You know you love your dog...when picking out new furniture

[Sam I Am]

Doing some renos in the house and decided new living room furniture would be in order. So off we go. Comments that follow:

Oh no that's no good , Rosie wouldn't be comfortable...oh no, it's to light a color of fabric, it would show her paw prints. In the end we decided leather was the best way to go. The family room has leather and has survived very nicely through our last Scottie's puppyhood and Jocks. Off course now...oh dear is the leather to light a color...will it show grease from her coat. In the end ....it will show a nice patina and Rosie and probably a future Cairn pup will do just fine.

As all may have gathered our furniture also is our dogs furniture. but we have been also amazingly lucky with Jock and now Rosie in that neither of them were ever destructive in their puppyhood stage.

[josie&holly]

Not just picking out new furniture....... I changed my car two months ago and took Holly with me to ensure that she could get in the car OK, and the salesman said he had never seen that before!

Going back to furniture, I know someone who bought a new bed and measured the ones in the shop for height so that her Westie could still get on it!

[bradl]

Oh yes, *everything* must be dog-approved.

[Hillscreek]

Never thought it worthwhile to get new furniture, Always had so many dogs around from pups to grandparents. Angus is the first single. Usually been a crowd of four or more of different sizes.

All furniture here matches, whatever the original style. A nibble here, a scratch there, a chewed corner somewhere else. It's like the dogs we've known and loved are forever with us (and possibly forever teething).We do have photos but each mark tells a story ...we laugh and reminisce ..visitors might think differently.  

 

Agree with Josie - if vehicle not good for dog(s) then not good for us either.

[kjwarnold]

Yep, leather works great with Cairns.  We've had a leather sectional for over 20 years and it looks great.  And buying furniture focused on your Cairns?  We just bought a new chair for our bedroom specifically so the dogs could jump up onto the bed, which is quite high. 

[hheldorfer]

The last time I bought a new loveseat for the living room I checked it out thoroughly at the store.  I sat on it, laid down on it and, lastly, scratched at the upholstery with my fingernails.  The salesman looked at me rather strangely when I started scratching.  I explained it was necessary to test the durability of the fabric and gauge whether or not it could stand up to crazy terrier digging rituals.

[Lynn in TN]

Well I have 2 Cairns and 2 sons. I haven't decided yet, which does the most damage. I want to say the 2 sons. For anyone who has boys and Cairns I would definitely recommend leather. It will withstand pencils, hot wheels, dog nails, vomit, blood (from Prissy"s nose) I have to keep a lot in mind when I am shopping for furniture.  Some of the tests I've done on furniture had the salesman ready to throw me out. I jumped up on the couch before I would buy it, (children are notorious for jumping on the furniture, and so was my husband and I, when Kelly was a puppy biting our ankles.) I scratch on it throw stuff at it, lay on it. What we go through to buy furniture.

 

Wood furniture, I like worn pieces, barn wood to be exact. It's the best wood I know for Cairns and children. It looks so old and beaten that nothing hurts the looks of it. The dogs can chew on it, scratch it, the boys have played hot wheel on it, spilled drinks on it, I could go on.

 

 I am sure we can all relate to picking out dog friendly furniture. 

[tlwtheq]

We haven't worried about that for a while (20 years or so).  Harriet Carter and other mail order organizations

have helped with the furniture's health...only one small rip in one cushion, I solemnly swear!

 

I'd love to go furniture shopping, but I'm OK with not having done it all these years.  Those

little imps!     (And that's not just for Cairns, kitties and bunnies have contributed to the damage,

especially the carpets!  Love them so much....)

[_whits_]

I've found SureFit covers (http://www.surefit.net) are quite useful at protecting my couch and recliner. And it means I can take the covers off and give them a good wash every few weeks, which sure helps with my allergies (I'm not allergic to Addie, but I am allergic to all the things she tracks into the house). It also made her vomit-fest a few weeks ago much easier to deal with. 

 

Speaking of furniture and pets, I swore up and down that Addie would never sleep in my bed. Lost that battle last summer and now the new battle is making sure she stays IN in at night. Sometimes she chooses to sleep elsewhere (her crate or a cosy chair) and when she does, I find I can't sleep without her! 

Edited August 14, 2014 by _whits_

[Kathryn]

I am also a fan of furniture covers, though I just use washable throws rather than covers. Last night Oban brought his new smoked bison bone - marrow still not all eaten - onto the loveseat with me, for instance. I will wash that throw this weekend.

I am finally patching and painting the wall next to where we put the x pen when Oban was little. I think since he is now 1 and 1/2, we are past that kind of destruction...

[Malcolm's Dad]

Patching and painting the wall? Wow that is what I call a hyper puppy. I am lucky Malcolm only chewed socks and underwear which he stills does today if he can get them. He never bothered the furniture. I keep blankets or sheets on the couch and throws on the recliner. Its easy to get out dirt dragged in from the yard or chew bone stains.

 

Sounds like leather is the best choice. Good luck with it Terrier Lover.