When we’re not paying attention, our dogs can get into mischief, including jumping up on the couch with muddy paws, gnawing on the bedclothes, or scratching at the door to be let out. This can leave you with hole-filled blankets and torn-open cushions if your furniture isn’t durable enough to withstand your puppy’s attention.

Fortunately for pet owners, there are many furniture pieces made from materials that can withstand dogs. There are even dog-proof furniture covers if you can’t afford to replace your décor.

Whatever your budget is, we hope that these reviews help you find the solutions to protecting your couch from accidents or general mischief.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 8 Best Dog-Proof Furniture Pieces

1. Mambe Waterproof Dog Furniture Cover — Best Overall

While it can be tempting to buy a new piece of furniture, sometimes it’s easier to protect your existing furniture. The Mambe Waterproof Dog Furniture Cover is the best overall dog-proof furniture piece due to its ability to protect your couch from accidents caused by both dogs and humans. Unlike plastic waterproof covers, the Mambe is made from microfiber and doesn’t crinkle obnoxiously whenever you or your dog moves. It’s also machine washable for easy cleanup and reversible if you want to try a different color.

Along with being one of the more expensive options on this list, the Mambe couch cover is designed to be more like a blanket than a typical furniture cover. It doesn’t anchor to the couch and may need to be adjusted frequently.

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2. Bone Dry Reversible Sofa Cover— Best Value

Buying new furniture always gets a bit expensive, even if it’s a dog bed styled to look like a couch. The best dog-proof furniture piece for the money is the Bone Dry Reversible Sofa Cover. Suitable for most couches, it’s made from durable material that protects your existing furniture and can easily be lifted out of the way when needed.

Held in place with elastic straps that anchor to the couch, it has a reversible design so it doesn’t matter which side you use. It’s also machine washable for those times when your mucky canine sneaks onto the couch before their bath.

Although it’s designed to fit most sofas, it’s not recommended for recliners or leather couches. It’s not waterproof either, so it won’t protect your furniture from accidents.

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3. La-Z-Boy Furniture Sofa Dog Bed — Premium Choice

Sometimes, the best way to dog-proof your furniture is by giving your furry friend a couch of their own. The La-Z-Boy Furniture Sofa Dog Bed is a stylish, dog-sized sofa to add to your living room.

It’s made with textured chenille upholstery, so it can withstand general wear and tear, helps hide their shed fur, and is easy to clean when you need to. This miniature sofa is even made with furniture-grade materials, like a wooden framework and feet, to ensure that it’s sturdy and durable.

While it’s a cute addition to your décor and gives your dog a comfortable space of their own, it’s expensive. Some owners have also found that it’s too small for large dog breeds.

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4. CLAWGUARD Heavy Duty Door Scratch Shield — Best for Puppies

Many dogs scratch at the door when they want to come in or go out. The CLAWGUARD Heavy Duty Door Scratch Shield is a good way to protect your door frame from deep scratches. While it has a smooth side to mute scratching noses, the ridged side enables you to hear when your dog is scratching so you can let them out or teach them to stop.

It’s made from 100% recycled polymer plastic, is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and can be cut with scissors to customize for your door.

Due to how this scratch shield hangs on the door handle, it isn’t suitable for all doors, especially if you put it on the outside of a door that opens inward. It also only fixes in one place, unlike shields with adhesive backing, and your dog may pull it off.

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5. Merry Products 2-in-1 Furniture Style Dog Crate & Gate

Crate training is a good way to give your dog somewhere quiet to sit out of the way when they’re nervous or you have guests. Unfortunately, not everyone has space for a crate. The Merry Products 2-in-1 Furniture Style Dog Crate & Gate is a stylishly modern addition to your existing décor that enables you to use your dog’s crate as an end table. It’s easy to assemble, and you can use it as an adjustable gate if you want to cordon off a room to give your dog more space to roam.

Pricewise, it’s expensive for what you get, and the construction isn’t durable enough to withstand the strength of big dogs.

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6. Mambe Waterproof Dog Bed Cover

If you let your dog sleep on your bed, your bedclothes are just as likely to suffer from pet-related accidents and dirty paws as your couch is. The Mambe Waterproof Dog Bed Cover enables you to protect your bed and benefit from an extra blanket during the winter months.

It’s completely waterproof to protect your bed-clothes from animal and human-created accidents but doesn’t crinkle like plastic when you move it. The reversible design fits both king and queen-sized beds and can double as a couch cover.

Some users have found it to have an unpleasant, lingering chemical smell. Its size and the material used in its construction also mean it takes a long time to dry.

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7. FurHaven Sofa Buddy Dog Furniture Cover

Furniture covers that protect your entire couch can be useful but pricey, which is where the FurHaven Sofa Buddy Dog Furniture Cover comes in. Instead of covering your entire couch, it protects the part of the couch that your dog — or cat — uses the most often. This enables you to keep the couch free of dog hair while still giving your dog somewhere comfortable to sit.

The design is easy to clean, affordable, and available in multiple sizes and anchors to the couch for security.

Bolster pillows protect the arms and back of the couch and give your dog somewhere to rest their head. However, the pillows do take up a great deal of space on small couches. This cover also isn’t waterproof to protect your couch from accidents.

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8. Sure Fit Deluxe Sofa Cover

The Sure Fit Deluxe Sofa Cover is designed to be a stylish way to protect your furniture from dog hair, scratches, and dirt. Available in five colors, it’s made from microfiber and polyester and has a durable, quilted velvet finish for added protection against wear and tear.

