Furniture for houses with cats and dogs: a question

[hedgehog]

My dogs sleep on the couches all the time and the younger one loves to tear back and forth across them (They're in an L-shaped arrangement). I've tried washable slipcovers, but they get pulled down almost instantly. I'm thinking of getting mission style futons with washable covers. Any comments?

I should also note - it has to be sturdy. I saw my eighteen year old walking across the couch the other day. Don't ask me why. I noticed it because I had just been thinking that now that the kids were older maybe my furniture would last better!

[flvegan]

1. Here's what we do

Note: There are multiple dogs here, and we don't much care about appearance. Our dogs enjoy, and that's what matters. If appearance is a concern, you likely won't care for this too much...

Go to the thrift store/Salvation Army/etc and buy a couple king blankets (not comforters) or sheets. Something that won't unravel if cut. Now, cut them in half. Lay one half over the top section, tuck the bottom between the upper and lower couch sections. Do the same with the lower section and the other half of the sheet/blanket. Because they aren't connected, they don't get pulled down/out so easily. Even if the top falls, the bottom (which gets the most "traffic") is still on there. They remove easily for company or washing. More than one set makes for an easy time of swapping without rushing to launder.

Again...to the eye, not the best. To protect the furniture whilst giving the dogs (and your 18 year old) freedom to romp freely, nothing works better, IMO.

[hedgehog]

2. Sounds like a plan

The biggest problem I have with the slip covers is the price and the fact that we have T-cushions which no one makes slip covers for.