Every pet owner feels a sense of loyalty to their dogs. You make sure your dogs feel loved and treat them the same way you would treat a best friend or a close family member. Dogs in return love you and your family unconditionally so you always want to make them feel at home.
KC Dog Blog provided this statistic about families with pets: “Families with children are much more likely to have pets than families without children — yet, the percentage of families without children is increasing in the US. However, pet ownership continues to grow, let in part by the number of young couples who are opting out of parenthood.” In addition, 53% of dogs sleep in their owners’ bedroom and over half of owners consider themselves “pet parents’ instead of “pet owners.” This being said, there is a line that is crossed when your family’s own furniture takes a toll. When you are shopping for a new sofa, one of your first questions may be whether or not you should make a specific purchase because you have your dogs to consider. All pet owners may try to keep their dogs off their furniture when told to do so but what if they go on the sofa quite often while you are not home? Coming home to a couch with fur, scratches, and bite marks is not a pleasant experience. You could consider using removable seat cushions but you don’t have to do that anymore.
There are a few types of materials that have been found to be perfect for families with pets. These kinds include leather, leatherette, microfiber, outdoor fabric, and slip covers. You will no longer have to worry about what happens to your furniture when you snuggle with your dogs or when they are home alone.
- Leather
First and foremost, leather is an attractive option to look into for pet friendly fabrics. In a recent blog post, Apartment Therapy offered this suggestion for a pet-friendly home: “The allure of leather is that it is mostly resistant to odor and it doesn’t attract pet hair. If by chance some actually happens to find its way onto the cushions, it wipes off easily with a dust cloth.”
In addition, small scratches from a dog’s nails can usually be buffed out or you can get your dog regularly groomed so his or her nails do not leave damage behind. Because a dog is not attracted to leather, the only instance of scratches is the action of going up and down from the couch. If you believe you will notice the tiny scratches in a significant way, you can decide to look at distressed leather couches as your main choice. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are a dog and cat owner, leather is not a wise choice for cats. They will most likely use the leather as a scratching base.
- Leatherette
There is also an idea for pet owners who would prefer to not use genuine leather for cruelty beliefs. Leatherette is a favorable option to consider because it offers all the same benefits of leather for a lower price tag. Pet hair does not stick to the material and it remains durable and easy to clean. Another advantage of leatherette is that it still “looks” like leather and is a popular upholstery nowadays.
- Microfiber
Microfiber is a synthetic fiber that is another option for dog owners. This type of upholstery is about as pet friendly as one can get. This type of fabric is resistant to water, stains, and bacteria. In addition, scratches are hard to show up and if so, they are easy to brush away. If the microfiber sofa also has an upholstery code of W, the fabric can be easily cleaned with soap and water as well. Another outstanding feature of microfiber is that the furniture is still aesthetically pleasing and the fabric is soft to the touch.
- Outdoor Furniture- Sunbrella
Outdoor furniture, such as Sunbrella fabric, is made with certain materials in order to repel outside elements. It is weather and water resistant as well as wear/fade resistant. If outdoor furniture can withstand outside elements, then this could be an acceptable option for your family. A positive aspect of outdoor furniture is that it is versatile for both inside and outside. Furthermore, Sunbrella fabric is easy to clean and comes in various colors.
- Slip covers
If you have already purchased furniture recently and cannot look into pet friendly options at the moment, then slip covers are always a doable option. Slip covers are easy to remove from your furniture and you can clean them with no issues at all. There is also a lot of variety in size, as you can use slip covers on almost any sofa. In addition, retail stores such as HomeGoods and Bed, Bath and Beyond have these to purchase for your furniture and they are moderately priced as well. Slip covers may not look as aesthetically pleasing as new sofas, but they still serve the same purpose for pet owners (Apartment Therapy). You can even match a slipcover color to your sofa color. This sense of style will make your pieces of furniture look clean and organized.
Overall, leather is mentioned in many articles as the best fabric for pet owners. The other options are always good to keep in mind as well. You can even mix and match your furniture with different fabrics if you decide you want more than one “pet proof” sofa. Keep in mind that whatever you choose should be based on your style and comfort level. You should not throw in the towel and choose a sofa you may not like because there is a chance your dog could lay on it or possibly destroy it. All of the fabrics are good quality and it is up to you which ones you and your family will like best. Lastly, if you are still concerned that your dog will want to go on the sofa, a company named Enchanted Home Pet sells sofas that are specifically designed for dogs or cats to have as their own pieces of furniture. In essence, there is plenty of variety in sofas for families with pets and you have the flexibility to choose the best fit for you and your family.
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