I have five dogs – four labs and a golden retriever. They are all highly active and love to play, wrestle, run and tackle each other.
My current couch is a sectional, which I love, but the fabric is suede which has had a tendency to rip due to the dogs claws. We’ve owned the couch for about four years now, and I’ve had to sew (and re-sew) rips and tears from the dogs ripping and tearing around the house and of course onto the couch.
I’d like to buy another new sectional, but I’d really like to get a more durable fabric. I’m willing to have this one recovered, but I don’t want to do so if it’s going to be cost prohibitive.
My wife seems to think that leather (not pleather) would hold up the best under the dog traffic.
So, needs I must ask help of the great doper community. Any suggestions for a highly durable fabric or couch with said fabric? My price range is a maximum of 2k for a new couch. Please, as Yoda would say, suggestions I must have.
Leather will NOT hold up if you are lax about trimming nails.
I’d go with a slipcover, myself - your dogs are big, and the amount of pressure they are exerting on a couple of nails as they jump is going to wreck jsut about anything.
Several years ago, after we lost two couches to our black Lab, Lwaxana, we decided to replace the couch with a futon that has a heavy-duty canvas cover. Lwaxana is no longer with us, but the futon is fine, and our other three dogs have not been able to destroy it.
I’m combining the suggestions into a canvas slip cover. There should be a seamstress in the area who can custom make one for you. Ask around at your local fabric shop (Try for a small business type place, instead of a JoAnns or Micheal’s. The staff will be more likely to know the local sewing types)
Orvis sells dog beds made of Cordura that they claim is indestructible. I had a Rottweiller who could turn a chair into splinters in ten seconds and he couldn’t put a dent in the dog beds. He gave up trying after half a day.
I was thinking denim m’self.
Slipcovers are a nice idea, but since the fabric isn’t anchored, they tend to pull, stretch, move and rip sigh
Four of the dogs, due to their high energy, have short nails – I don’t even have to cut them, they just wear down. The other dog is a 10 year old lab who we nicknamed “snail” as, well, that’s about as fast as she moves.
Dog beds are a nice idea, but we like the fact the dogs lay on the couch with us. Perhaps I can get cordura to recover it. I can sew (some of us guys can do that, too) but I’ll have to look into that one.
Yeah. I just priced Codura to recover the couch – without my labor to reupholster, 'm looking at about $500 worth of fabric. I think I’ll keep searching for a new one. I guess a heavy cotton or denim might do better sigh but then again, I don’t want my couch to look like Levis, either…
Cloth tarps, for painters, come in a kind of off-white cotton, I’d think you could dye it anything you wanted. And, if you are making a slip cover, you can fashion one that goes all the way 'round the bottom, or has a toggle underneath to tighten it, couldn’t you?
Sorry, I’m really NOT any kind of seamstress… or upholsterer
If you end up with a fabric too heavy for your sewing machine, consider going to an awning shop. If you’ve got the pattern, they can cut and sew. They might also be able to recommend a fabric.
We’ve got heavy twill slipcovers for our sofa and love seat. The dogs and cats have yet to damage them. Plus, we can just pull them off and run them through the washer and dryer when they get dirty.
The couches and sectionals are cheaply priced, they are mailed to you via UPS (you assemble, easy to do according to site, just a screwdriver needed (or two, one to use on the couch and one to drink) and best of all – you can buy replacement covers if something gets ripped / torn.
Check it out, I think I will order one after mud season
