How do I protect my leather couch from my dog's nails?

Even the toughest leather couches can't take the daily scratching and clawing of dog and cat nails without showing a little wear eventually.You don't have to worry about your leather sofa being damaged by your pets.It's possible to keep your couch in pristine condition with covered claws, nail-friendly covers and scratching posts.

Even the toughest leather couches can't take the daily scratching and clawing of dog and cat nails without showing a little wear eventually.You don't have to worry about your leather sofa being damaged by your pets.It's possible to keep your couch in pristine condition with covered claws, nail-friendly covers and scratching posts.

Leather holds its own against claw-happy cats and energetic pups.You won't see scratches just because your pets lay on your couch, but you will eventually see a few scratches from your dog dragging himself up.That doesn't mean your leather will be destroyed.You won't be able to see the scratches from a few feet away, but they will look like lines or bumps up close, and you will feel them.

If your dog acts like a mountain climber and pulls himself up onto the couch, keeping his nails nice and short will prevent a lot of damage.Cats love nail caps.The caps fit over the nails so they don't harm the furniture.You can trim your cat's nails as well.

Keeping your furry friends off of your leather sofa is the best way to keep it in tiptop shape.It's usually easier to prevent your pup from coming up than it is to keep a feline off of you.If your dog tries to come up, stick our leg or arm, but don't kick or shove him.Give him a treat and ask him to sit.You want to associate a couch with nothing, while the floor will give you rewards.Pick up your cat and move him where he's allowed to be.When you're not present, place foil or double-sided tape on the couch.The noise and feel can make your cat jump down and look for friendlier surfaces.If you have a dog, make sure he doesn't chew the foil or tape.Cats and dogs are deterred from jumping onto furniture by certain mats.

Dogs and cats can reach the surface of your leather with their claws.You can either lay the covers across the cushions or slip them over the couch.Some sofas, such as sectionals, can be difficult to cover, and the downside to covers is that they may not look or feel as nice as your bare couch.

While some cats may be content lying on the armrest of your couch, others take to making the leather their own personal scratching post.Cats hate bitter-smelling sprays, but a better solution is to get an actual scratching post or two.They will make your cat less likely to shred the legs and armrests of your sofa and instead focus his clawing efforts at the tough material on the scratching post.