Top Couch Covers for Dogs

When my 14-year-old dog Harper was in her last months of life, I bought a white sofa. She no longer had the ability to jump on the sofa and wasn’t interested in using her steps. And when she was gone, it was our plan to be dogless for a couple of years while we traveled. So why not get a white sofa?

Well, mainly because even without a dog sprawling on it every day, it still got dirty fast. And the vow to not get another dog right away? Pfft. That lasted all of two months. Then Sparkles came to live with us. At a young 10.5 years, she had no problem jumping on the sofa.

I used a lot of makeshift covers to protect the sofa: throws, sheets, quilts, large tablecloths purchased inexpensively at Home Goods. Why didn’t I buy an actual sofa cover? From past experience, they never looked very attractive and they didn’t stay on well. But when I received this assignment to review sofa covers, I was happy to discover that manufacturers have taken those criticisms to heart. The best couch covers for dogs now come in a number of styles and colors suited to most decors and are designed in various ways to be nonslip.

What We Looked for in Couch Covers for Dogs

Fit: A good sofa cover doesn’t look sloppy. It’s easy to put on or remove and, depending on the style, provides good coverage of all or most of the sofa.

Features: The best options have non-slip backing or adjustable straps that hold them in place and are water- and stain-resistant.

Ease of Cleaning: Life with dogs can be messy so suitable couch covers should be able to be machine washed and dried and still looks good afterward.

Attractiveness: It helps if the cover comes in a variety of colors, patterns, and styles to suit multiple decors and sofa designs.

Note: Be sure to measure your sofa thoroughly and call before ordering to make sure you get the correct size. Even if returns or exchanges are free, it’s still a hassle to package and mail the wrong one back.

In an attempt to get an additional cover to review, I ordered one from a company whose website said it was Surefit, a well-known sofa cover brand that is sold through Amazon, Chewy, Wayfair, Lowes, and other retailers. This one appeared to be based in Eastern Europe and I was billed $1,500 (approximately 221,000 Japanese yen) instead of the $15 it was supposed to be. I disputed the charge immediately with both the credit card company and PayPal, with a satisfactory resolution—after a couple of nail-biting weeks. While I usually like to order direct from the manufacturer, this was a rare instance where that wasn’t a good idea.

The Best Dog Couch Covers for Dogs

Whole Dog Journal Rating	Product and Maker	Prices	Sizes and Colors	Notes
	Orvis Grip-Tight Furniture Protector	$219-$319	Loveseat, 55” Couch, 70” XL couch, 86” Colors: brown, slate, granite, khaki	This heavy-duty couch cover fit well and offered great coverage and protection. Sturdy enough to stand up to large, active dogs. Worth the money.
	Dovercourt Diamond Sofa Slipcover	$33.99-$40.99	75” and 86” Colors: stone blue, khaki, burgundy, ivory, black	This high-quality, reasonably-priced option provides good protection and cleans up easily. The visible straps aren’t the best look and it may not fit well on longer sofas.
	Your Cool Pet Store Soft Couch Cover for Pets	$49-$79.99	S, 70” M, 82” L, 94” Colors: gray, dark gray, blue, white, light brown, dark brown, khaki, pink, red	This cover is simple to use, stain resistant, and easy to clean but only protects the seating section of the sofa and isn’t waterproof.
	Whisker Bark Sectional Sofa Dog Cover	$16-$48	S (Square), 28” S, 63” M, 70” L, 82” XL, 94” Colors: salmon orange, sky blue, dark blue, sand	Also covering the couch cushions only, this option is inexpensive, scratch- and water-resistant, and easy to put on and remove. However, the chemical smell and unattractive appearance are drawbacks.

Overall Best Couch Cover for Dogs: Orvis Grip-Tight Furniture Protector

The Orvis Grip-Tight Furniture Protector has a quilted design on the seat section. It’s made of 90-percent recycled polyester and has a non-slip backing to hold it in place. The machine washable cover is lined with a water-resistant membrane to protect from spills or accidents. A fur-masking microweave is supposed to keep it looking cleaner, longer, but I have to say that a Sparkles dust bunny showed up on it pretty quickly, even though she had just had a bath.

I sent my sofa measurements to the Orvis representative and asked them to choose the appropriate size. After I wrestled it onto the sofa, the heavy-duty cover fit well and is sturdy enough to stand up to big, roughhousing dogs. One buyer noted that their dog couldn’t pull it off the sofa or move it out of place. If you have large dogs or a dog who likes to “nest” or “dig” on the couch, this may be the cover for you. It’s also a great choice for dogs who like to rub up against furniture, depositing their skin oils—like my late Greyhound—or lick furniture, a habit Sparkles indulges in.

