Sit, Stay, Buy: These 6 Pet-Friendly Couches are a Real Treat
Both you and your fur baby will love this selection of durable, stylish, and pet-friendly couches, sourced from some of my favorite modern furniture brands
Have a furry friend at home? You need a pet-friendly couch. There's no use investing hundreds or even thousands in new seating if it can't withstand a bit of scratching or pawing from an eager dog or cat. Even if you don't own a domesticated animal, a pet-friendly couch is usually upholstered in a performance fabric or treated in such a way that makes it more durable and long-lasting overall, making it a good choice for really anyone.
If you've decided that the best sofa for you and your family is a pet-friendly one, you've come to the right place. Using my knowledge of durable upholstery plus interviews with sofa experts and virtuosos (like Ameer Radwan, owner of SOOT Upholstery Studio), I've compiled a list of six pet-friendly couches that both you and Fido will love. These couches are "pet-friendly" because they're covered in a performance fabric; from a retailer that prides itself on dog/cat-friendly products; wrapped in a textile that is inherently scratch/stain-resistant and easy to clean; or a combination of all three. I will detail my rationale for choosing each sofa in the product description below.
Each pick is a result of either in-depth sofa research or first-person experience, and you'll know which is which as you read. Either way, it's an honest look at some of the top contenders in the space, served to you through the ever-present lens of style. Hey, even humans deserve a treat sometimes!
6 Pet-Friendly Couches for Fido
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Price: $2699.99 (Was: $3535)
Size: 31'' H X 79'' W X 42'' D
Why It's Pet-Friendly: Washable slipcover
If you want some real first-person feedback, it doesn't get much better than this. My friend Makenzie purchased the ivory-colored version of this slipcover sofa back in 2018, despite owning three tiny dogs. For starters, she says the sit is quite deep and that it fits 5-6 people comfortably. Assembly was also a breeze. But most importantly, the material has held up against the many furry friends who have curled up on its surface. There are a few marks, but she says that's her fault, not the fabric's, and there are no rips, not even after two moves and six years of use.
Even better, you can remove and wash the sofa cover if you do find yourself with a few errant stains. "Love this sofa! It’s very cozy and I love that the slipcovers are removable for cleaning. Essential with 3 kids and 3 cats!" wrote one pet-owning buyer. "
Price: $2143 (Was: $3199)
Size: 91.5" W x 55" D x 32" H
Why It's Pet-Friendly: Strong, stain-resistant polyester upholstery
Joybird is another of the internet-first sofa brands, and I've decided that the Lewis Apartment Sectional is the perfect option for city dwellers with furry friends. For one, it's slightly more compact than your average sectional; it's not small, per se, but it's definitely a couch meant for a smaller room (I mean, look at the name). Second, the upholstery here is 100% polyester, a notably strong, stain-resistant fabric, and one that will resist wear and tear from sharp claws. Thirdly, Joybird offers specifically pet-friendly fabrics, which means the big wigs expect their customers to own a dog or two; always an encouraging sign.
The weave is slightly patterned, which will add an extra disguising factor to your new pet-friendly couch. And if you're worried about off-gassing from VOCs (volatile organic compounds), the fabric here is also GreenGuard certified, a rating from safety testing company UL Solutions that indicates low chemical emissions.
Price: $1799
Size: 85" W x 35" D x 33" H
Why It's Pet-Friendly: Tightly woven performance velvet stops claw snags
If you're looking for a low-maintenance couch material, performance fabric is the way to go. These high-power textiles are either inherently stain-resistant or treated to become so, durable, water-resistant, and just an all-around excellent choice for busy homes or pet lovers. And surprisingly, performance velvet is a solid pick here. Burrow's fabric boasts a super tight weave, good for avoiding claw snags, and has a Martindale rating of 100,000 double rubs. Now that's a durable fabric. (Note: The Martindale is an abrasion test that determines how many "rubs" a textile can withstand before it pills, fades, or visibly wears.)
Otherwise, the most obvious benefit of the Nomad lies in its name; this is a sofa for the mover and shaker, someone who isn't yet ready to stay in one place for too long. And by that I mean it's modular and therefore endlessly configurable. If you move somewhere new and the couch doesn't fit, simply remove a piece — or add a new one. A fabulous (and more sustainable) alternative to buying a new three-seater each time you change apartments. Lastly, Burrow is a lot like Joybird in that it will easily signpost which of its fabrics are pet-friendly; a helpful touch!
