Everything You Need to Know About Designing A Dog-Friendly Home: Advice, Easy Hacks and Tons of Decor Recommendations From Our Readers

 

photo by Tessa Neustadt | from: The Design Milk Family Room Reveal

All dogs are perfect, but they aren’t always the best roommates. They shed, they climb on furniture, and if they’re an American Bulldog named Gus, they drool and lick themselves incessantly. But, as the proud mother of said bulldog, I know there are few joys greater than coming home to a 60 lb slobbery mess that wants to jump on me and lick my face as soon as I walk through the door. Yes, I am that kind of dog mom. I let my dog jump on me, lay on the couch, and sleep in our bed because he has me wrapped around his little paw. But as whipped as I may be, there is no denying that a dog in the home causes some challenges, design-wise.

As I coming to find out, designing a dog-friendly home requires thoughtful consideration and those who’ve lived through it are our best resource. So I did what anyone would do. I asked my boss to ask you, the real experts, how you keep your homes dog-friendly and clean. Now I’ve gathered the results and can’t wait to share all the tips and tricks. We’re talking best and worst fabrics, best cleaning products, easy hacks, and more. Let’s get to it:

The Best (& Prettiest) Dog-Friendly Sofas

Leather: I know there are people out there who live in “no dogs on the furniture” households. These people deserve this recognition and will likely announce themselves in the comment section (please do and please give me all the advice on how to accomplish this). The rest of us need something a little more foolproof than that. I was recently in the market for a new couch and because my life revolves around my dog, I had to ask what is recommended for dogs (specifically ones that shed a TON). I was told leather is the #1 recommended for dog owners which is no surprise. Leather is easy to wipe clean and hair isn’t going to stick to it. Obviously, real leather will hold up better to scratches, but faux leather is just as easy to clean – just not as durable. 

1.  2. Texada Sofa | 3. Hoxton Black Leather Sofa | 4. Leather Sofa | 5. Sven Charme Tan Sofa | 6. Brown Leather Modern Square Sofa

Tightly Woven Fabrics: If you aren’t into leather and want something cozier, have no fear. There are some woven fabrics out there that are very durable and stain-resistant. My research tells me the tighter the weave the better (think chenille and herringbone – fabrics with texture that will hide hair – but watch out if your dog is a digger as their nails can cause damage). Also, synthetic fabrics like microfibre are high on the pet (and kid) friendly list because they can be spot-cleaned with most carpet cleaners and pet hair is easier to remove with lint rollers and vacuums. If you are going for a woven fabric though, you might consider matching the fabric to your dog’s hair color as best you can unless you don’t mind seeing hair everywhere. And I mean everywhere.

1. Shelter Sofa | 2. Sven Birch Ivory Sofa | 3. Sloan Custom 3 Seat Sofa | 4. Ever Slipcover Sofa | 5. KIVIK Sofa | 6. Amherst Cobblestone Sofa

Velvet: About half of you swear by velvet and the other half will be calling me crazy in the comments section. We actually wrote a post about this last year, and we learned that synthetic velvet is more dog and kid-friendly because it holds up better to scratching and is easier to clean and keep hair-free. So, if you are in the market for velvet furniture go for synthetic or performance velvet for best results.

1. Mirage 75″ Sofa | 2. Calais Channel Tufted Sofa | 3. Olsen Sofa | 4. Rivet Aiden Tufted Mid Century Velvet Sofa | 5. Shelter Sofa | 6. Shelia Velvet 80″ Sofa

The Best & Most Stain Resistant Rugs:
photo by: Tessa Nuestadt | from: How We Styled Our Living Room To Sell 

Cowhide: I have a white cowhide rug and even between my wine spills and my dog’s occasional throw-up spells, it somehow remains stain free. This is no exaggeration when I say it is the easiest thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of cleaning (and I hate cleaning). If you get to the accident fast enough, a rag and some water will usually get the stain right out, but if it is a more stubborn stain laundry detergent works like magic. In my experience, even faux cowhide is easy to clean simply because the hairs are spread out far enough so you can scrub the hide and you can rub back and forth without worrying about damaging it. Emily also swears by cowhide rugs for messy kids and pets.

1. Palomino White/ Beige Cowhide Rug | 2. Carbon Loft Tan/White Cowhide Rug  3. Honey Cowhide Rug

Vintage Persian Rugs: If you’ve ever had a vintage Persian rug you know they can take a beating but what’s even better is their age and wear are a part of their charm. This makes accidents and scratches less of an issue and if it does stain, the intricate patterns do a good job of masking it. We know they are an investment but Emily and Sara vouch for the Persian rug stain-resistance and even though they are cat owners, I trust their judgment.