To test its water-resistance, I spilled a glass of water on it. It beaded right up, wiped away easily with a towel, and didn’t soak through to the cushion below. I also took the opportunity to use the damp towel to pick up loose hairs Sparkles had deposited.

I like that the arm covering hangs most of the way down the sofa—I think this feature could make it appealing not only for dog lovers but also for people with cats who scratch the side or arms of the sofa. However, the front panel is short and would do a better job of keeping the sofa clean if it covered the entire area.

For people with big drooly dogs, multiple dogs, or puppies in the chewing/accident stage, I think this cover is probably well worth the money. It is possibly overkill for Sparkles, though. Cushion protectors, chair protectors, and throws are also available.

Best Couch Cover for Small Dogs: Dovercourt Diamond Sofa Slipcover Reversible 100% Waterproof Box Cushion Sofa Slipcover

The Dovercourt Diamond Sofa Slipcover was the first sofa cover I tested. Unfortunately, even after taking detailed measurements of my sofa, I did not request the correct size. Or it might not have been available—I discovered that was the case with a lot of covers. Apparently, an 88-inch sofa is longer than the norm. A strap that went over the back held it in place. The ends of the strap are visible where it wraps around the sofa, which isn’t the most attractive look, but throw pillows can help to hide them. Throw pillows also helped to keep the too-short arm covers from falling over. I also tried it on my neighbor Cathy’s sofa, which is not quite as long as mine, and it fit much better.

Shortly after it arrived, Sparkles had her teeth cleaned and for a couple of days afterward she had diarrhea. I had put the cover on our bed to protect it in case of any late-night accidents. Fortunately, we were spared that, although I did find some small brown spots. After going through the washer and dryer, the 100-percent polyester cover was stain-free and looked like new.

This is a good quality cover at a reasonable price of $37.99. It gets good reviews from buyers. One wrote: “My sofa is extra-long, so I had to order two slipcovers in order to have my sofa protected. They are very nice, made well and would certainly recommend them!” So apparently mine isn’t an uncommon problem. Another says, “They go on and off easily so I can remove them when we have company.” Critics said, “It slips around and needs reseated a lot,” and “Don’t recommend if you have a leather sofa.” The latter may have been more of a fit issue or perhaps a big-dog issue. Cathy’s sofa is leather and with the strap in place, the cover stayed on with no problem.

My own quibble is that because it’s polyester, it’s easy to get too hot after sitting on it for a while. Overall, though, I think it’s a good choice.

Best for Basic Coverage: Your Cool Pet Store Soft Couch Cover for Pets

The Your Cool Pet Store Soft Couch Cover for Pets covered only the seating portion of the sofa, not the back cushions, front, or sides. However, it was easy to put on and take off, stays in place well, and comes in three sizes and a variety of colors. The plush polyester quilted velvet is comfortable to sit on, although it might be too warm for summer use, depending on whether your body temperature runs hot or cold. The manufacturer describes it as “breathable for summer, warm for winter.”

The drawback is that it’s not waterproof. That makes it not the best choice for a young puppy or an incontinent adult. To check for stain resistance, I spilled a little wine on it and threw it in the washing machine. It came out looking like new. I like it overall but knocked off half a star for lack of waterproofing and because it covers only the cushions. The maker does have other versions that are waterproof.

Best Budget Couch Cover for Dogs: Whisker Bark Sectional Sofa Dog Cover

The Whisker Bark Sectional Sofa Dog Cover was another cover made only to protect the cushions, although purchasing a second one would allow the buyer to drape it over the back cushions, protecting them as well. The budget price would make that financially feasible. Like the other cushion cover, it was easy to put on and remove. A non-slip lining keeps it in place. It’s described as scratch-resistant, so I took a steel-pin slicker brush and scraped away at it. No marks or tears resulted.

“It looks like a bathmat,” my husband said when I pulled it out of the box. I think with its salmon-orange color, the thin polyester-blend couch cover was supposed to resemble leather, or at least faux leather. It did not. However, the length was appropriate.

It had a chemical odor right out of the box, so I started by spilling some tea on it for the waterproofing test. It pooled on the top, did not soak through, and wiped up easily. Then I threw it in the washing machine and dryer. Afterward, the odor was gone and there were no wrinkles or stains.

Despite not looking like much, overall it was sturdy, water-resistant, and easy to use. If you are a bargain hound and need only a cushion protector, this is the couch cover for you.