Ah, the allure of pet-friendly couches. As much as we love our furry friends, they can often make furniture shopping a frustrating experience. After all, there’s nothing worse than buying a beautiful new couch, only for your cat to start clawing the arms or your dog to stain it with muddy paws. 

To avoid this heartache, it’s worth a little extra time to find a pet-friendly couch for your home. Today, there are a variety of sofas available with stain—and tear-resistant fabrics, durable frames, and even washable covers, making them better suited for households with pets. When you find the right couch, it will be able to stand up to your pet’s worst antics, ensuring it looks great for years to come. 

All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the author. However, Vetstreet may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Our List: Top 6 Pet-Friendly Couches

6 Best Durable and Chic Pet-Friendly Couches

Best Overall Pet-Friendly Couch

Our Pick: Wayfair Custom Upholstery Lucia Upholstered Sofa

Dog-friendly couches in grey
Buy at Wayfair

If you’re looking for comfort, style, and easy cleaning, it’s hard to beat the Lucia Upholstered Sofa. This couch is 93 inches long, providing plenty of space for three or more people, and it pulls out into a queen-size bed. The cushions are extremely plush thanks to their down-filling, and the deep seats are perfect for reclining or even napping with your pet. 

The made-to-order design is available in dozens of upholstery options, including machine-washable performance fabrics like Sunbrella, which are perfect for homes with pets. Plus, the slipcover, cushions, and cushion covers are all removable, allowing you to flip them over and/or wash them to handle stains. 

Highlights:

  • Dozens of upholstery options, including performance fabrics
  • Free fabric samples are available
  • Removable, machine-washable cushion covers
  • Folds out into a queen sleeper bed
  • Comfortable down-filled cushions
  • Wayfair offers the white glove experience if chosen (they carry your item to a room of your choice, assemble it if needed, and remove all packaging.)

Things to Consider:

  • Not everyone will like the casual look of the slipcover
  • Made-to-order design may take several weeks to ship
  • Weight capacity of 750 pounds

Best Pet-Friendly Sectional Couch

Our Pick: Lark Manor Blazyk 5-Piece Upholstered Sectional

Photo of dog friendly couch
Buy at Wayfair

Your whole family—pets included—will be able to comfortably lounge on the Blazyk 5-Piece Upholstered Sectional. This couch includes one corner piece and four armless chairs, and it forms a 118-inch long L-shaped sectional that’s perfect for a large living room. Its cushions are filled with a down/cotton blend for comfort and durability, and the sofa is covered in a polyester fabric that’s stain- and scratch-resistant. 

This sofa is spacious and comfortable, but it is also easy to maintain. Its cushions can be reversed if needed, and the cushion covers come off for easy cleaning. 

Highlights:

  • Five-piece design provides seating for several people
  • Upholstery is stain- and scratch-resistant
  • Seat cushions can be reversed
  • Cushion covers are removable for cleaning
  • Seats are filled with a down/cotton blend for comfort

Things to Consider:

  • There are only a few upholstery options to choose from

Best Pet-Friendly Leather Couch

Our Pick: Burrow Nomad Leather Sofa

Leather couch for dogs
Buy at Burrow

Another popular couch for pet owners is the Burrow Nomad, which is available in both fabric and leather finishes. “The entire Nomad Collection is designed to endure pet scratches and stains,” says interior designer Artem Kropovinsky, head of Arsight.

If you’re looking for a leather couch, this model comes in three color options, and you can also choose between six leg finishes and even different arm shapes. It’s 86 inches long, allowing three people to sit together. The top-grain leather is extremely durable and develops a beautiful patina over time, helping to hide any scratches from your pets. 

Highlights:

  • Highly customizable design
  • Durable top-grain leather upholstery 
  • Built-in USB charger
  • Free shipping

Things to Consider:

  • The sofa ships in several boxes, and assembly is required

Most Comfortable Pet-Friendly Couch

Our Pick: JASIWAY Square Arm Cotton Linen Straight Sofa

Comfortable couch that is dog friendly
Buy at The Home Depot

If you want a deep, plush sofa that’s great for relaxing after a hard day, the JASIWAY Sofa is one of your best bets. This sofa features extra-deep seats for lounging, and it comes with a variety of loose pillows so you can find the perfect position. It’s 110 inches in length, providing plenty of room for several people (or pets), and its cotton-linen upholstery is both durable and soft. 

This sofa is a great option for cat owners. Its wooden frame will keep kitties from clawing too much. The cushion covers are removable and machine-washable, making them easy to maintain. 

