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:

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Karen, Thank you!! I am glad you had a good laugh :)

Anna, I hope you didn't have a problem when you were laughing :) Thank you!

Bonnie, LOL  I need to tell Vern about the personal grooming on the couch.  Thank you!

BG, Thank you!! You are welcome any time.

Pat, Thank you! White velvet couch....did your MIL like you? LOL

F, I know just what you are saying. I am hardly ever on that couch, because I do all my computer stuff back in my bedroom :)  I have caught your brother on it sleeping and my DD loves it to the point we have to ask her to go to her room...LOL!!  I think when I go, my kids will be selling most of my stuff on Ebay. My one DD hates antiques and I love them.

Kaytlin, Now, I spend half my life straightening up those couch covers. LOL

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Laurie, I think you have outdone yourself with this blog, it's my absolute favorite! The sofa is beautiful (at least, I think it's beautiful, from what I can see) and the doodles lying on it make it even more beautiful! Long may it continue to provide comfort and seating to you and all of your family! And thanks for the really good laughs!

[Anna and Achilles]

Lovely new couch! It took me awhile to get past asking woman of a certain age if they were prone to sneezing. I laughed to hard. Thanks for the laugh.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Love the blog, Laurie! The photos are priceless.

We got leather furniture because of the dogs! It is way, way easier to clean. We agree with the salesman that the leather just gets more character with "marks" on it. ;o)

Regarding "maintenance time". We had a dog that obeyed the command, "No personal grooming on the furniture!" I think he was a jenius.

[BG and Gavin]

I like your new couch Laurie.  Like Fudge and Vern I would be perfectly happy to stretch out on it too!

[Pat and Traveler]

Wonderful blog and pics, Laurie!  Whooo hooo...Fudge got it all to herself, finally!  LOL  I have a leather couch too, and it definitely has dog-claw character.  I'll never forget my feelings of horror and dismay when my MIL gave me a beautiful white cut-velvet couch when the kids were little.  LOL     

[F, Calla & Luca]

I do love this blog. I am awaiting my super cheap dog covers for my living room couch and chair from the Christmas Tree Shop. The customer service people were nice enough to find them for me in Massachusetts since everyone wants super cheap covers and my local stores were sold out. They will replace the even cheaper fleece throws currently covering the furniture.

Meanwhile I have 2 leather couches in my family room. It's closed in the winter because who needs to heat another room? Do you see a theme here? But for several years the family room been closed off in the summer too. I didn't want the doodles ruining the couches. I swear this year I will allow all and sundry in there with no covers!! What's the point? It's only stuff. The couches will gain character. Will my kids want these couches when I'm no longer around? Now people see them on the way to the downstairs facilities only. So I may be evolving too.

Of course I spend most of my time on my laptop upstairs : )

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Your right - the couch could be any colour underneath the blanket! I bet the blanket wont stay long, especially with 2 doodles playing on it!