If you want to know how to protect leather couch from dogs, then you have come to the right place. Read ahead to find out whether leather is dog-friendly and what you can do to protect your couch.
With their furry bodies and wagging tails, dogs make the cutest pets ever! As a dog owner, you probably love snuggling with your pup in the bed and on the couch, but the latter option may not be the best place to snuggle, especially if you have a leather couch.
Are Leather Couches a Good Choice If You Have Dogs?
Leather is the most durable furniture material, especially when it comes to having pets around. Fabric couches tend to attract hair shed by your dog while leather couches don’t. Also, leather couches are much easier to clean. A simple wet cloth can be used to wipe down and get rid of any stains left by your furry pet, such as mud or dirt.
The best part about choosing leather furniture with pets around is that it tends to be more resistant toward pet odor. High-quality grain leather is far sturdier than other types. It is far less likely to crack or even tear apart as compared to other alternatives. A protective finish can be applied to your leather furniture to offer it a little more protection.
However, there are certain risks associated with having a leather couch. There’s a high possibility that your dog views your sofa as a scratching post or even as a chew toy. In this case, to make your couch more durable, you can take a few steps to pet-proof it.
Here is a video on what dogs do to leather couches.
How to Protect Your Leather Couch from Your Dog?
Here are some steps you can take to protect your leather couch from your dog.
We are sure you hate it when your dog comes and just parks itself on your beautiful leather couch. However, you don’t need to have your furniture on display all the time; you can buy a cover-up and throw it on. This will prevent stains and marks on your couch.
There are also unique leather furniture covers that are specifically designed to keep your couch free from pet hair and odor. For how to protect leather couch from dogs, follow the steps below.
Step 1
A throw-on is the perfect way to protect your oh-so-expensive leather couch. You can easily find one at a supermarket or pet store if you’re looking for ones that are pet-resistant. You can pick either a matching or a contrasting cover-up that will go well with your other furniture.
Apart from the aesthetics, there are other factors to consider as well. For instance, make sure that the cover is waterproof, odor-repellent, and stain-resistant. Also, choose one that can be washed easily at home rather than one that has to be sent for dry cleaning.
Step 2
Couch throws are often pretty thin so that they can tear easily. So, for extra protection, it’s better if you place a folded, preferably waterproof sheet under the cover-up. This will prevent any mishaps from occurring. Ensure that you tuck the ends of the sheet under the cushions to make sure that it remains intact and doesn’t move due to all the snuggling.
Step 3
Make sure to regularly, or at least frequently, wash the couch cover to prevent odor. When you’re doing so, make sure to lock the door or put your pup in a different room so that it doesn’t jump on the unprotected leather couch and damage it.
Many people don’t want to compromise on the look of their leather sofa. You can purchase a luxurious cover-up to throw on.
Watch this video on the most suitable leather couch to have when you also have dogs in your house.
Providing your furry pup with an alternative will probably save your leather couch from a world of damage. This way, you won’t only be teaching your dog to remain off the couch, but you’ll also be offering it a luxurious lounging experience. You can buy them a small leather bed as an ideal replacement for their particular spot on your leather couch.
A leather couch will be super-comfortable and soft for your pet and will keep your dog from pouncing and biting your leather couch. This method will also ensure that your leather couch remains free of stains, hair, and pet odor.
You can place their little leather bed beside the couch to make them feel included while offering them their own lounging space. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about it disrupting the ambiance of your lounge— just get a stylish bed that complements your furniture.
Dogs damage leather couches by leaving nail marks, bite marks, or dander. All these can be avoided through some frequent dog grooming. You should take your furry pet to the dog groomer at least once every three weeks or so. Make sure that you keep its claws well-trimmed and filed. This will eliminate the chances of claw marks on your leather couch.
To prevent your dog from dandering all over your couch, you should brush its fur weekly. Frequent brushing of its hair will also save you from the hard work of vacuuming every part of the sofa and the house. It is also a great way to ensure that your companion remains healthy and clean.
Pets require ground rules too. It’s uber-important that you establish some from the beginning to prevent any mishaps from occurring later on. They need professional training as well as proper positive reinforcement to learn their boundaries.
While many dog owners might not be very well aware of this, they should conduct their research. From the beginning, make sure your dog knows that your leather couch is not the best spot to sit in.
Training a dog is a lifelong process; however, you must teach them some skills. If you have a leather couch, you might want to train your dog not to damage it or even climb on it for that matter. The process will be very similar to when you were teaching it to sit or fetch.
Supervise your dog by limiting its access to certain parts of the house. You can do so by closing the bedroom or lounge doors. This will give the dog an idea of its own space. You can also set a routine for your furry pet.
This is an easy task since these animals are inherently creatures of habit. Through establishing a routine for them, you can condition them to function in a specific way, even if that includes staying off the couch.
Positive Reinforcement
Using positive reinforcement is probably one of the best ways to train your dog to behave in a certain way. You can use treats to influence your pet and positively reinforce it to not climb on the couch.
Condition it by offering it a treat every time it gets off the couch or lies down on the floor. This will make your pet believe that the floor is better than the couch, and it will receive a treat whenever it lies on the floor.