Price: $1674 (Was: $2199)
Size: 114"W x 35"H x 63"D
Why It's Pet-Friendly: Distressed vegan leather
Leather is another fabulous choice for pet-filled homes; it's durable, easy to clean, and you can typically buff out any marks. That said, I'd opt for leather with a protective coating over a full aniline, which is less protected and therefore might show wear and tear more quickly. Something like this pre-distressed vegan leather from Albany Park is ideal; it already has a worn-in look, which will disguise any additional damage should it occur, plus it's stain-resistant, easy to clean, and tightly woven.
I love the mid-century modern look of this leather couch; the tapered legs add a nice distance between the floor and the base of the sofa, so much so that it might actually make your space look a bit bigger.
Price: $799
Size: 72"w x 32"d x 30"h
Why It's Pet-Friendly: Tightly woven, 78% polyester fabric
The Oliver is one of my favorite affordable sofas; it's a best-seller, it looks great (we once again have mid-century modern aesthetics to thank for that), and at just 72" wide, it makes a great sofa for small living rooms. Probably just for two people, but I'm sure you could squeeze three butts on here if needed.
As for its pet-friendliness, well ... this West Elm sofa is upholstered in a tight weave crafted from 78% polyester, a superstar synthetic in the world of durability and stain resistance. Plus, I highly doubt any claws will dig their way underneath. And even better yet, polyester is quite easy to clean, muddy paws and all.
Price: $2239
Size:
Why It's Pet-Friendly: Removable, washable cushion covers + performance fabric
The Adams chaise is not slipcovered in a traditional way, but the fabric seat covers are removable and washable — a huge pro for sofa longevity and durability. Tracked in some dirt? Give the cushions a rinse. Fur has things looking dingey? Time for a soak! What's more, the fabric is performance, which we know by now is the superstar of the sofa upholstery world. Shown above is the cumin colorway, available in either a performance velvet or performance chenille. Yet another layer of protection against man's best friend.
Plus, this sectional sofa is very well-reviewed. Castlery already boasts some of the best buyer feedback in the sofa world, but the reviews for the Adams are particularly strong, especially among pet owners. Said one customer: "This couch is beautiful, it's modern and very comfortable. I’ve had it for about a year now and it has been a great purchase, the fabric holds up well even with a dog. I would definitely recommend it!"
What are the best fabrics for pet-friendly couches?
Generally speaking, a pet-friendly couch should be upholstered in a tightly woven performance fabric, as that decreases the likelihood of both claw snags and impenetrable stains. Most of the best places to buy a couch offer performance fabrics in a variety of different finishes, like velvet and chenille, but I'd opt for something like microfiber in this case; it's durable, soft, and tightly woven (but a performance velvet isn't a bad choice either).
Leather is another strong option, as it wears distress well and marks can be buffed out. Something like full aniline leather might require a lot of upkeep, though, so perhaps try a microfiber leather, pigmented leather, or semi-aniline leather instead.
If you can't find a performance fabric or leather couch in your price range, something upholstered in a polyester blend is your next best bet. A blend softens the slightly uncomfortable polyester material, which is otherwise extremely durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean.
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Brigid Kennedy is a freelance writer and former style editor for Livingetc.com, where she scoured the internet for the best and most stylish deals on home decor and more. She also served as the website's in-house sofa expert, completely revamping and reworking Livingetc's expansive sofa buying guide by interviewing a total of 17 interior designers and sofa experts at top brands like Article and Benchmade Modern; sitting on upwards of 50 sofas across both Pittsburgh and New York City; extensively polling her friends and family for their own sofa-buying anecdotes and product recommendations; and traveling to Dallas, Texas, to tour the floor of a couch factory. In total, she estimates she has spent 40+ hours (and counting!) reading, writing, and talking about couches with accredited sofa connoisseurs o then pass that knowledge on to you. She describes her personal design style as colorful and clean, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching movies, and curating impossibly niche playlists on Spotify. She recently relocated from Manhattan to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she's decorating and DIYing a new home downtown.
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