Of course keep the dogs, but keep them off the furniture.

You can always have a lint roller handy, and vacuuming often helps too. Or you could switch to a leather or vinyl type sofa so that it doesn't stick to your upholstery. Best wishes!

We use these and wash them. They last a long time and really protect our furniture.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Reversible-Stay-Place-Plush-Furniture-Sofa-Protector-Checked-Design-Slipcovers-Dogs-Cats-sliding-Straps-75-inch-x-110-inch-3-Seats-Sofa-Grey-Beige/610517246?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=13125&adid=22222222227159176088&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=269502874259&wl4=pla-446642699430&wl5=9016050&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=117888284&wl11=online&wl12=610517246&wl13=&veh=sem

Also, I got this amazing dog brush and I have not had to do extra dog hair sweeping!! I use this on our German Shepherd about every 6 weeks. Amazing.

https://www.petsmart.com/dog/grooming-supplies/brushes-combs-and-blowdryers/furminator-long-hair-undercoat-deshedding-dog-tool-48923.html?cgid=100280

Leather is awesome it just blows off and I have found it easy to teach my dogs to stay off some of the furniture like my white leather in the LR. They do however always sit on the leather sofas in the media room but really a Roomba for pets and leather seems to be the answer.

You need obedience training, not the dogs. Once you learn that they aren’t tiny humans, you’ll stop anthropomorphizing them, and give them the proper training that they require.

buy a sofa that has the same color as your dog's hair

Have you considered creating a space your dog would prefer to the sofa? A pet bed by the window?

Do they stay in place? UHHHH, usually, unless the doorbell rings or our neighborhood cat (Bentley) walks by the window or the chipmunk comes for a visit, then it gets messed up!! But, Sophie (our GSD) is not usually the one messing it up. Usually it is my husband and I getting on and off and on and off. I usually straighten it up once a day.

Sophie says "Hi!"

The cover you have on your couch should work well. That is like what we have.

You guys are really making me want to have a dog again — dog hair and all! (It’s been five years since my last dog (the one in my profile pic) passed away.) She, like all those who came before her, was my sofa buddy and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Oh and she was very obedient, btw; one has nothing to do with the other. ;)

This is our first dog. She was a rescue. We were her 4th owner in her first year.

We have always had cats, but the older I get, when they get sick, it just breaks my heart. Sophie is supposed to be my son's dog, but you know how that goes. It has been a learning experience!!

Brush them often -- more hair in the brushes means less hair on the furniture. Forget about training your dogs not to go on the furniture -- they will go on it if they have access when you're not there, so it's a lost cause. A smooth surface (like leather or vinyl) will make it easier to clean up. Learn to love pet hair ;)

I intensely dislike dogs. What is cute about an animal sniffing the crotches of visitors, jumping, barking & drooling? I can't imagine walking that thing in all kinds of weather and cleaning up dog poop. I'm gagging now just thinking of that offensive dog smell. Currently my dear friend is shopping for a sofa but has a multitude of particulars as she has a dog...a dog named "Brutus". I'm helping her shop but in my heart I'm thinking, get rid of that beast.

" I'm helping her shop but in my heart I'm thinking, get rid of that beast. "

Ha! I was thinking exactly that about a friend's husband earlier this week.

I just would never allow dogs on my sofa, period.

None of our dogs were allowed on the sofa or beds either. They had anywhere they wanted to lay down in the whole house, except the sofa or beds. And they had their own beds if the choose to lay there. All the bad habits that some dogs have is because of the owners. They think the bad habit is cute, well it isn't. They want a dog, but don't want to spend the time to correctly train the dog. If you take the time to train a dog they will be a wonderful addition to a family and not dreaded by guests and neighbors . It doesn't happen overnight or even in a week. There is a lot more to training a dog than just training it to go potty outside.

I have found that an old microfiber sheet in the summer works fine catching most of the dog hair. A few shakes outside before washing and we're good. In the winter, for our dog's comfort, a dedicated fleece blanket catches his hair incredibly well. Hair never shakes out much though.
It can be washed once or washed 3 times, and hair remains. No matter, it's just his :D

For those who think the dogs should go, that would be so sad. They just need to know that the rules will be the rules each and every time. Waver one bit, especially in front of others, and it's all over. We have only one sofa our dog is allowed on. It's the TV sofa and our cuddle sofa. If I'm not there by 7:30, he comes to get me. I love sitting with him. It's our time together <3.

