Here are two tips a dog owner should follow when buying a new couch.

They should keep their pet in mind when choosing the upholstery colour and pattern

A dog owner should keep their pet in mind when deciding on the upholstery colour and pattern of their new couch. Even if a person's dog is never allowed to sit on their couch, the dog's hair will still end up on this furniture. This is because anytime the dog leans or brushes against their owner, their hair will be transferred to that person's clothes and will then get on the couch when that person sits on it.

If, for example, the person has a dog with blonde fur and purchases a navy or black-coloured sofa, the animal's pale hair strands will contrast with the dark upholstery and be highly noticeable. This could result in the person having to use a lint roller on their sofa several times a day, to keep the furniture looking presentable. Conversely, if this person ordered a white or cream-coloured sofa, their dog's blonde hair strands would be harder to see, as they'd blend in with the upholstery. This could cut down on how often the dog owner has to remove dog hair from their couch. Similarly, if a person buys a couch with patterned upholstery, this could also reduce the frequency with which they need to use the lint roller on it, as any dog hairs that get on the upholstery will be difficult to see, amongst the pattern's many lines, curves and colours.

They should look for a couch that'll be easy to clean

Dog owners should also choose couches that they'll be able to easily keep clean. Even a dog who isn't allowed on the furniture may still brush against the base of the couch when walking past it, and may occasionally jump on its arms or pull one of the cushions off the couch. As such, there's a good chance that the couch's upholstery will need to be regularly cleaned, due to there being dirt marks and drool left on it by the dog.

A leather or faux leather sofa might be a good option in this situation. Neither of these is as absorbent as other common upholstery fabrics, like velvet, cotton and linen. As such, if the dog drools or leaves a muddy pawprint on the arm of a leather or faux leather sofa, the fabric won't get fully saturated and could be easy for the owner to wipe off, without having to use any stain removal products. If a dog owner wants a couch whose upholstery is more absorbent, they should opt for one with removable covers that are machine-washable.

Additionally, if their dog is allowed to lay on their sofa, they should also consider getting a couch with easy-to-replace covers. The reason for this is that if the dog regularly sits on the sofa, their nails may gradually cause the upholstery on the cushions to wear out and the cushion padding to become exposed. As such, if the couch's individual cushion covers aren't removable and easy to replace, the owner might end up having to replace the entire couch once the existing covers get damaged by their pet.

Contact a local furniture store if you're looking for a new couch.