Do Leather Couches and Large Doodles Go Together? It's Just a Couch, Right??

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Last year around this time, I fell in love with a cranberry leather sofa and since our living room couch was almost twenty years old, worn, and faded by the sun, we decided to place the order for our new couch.  My kids will tell you that when we bought that sofa in 1992, I guarded that sofa like a mama bear does her bear cubs.  Up until that point, most of our furniture was hand me downs and that sofa represented our first major, expensive purchase.  I knew there was not going to be another sofa purchase for a long time, so I tried to protect it from the sloppy ways of young kids and a husband not known for his meticulous eating, drinking, and lying about habits.  I was fine with them waving to the couch from another location or saving, “hi, pretty blue couch,” as they walked by, but other than that, I preferred they kept their distance.  Once in awhile, the girls would come home from somewhere and say, “Guess what? Their mom was normal and let us sit on the couch,” and I always thought to myself, “Those crazy, hippie moms ruin it for the rest of us.”  Our dog, Hershey, was not allowed on any furniture except the beds and the few times I caught her on that blue couch one look was all it took and she got sheepishly off and would give me a look like, “you can’t blame a dog for trying.”

 

When we moved to our new house and began to use our living room more, we all took turns reacquainting ourselves with that couch. The older I got the harder it became to keep saying, “wouldn’t you prefer to sit on the floor?” and hear my mom say back,  “I am old.  I can’t get up off the floor once I get down there.”  Every time she came for a visit, she insisted on sitting on that couch and would play that old trump card.   The worst would be when I would see her making her way over there holding a cup of coffee filled too full.  It almost seemed like the excitement of trying to reach the couch before I yelled, “not a chance, old lady!” gave her hand tremors, because I was always mopping up her coffee spillage along her route.  She would get so mad and yell, “I can’t sit by and watch while that couch is ruining your life,” to which I would always answer, “I am so glad we are on the same page now, and you don’t mind standing.”

 

I don’t think I was being too cautious, either, when I asked women of a certain age if they were prone to sneezing before they sat down on my couch. I have watched enough medical shows to know what could happen, and I wasn’t taking any chances with my blue sofa.   Sure, some of them got mad and told me it was none of my business what they did in their own pants, and I guess I can respect that, but it didn’t stop me from saying, “Since you are being so evasive, could you hold on while I go get a waterproof pad for you to sit on?”  Believe me when I tell you, I have weeded out many “Sprinklers” with just a few timely questions about sneezing and giggling and I’m better off without those wet blankets, who got mad as a wet hen, over a few innocuous questions.

 

Sadly, with the purchase of our new sofa, the blue couch has been relegated to our sunroom and although, I keep a cover on it to protect it from the harsh sun anyone who wants to sit on it, is allowed to do so, including Vern.  So, all this brings me back to my leather sofa.  When I first showed it to my husband at the furniture store, the first thing he said was, “what about the dogs?”  Well, I knew this was a make or break question, so of course, I said, “the dogs will not be allowed on this couch.”  Even the salesman piped in that the leather was supposed to wear like a leather motorcycle jacket and whatever marks the dogs made would only add to the character.  I would have pointed out that the same theory did not seem to apply to our yard or my smelly van, but I didn’t want to hurt my case about how wonderful leather would be with two large Doodles. We ordered the couch and waited.  The first clue that maybe a leather couch was not for our family happened when they delivered the couch, not once, but twice, in the wrong color.  After sending it back for the second time, we made the drive to the furniture store where I was prepared to get a full refund and leave the store with my head held high and all my principles intact. Unfortunately, that cagey store manager sensed my one weakness…A SALE….and said, “how about you give us one more chance to get you the right sofa and I give you a refund for this amount?”  It took me all of 30 seconds to throw my righteous anger and indignation out the window and answer, “how about if I take that in check form and go home and wait for my sofa.”

 

We finally got the right sofa in the right color and despite the fact that it had the ripple effect of forcing me to buy new rugs because the old ones did not match; we all loved the sofa, including the dogs.  I think I tried twice to keep them off the couch and then I found myself saying out loud to my family, “I am not going to spend the rest of my life worrying about another sofa.  We will just put a cover on the couch.”  Boy oh boy, did I get some backlash for that decision and accusations went flying that Fudge and Vern are the chosen ones in this house.  My daughters could not believe that this was their mother telling them to move over and make room for two Doodles next to them on the sofa or better yet, could they move to a chair, so the dogs had more room to stretch out.  My mom goes on and on each time she is here that she never thought she would live to see the day that dogs are allowed on my furniture and usually I pretend like Fudge or Vern are talking and we tell her, “Grandma, put a sock in it.” 

