’s claws clipped on a regular basis will prevent them from causing scratches or becoming embedded in your upholstery. Don’t forget to wipe down their paws if they’ve walked through dirt or mud.

Create a space for your pet

Another great way to keep animals off your furniture is to get them some comfy, inviting furniture of their own. Investing in a plush pet bed could discourage a dog or cat from climbing up on couches and chairs - especially if the alternative you’ve provided is even more comfortable than where you sit. Buy attractive pet beds and scratching posts that look great with your decor, and encourage your pet to use them. A post spiked with catnip is always a more attractive option than the sofa for scratching. Pet beds placed strategically, where the pet can see or be near her favorite human, and won’t detract from your design.

To sum up, these are some suggestions of us in choosing the most suitable furniture for your home which not only comforts your furry friends but also every family members. And, don't forget to have a look at our store !