Highlights:

  • Deep seats are ideal for lounging
  • Cushion covers are removable and washable
  • Wooden frame will prevent cats from scratching
  • Includes several throw pillows for styling

Things to Consider:

  • Assembly is required
  • Only available in beige fabric

Best Pet-Friendly Couch for Small Spaces

Our Pick: Birch Lane Shelby Upholstered Loveseat

A cute loveseat for dog lovers
Buy at Wayfair

For smaller homes and apartments, the Shelby Loveseat is a pet-friendly choice for any seating area. It’s fairly compact, measuring just 63 inches wide, but it still offers enough space for two people to sit comfortably. The design is available in close to 50 different upholstery fabrics, including stain-resistant performance options like Sunbrella, and the seat cushions have removable covers that are easy to wash. Plus, it has a very classic design that will match virtually any decor style, making it easy to incorporate into your home. 

Highlights:

  • Dozens of upholstery options, including performance fabrics
  • Many fabric options are stain-resistant and machine-washable
  • Compact size is ideal for two people
  • Seat cushions are removable 

Things to Consider:

  • Made-to-order design may take several weeks to ship

Best Affordable Pet-Friendly Couch

Our Pick: Corrigan Studio 67″ Square Arm Loveseat

cute two seater couch for dog lovers
Buy at Wayfair

This square-arm Loveseat is a budget-friendly option for homes with pets. This compact sofa is 65 inches wide, making it well-suited for smaller spaces. Despite being lightweight and easy to move, it’s extremely sturdy, with a 500-pound weight capacity. The padded solid wood legs protect the floor from wear and scratches, which is a bonus. This loveseat is where affordability meets function, especially against your pet’s nails.

Highlights:

  • Budget-friendly price
  • Available in several colors
  • Comes with a throw pillow
  • Lightweight sofa is easy to move

Things to Consider:

  • Not machine washable – Clean by lightly brushing and/or vacuuming to remove dust
dog friendly couch with jack russell laying on it

Considerations When Buying a Pet-Friendly Couch

Several key factors distinguish pet-friendly couches from traditional sofas, and it’s important to consider these factors when shopping.

Materials

If you’re going to have pets on your new couch, it’s important to select materials that are durable enough to withstand heavy use and scratches. In terms of upholstery, experts recommend performance fabrics, such as Sunbrella: “Performance-grade or even outdoor-grade fabrics, which are woven with polyester blends or solution-dyed acrylic, are best,” explains Dana Feagles, Founder and Principal Interior Designer at Revelry Interior Design. 

“Performance fabrics have advanced a long way and are no longer the stiff, rough texture that people may be accustomed to,” she says. “Polyester and acrylic fabrics are washable, and they won’t shrink, fade, or bleed color when wet.”

You may also want to consider the frame of the sofa, especially if you have cats. “Search for a sofa with a robust frame,” recommends Kropovinsky. “Such a frame can protect the sofa from potential damage caused by your pet’s claws.”

Cleaning

The next key factor to consider while shopping is whether the couch is easy to clean. Detachable covers and machine-washable fabrics are extremely convenient for pet owners, as they’ll make it easy to remove stains and pet hair. 

Experts also recommend looking for detachable cushions, which can be flipped over to hide stains if needed. “The seat and back cushions should be removable or reversible, not attached,” says Feagles. “Attached cushions are sewn onto the sofa frame, which means they cannot be removed or replaced.”

If you have your heart set on a fabric that isn’t pet-friendly, you may want to consider having it professionally treated to resist stains: “If you find a sofa you love but the fabric isn’t considered pet-friendly, consider having the fabric stain-guarded,” Feagles recommends. “Several companies will come to your home and spray down your sofa for you.”

Size

As with any furniture purchase, finding a sofa that will fit your living space is important. Measure the area where you plan to put the sofa to figure out what length and depth will work best for your space. You’ll also want to measure doorways in advance to ensure there’s enough clearance to move the furniture into your home. 

“You may also want to consider the height of the seat for aging pets with mobility issues,” says Feagles. “Sofa seat heights are generally around 16 inches, but some pets may have difficulty jumping onto and off of a surface at this height.”

Pet-Friendly Couch Buying Guide

There are several other things you may want to think about as you select a pet-friendly sofa for your home. If you’re unable to see the sofa in person—a common occurrence with online retailers—read through reviews from verified buyers to see if there are any recurring complaints. It’s also a good idea to look for reviews with photos to see how the sofa looks in real life, as product photos are often highly staged. 

Other things to consider include shipping and assembly. Certain retailers may offer in-home delivery, where they’ll set up your new furniture for you, while others ship their couches in boxes and require you to assemble them yourself. This can be a time-consuming task, and you may need assistance to carry the components into your home.