Designed to be comfortable, it has polyester batting for cushioning and an odor-resistant finish, so it stays fresh for longer between washes.

Unlike some other couch covers, the Sure Fit doesn’t anchor to the couch and will slide off leather sofas. Since it’s not waterproof, it also doesn’t protect the couch from spills or other accidents.

Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for When Buying Dog-Proof Furniture Pieces

How Do Dogs Damage Furniture?

There are many reasons that dogs damage your furniture, and not all of them are due to destructive behavior. Sometimes the damage done is accidental and can be rectified by dog-proofing your furniture with waterproof covers or purchasing a couch made with hard-wearing material.

To decide how to tackle your dog-proofing, though, you first need to figure out whether it’s accidental damage or if you need to tackle a few behavioral problems.

Accidents

No matter how old they are, your dog will most likely have an accident at some point. Puppies that aren’t fully house-trained, dogs with diarrhea, or older dogs that suffer from incontinence can all leave unpleasant surprises on your couch.

Depending on the fabric that your couch is made out of and how quickly you find the mess and clean it up, the amount of staining can vary. While accidents are nobody’s fault — least of all your dog’s — they can still be frustrating to deal with when it comes to your expensive couch.

Chewing

At some point, all dog owners come home to find that their dog has chewed through the leg of the coffee table or ripped apart a few pillows. Chewing is your dog’s way to keep their jaw and teeth in top shape, but it can also be destructive if your dog’s behavior isn’t directed to the right outlet.

Claws

Another accidental cause of damage is your dog’s claws. They might not scratch at furniture to keep their claws in good shape like cats do, but they can still cause a great deal of damage with their nails. This is especially true with the front or back door when they want to go out or even the door to their treat cupboard.

Delicate materials used to give your couch a soft, decadent feel can be easily damaged by your dog’s nails when they hop on or off too.

Dirt

Your dog may love adventuring in the yard and may bring back evidence of their summer dust baths or rainy-day muddy fun. If you don’t clean your dog first, all the dirt and muck ends up on your floor and your furniture. For the uncovered couch or bed, a muddy, wet, or dusty dog can leave hard-to-clean stains and smelly fabric.

How to Protect Your Furniture From Dogs

Splurging on new furniture is a nice treat but isn’t something that everyone’s budget can accommodate. Finding ways to protect your new couch — even if the material is considered pet-proof — is often cheaper than constantly replacing ruined furniture. Here are a few ways that you can keep your couch looking brand new for longer, even around your dog.

Buy a Pet Bed

Many pet owners don’t let their dogs on the couch or the bed because they can cause damage without meaning to. It’s also simply nice to stretch out and relax without worrying about accidentally kicking your dog in the nose or getting covered in shed hair.

Buying a pet bed and encouraging your dog to use it instead of your couch gives them their own comfy spot to sit in. They won’t have to get out of the way when somebody wants to sit in their spot either. If you can afford to splurge, you can get a dog bed shaped like a miniature couch!

Choose the Right Fabric

While not everyone can afford new furniture all the time if you do have the chance to buy a new couch, look for pieces that are made with certain types of material. Velvet is decadent, expensive, and extravagant, but it’s also hard-wearing and is unlikely to be damaged by dog or cat claws. The right leather or even a heavy canvas material can make the difference between deep scratches and torn cushions too.

Aim for a fabric that’s hard-wearing without being uncomfortable and that’s easy to clean. If you don’t want to cover the cushions, you’ll appreciate having a material that doesn’t stain so you don’t have to worry about hiding unsightly messes.

Furniture Covers

Sometimes, the simplest solution is to just cover the furniture that your dog sits on so you don’t have to replace it. For a cheap option, an old blanket or sheet works great. However, if your dog is prone to accidents, a waterproof cover is worth investing in.

In a pinch, you can use painting sheets underneath a blanket, but these can make the couch slippery and crinkle noisily whenever you or your dog moves. See if you can stretch your budget to find a decent waterproof blanket that anchors to your couch and covers the whole sofa. This way, you won’t have to keep adjusting it, and it’ll cover everywhere your dog might sit if they like to move around. A decent cover will even protect your couch from accidents, whether they’re caused by your dog, children, or you.

Target the Cause

Destructive behavior is common in dogs and can have several causes. Teething, separation anxiety, frustration, and boredom are among the biggest reasons that your dog might wreck your furniture. In these cases, dog-proofing your home will help but won’t tackle the underlying issue.

To keep your furniture safe, you’ll need to figure out why your dog is intent on destroying your furniture and address the behavior directly. To deal with frustration and boredom, giving your dog puzzles to do while you’re away will keep their minds active. Teething puppies need to be taught to chew acceptable items instead of table legs.

Separation anxiety can be more difficult to solve. The treatment depends on how mild or severe your dog’s anxiety is. Mild cases can usually be handled by keeping your dog occupied while you’re away, while severe cases might require a professional dog trainer and a dedicated desensitization program.

Final Thoughts

Dogs deserve to enjoy comfort too, and if you don’t have room for a dog bed, dog-proofing the couch is the only option. As the best overall option, the Mambe Waterproof Couch Cover protects your couch from sharp claws, dirt, and accidents. A more affordable solution is the Bone Dry Reversible Sofa Cover. If you don’t mind spending more, the La-Z-Boy Sofa Dog Bed is cute and durable and gives your dog a sofa for themselves.

We hope that these reviews have helped you find the best way to dog-proof your furniture.

• See also: How to Fix a Dog Scratch on a Wood Door: Step-by-Step Guide

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Featured Image Credit: san4ezz, Shutterstock