If you have bought a small leather bed for your dog and want it to lie there rather than the couch, then you can offer it a treat to positively reinforce it to remain there rather than stepping foot on your leather sofa.
Make sure to give the treat only when your dog gets off the couch and goes to the small leather bed. Watch the video on how to train your dog to stay away from furniture especially leather couch.
Don’t mistake this as a part of positive reinforcement. It is more of switching out one alternative for another. This is another excellent and powerful way to keep your pup from biting the sofa legs, scratching the leather off, or dandering all over the couch.
Dogs are friendly animals that are uber-obsessed with chew toys. Once they like a specific toy, they won’t want anything else. If your furry little pet also has a favorite toy, use this as an opportunity to keep it from scratching up your leather couch. Place toys such as a chew toy beside your couch so that your pet is diverted towards it.
There are a variety of types and designs of toys that you can get for your dog. You must find the perfect one for your pet. Before you buy any toy, you should assess the behavior of your dog towards an item or observe if it likes to bite it or scratch it.
This will help you choose and buy a pet toy accordingly. The ideal way to prevent your dog from ruining or damaging your leather couch is by strategically placing the purchased toys near it.
Spending some time outside is great for your pup. All pets need some time to play outdoors so that they can run around and enjoy the fresh air. Letting your dog out in the garden or the street under supervision can be a great way to keep it from biting things in your house.
You can also install a pet entrance in your door to ensure that your pet can entertain itself by going outside when it wants to. Plus, spending time outside will reduce the amount of time it spends indoors, which will, in turn, reduce the chances of it damaging your sofa.
Dogs are active creatures that love to walk and play around. You should take your pup out for a stroll or play with it in the park. Not only do these activities play a role in enhancing the physical health of your dog, but it will also ensure that your pet remains more calm and relaxed when it gets back home.
Exercise has a similar impact on dogs as it does on humans. It makes them feel energized and fresh. Additionally, your pets require some stimuli, especially after being cooped up in the house all day long. They need something to vent out their frustration on, and unfortunately, your furniture and your oh-so-amazing leather couch end up becoming the victim.
If you can’t find time to take your pet for a walk, you can hire a professional dog walker or ask your family, friends, or neighbors to do so. Another solution is to leave your pet at an animal daycare so that professionals can look after it when you are away. This will reduce the chances of your dog playing on your couch behind your back.
You obviously can’t keep your pet outside the lounge forever, but desperate times call for desperate measures. You might love your dog roaming and wandering around the house, but it can be pretty detrimental for your furniture.
If you feel like your dog is getting extraordinarily aggressive or angry and you’re scared that it’ll damage your leather couch, you should keep the living room closed.
This is probably a very unconventional yet super-effective method. Not only is this the easiest method, but it’s also highly economical. You can use air fresheners lying around your house or purchase one from the store.
After wiping your leather couch with a damp cloth, spray some air freshener on it. The air freshener should preferably be citrus-scented as dogs don’t prefer such scents.
Not only will your leather couch smell fresh and fantastic, but your pet will also keep away from it and find other places to lounge. This will also aid you in isolating your couch to save it from pet damage.
Another great way to keep your dog away from your leather couch is by purchasing a pheromone plug-in and placing it in the living room. Pheromone diffusers let out a particular odor that isn’t liked by pets.
You can put it where you don’t want your dog to go, preferably near your leather couch. The electric pheromone diffuser has no adverse effects on your pup’s health. These diffusers are readily available at pet stores.
This is a neat trick. All you have to do is place a small amount of aluminium foil on your leather couch. This will deter the dog from getting on the leather couch. Watch the video below and see how effective this trick is to get you dog away from leather couch.
Sometimes, the methods mentioned above will not work. Your dog, if it wants to, will sit on your leather couch. So the only thing that you can do to protect your leather couch is to clean it regularly and properly.
When you’re living with a pet, you have to bear in mind that your leather furniture will require proper cleansing with a good quality cleaner. Even though leather may be sturdy, it is also temperamental.
So, it’s better to use a gentle leather cleaner and avoid harmful or harsh household cleaners such as vinegar. Harsh chemicals can cause discoloration. Here’s a video of how you can clean your leather couch if you have a dog:
It’s best to vacuum your leather couch to get rid of any dog hair before you use a gentle cleaner to get rid of the stains and grime. You can spray the leather cleaner on the couch and slightly rub it with a soft towel. Use circular motions to clean your sofa.
After cleaning your leather furniture, you will have to moisturize and condition it. If you allow the leather of your couch to dry out, it will crack, flake, and puncture. Leather couches need to be conditioned every few months, especially when you have pets around.
You can do so by using a soft and clean cloth and pouring some leather conditioner on it. Then, slowly massage the conditioner onto the leather in brief circular motions. Regardless of whether your pup pooped or dirtied it, your furniture will look and feel as good as new.
Conclusion
Having dogs and furniture in the same place can be very difficult to manage. While leather is the perfect upholstery to have when you have pets around, your dog can still damage it.
So if you are wondering how to protect leather couch from dogs, then invest a lot of time in training and grooming your pup. You will also have to care for and regularly maintain your couch so that it looks brand new.