My dog tests me whenever a certain friend is over and we're using a different living area. He just knows her "softness," so he thinks I might play along while she's there. No. I stick to my rule of that one sofa. By his third ask, he gets it that it's not going to happen. He'll settle down and be the perfect gentleman I love so much. He's definitely happy knowing he's the follower here.

At one point, we had 3 dogs when we lived in Alamogordo. Due to the humans being outnumbered, the dogs were trained to stay on the floor. We still have 2 Texas Lacy Game dogs and Comanche, the oldest, will still sneak onto the couch occasionally.

Some of you people should not have even responded to this thread. You sound like mean psychopaths.

LOL. There are lots of lovely people, quite sane, and very intelligent, that are simply not "dog people". I love puppies to death - love most dogs too - as long as they are not staying in my house. ;-)

W e just lost our cat several months ago, and we both miss him a lot, but I don't miss his cat hair all over the place. After ten years I realize how many compromises we make to accommodate our little buddies.

smileythecat - I feel ya. :-) I loved my sweet Cozmo - had to put her down at only 7 years old due to kidney failure. I cried for days. This was 9 years ago and I still think about her. But man that cat hair? Yeah I don't miss THAT at all. And the upchucking of hair balls onto my carpet...yuck.

I'm gagging now just thinking of that offensive dog smell.

If dog smell were offensive, Fritos would never have been made to smell like dog feet.

" If dog smell were offensive, Fritos would never have been made to smell like dog feet. "

LOL!

We love-love-love our dog, but I could do with less hair. How to deal with it:

- Choose leather furniture and "warm it up" with throws, which are easy to wash.

- If your dog sleeps on your bed, use a duvet instead of a large comforter -- again, easy to wash.

- Choose hardwood floors rather than carpet. You'll still need to sweep up the hair, but it's easier.

- Choose a short-haired dog who sheds less. I mean, for example, German Shepherds or Golden Retrievers are incredible animals, but they're known for shedding; if you choose one, you know what's coming!

- Brush your dog frequently -- every dog needs grooming. We absolutely love our "Zoom Groom" -- that's a name brand. It's a hand-sized rubber "brush", and it's good both for giving baths and brushing. Best tool I've ever had for my short-haired dog (Beagle). My son-in-law is insane for his too (Lab-Pitt mix). It might be less effective for a long-haired dog.

Fritos certainly don’t smell THAT bad, but they don’t smell good either. Never cared for them.

Toronto Vet is right - our dogs are NOT allowed on the couches and don't come in our bedrooms. At night when I get up (Insomnia)...I often hear the thump and click click click of a dog jumping off the couch. When I flip on the light switch, my Pixie pup is smiling sweetly from her dog bed in the living room. I smile because she reminds me of me as a child. Some rules were ok to break as long as you didn't get caught :)

Toronto Vet is right - our dogs are NOT allowed on the couches and don't come in our bedrooms. At night when I get up (Insomnia)...I often hear the thump and click click click of a dog jumping off the couch. When I flip on the light switch, my Pixie pup is smiling sweetly from her dog bed in the living room. I smile because she reminds me of me as a child. Some rules were ok to break as long as you didn't get caught :)

Oh, you just made me remember something: Our first house was designed in such a way that you could stand on the porch and look into the living room. Our cat was not allowed on the sofa, but we knew very good and well he sat in one particular spot ALL THE TIME when we weren't in the room (cat hair was a dead giveaway).

We'd stand on the porch, looking at him in that spot, knock on the window, call out his name ... and he'd stay right there on the sofa. By the time we could unlock the door and enter the room, he'd be off the sofa, purring and walking over to greet us at the door: "Me? On the sofa? No, no, I good cat."

Leather or vinyl is the way to go!

When I had slipcovers made for my sofa, there was extra fabric, which I cut pieces large enough for my pets to stretch out on, and placed the pieces in their favorite places. it blended in with the sofa, so there was no design disruption, and when company comes over I can just remove. Plus its easy to shake out and wash when needed.

If ur not willing to keep the animals off ur furnitur,e, then the only real option is to vacuum it every day. or live with hair on ur clothes. Yuck. :)