 

I have evolved I guess, because Fudge and Vern sometimes use that couch as a launching pad for a sneak attack on each other and I have yet to have a heart attack or fall to the ground crying.  In fact, I just said to my husband the other day that there will always be another couch, but Fudge and Vern are irreplaceable, and he agreed, but he did say he was hoping to retire someday.  Meanwhile, the couch stays covered with blankets and quilts and it makes me wonder why I spent so much time making sure it came in the correct color.

Who Says I Can't Sit Nicely on this Sofa?

Maintenance time...

Saying, "YAY...I am allowed on this pretty sofa."

Look ma, we are having fun!

I'm telling you, Vern, it is my turn to stretch out on the sofa:

Victory is mine:

[F, Calla & Luca]

Laurie you have inspired me. I am going to use my family room this spring/summer. As you can see from the collage, I have two pristine leather couches. You can also see that an unused room becomes a storage area : ( I hope to soon rectify this. As to the living room couch and chair, what was I thinking when I bought them?  But they are well made and comfortable so maybe the new dog covers will help cover up more of them.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Amazing Blog Laurie!!! I love the story of your cranberry couch. But most of all I loved the photos of the doodles on the couch. I bought a chocolate brown microfibre sofa and loveseat in the summer, to replace the red fabric ones I had that didn't clean very well. Then a month later Winston showed up with his white fur, shedding all over the place. I have to vacuum that couch like crazy every week and I should be doing it more often. I can't keep his hair off of it. I should have gotten a leather sofa and am kicking myself. You did the right thing!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Peri & Tacky like bare leather also - nice and cool :)  Ours has scratches too, but I figure kids will tear it up too - and the dogs deserve to be on the couch!

[Camilla and Darwin]

From the sneak peaks under that blanket, it does look like a very pretty sofa. :-) Our rules for Darwin to not get on our couches didn't last long. Luckily our couches are used IKEA couches... LOL

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Jane, I love that picture. I hope you have that framed in your house somewhere.  So sweet and shows the wonderfulness of having two Doodles. Two Spoonin" Doodles!

Janie, Thank you!!! Our dogs are really good about not destroying stuff on purpose, but Vern is just so big :)

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I love your new leather sofa! and your blog! Not long after we had just redone our entire family room, we brought a new puppy into our lives! Timing is everything! But Jack was a quick learner and we all live happily on the new furniture! lol

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Stuart and Rooney say leather is best left un-covered!!!  Woof.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Maryann, Well said :) I am slowly coming around to your way of thinking. It sure makes life easier.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I, too, have leather furniture.  Never a problem for me.  Leather, like many things - women and men included - only gets more beautiful with age and use.  Each scratch is a memory, or would be if I could remember.  Worn places are proof that this is a house that is full of love or at least full of animals.  Patches make things unique, just like the wrinkles on our faces.

For those of you who still want some protection there is a thing called a Throver made of crypton.  Dashing dog designs and washes and wears like - well crypton.

 

 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Deanna, I am laughing just thinking about that substitute and that chair. Oh my, how embarrassing. No wonder she never returned. LOL In our old house, no one ever sat in our living room, but this house is so different, it was not an option. My antique sofa in my foyer has been taken over by F & V and I say all the time it is the most expensive dog bed ever. Thank you for the chuckle. No sprinklers allowed...LOL!!

Donna, Your new sofa looks great and comfortable. Quincy certainly looks happy!  I am very fortunate in that my husband's only criteria is the furniture be comfortable. He never cares about colors, etc. I did have to put a little rug on top of my big rug because it is my DH who is the hardest on stuff.

Jane, I laughed thinking that your dogs can't get on the furniture because then you would have to let your DH and DS on the furniture. LOL  Thank you!

Traci, Thank you so much for the nice comment. Vern is getting better with the big red ball. LOL

Nicky, I hope you get your couch. I really love the cranberry color. Thank you!

Jeanne, Wow....you were lucky that your husband already had a great couch :) Why is it that we have different rules for these Doodles? I love that he lets them on the couch now. LOL

Nancy, I would be mad if you are already having trouble with new couches. I wonder if you could call the store and complain. Ned, the squisher.....LOL!!