Would you spend £535 on a matching sofa for your dog?
Sick of cleaning your pet’s hair off the furniture? Then it could be time to buy a mini Chesterfield for your Chihuahua — or a couch for your cockapoo...
Once upon a time, we ordered our dogs to get off the sofa. Yet since lockdown, man’s best friend has become such an important part of the family we’re buying our pampered pooches their very own.
Forget your lowly dog bed; doggy sofas feature the same high backs, padded arms, plush velvets and suedes as their human counterparts, coming in every style from chaise longue to chesterfield.
And while many of them cost as much as the full-sized version, with prices reaching a gulp-inducing £535, at least you don’t worry about your pet hogging the prime seat on the sofa anymore.
Here TAnITH cAReY and her cockapoo Honey try them out for size...
HONEY AND MUSTARD
Honey Pet Sofa, medium size (H59cm x W120cm x D80cm), £279, dfs.co.uk SpendIng on domestic animals in the UK soared to a record £8billion over the past year, after the pandemic proved how important pets are to us in keeping us company. In response, two months ago furniture giant dFS started selling pet
versions of their sofas online. All share the same fabrics, build and details but are scaled down in size.
This model comes in an on-trend mustard colour and thick-corded, durable corduroy. It comes in three sizes, 105cm, 120cm and 140cm across.
Honey always prefers a sturdy dog bed — and this one is so solid, it comes with a 15-year guarantee on the frame. She tried the medium for size and there was plenty of room no matter how she felt like arranging herself so she was happy to stick with it for a snooze. plus this vibrant shade surely looks good with every fur colour. 4/5
THE CANINE CHESTERFIELD
Blue denim dog sofa by Paw Hut (32.5cm x 74cm x 41cm), £59.99, wayfair. co.uk IF YoU prefer a more classic style, then this
chesterfield-style design could blend in perfectly. It has classic proportions but comes in a durable dark blue denim-like material. As it comes in one size, it was a squeeze for Honey, but my cats had their eye on it for their nap and — as the material is quite rough — as a scratching post too. 2/5
VELVET FOR A PLUSH POOCH
Plush Pet Sofa, large (56cm x 139cm x 81cm), £319, dfs.co.uk even human sofas don’t come much more luxurious than this plush velvet couch, and owners can pick from an amazing range of 19 shades from cinnamon brown to rose pink.
However I’m somewhat shocked by the size — Honey tried the large one which was 139cm across — as I’ve owned smaller actual sofas in my time. In fact it’s so big that you’ll have a challenge to keep humans off it who may not realise it’s for the dog. 4/5
FIDO’S FUTON
Pet sofa lounger by Amazon Basics, small (16.5cm x 63.5cm x 50.8cm), £27.73, amazon. co.uk
WHen Honey was a puppy, I must have spent hundreds on dog beds which she chewed up. So as a quality comfy dog sofa at a reasonable price, this is a good start.
It’s styled as a rectangular futon made with memory foam, which moulds to your dog’s body and cushions their joints.
The cover is also easy to unzip and throw in the washing machine, and while it’s not as glamorous as some of the others Honey tried, it’s lightweight and easy to transport, so it would be great for taking on holiday or putting in the back of the car. 3/5
MINI-ME SUPER SOFA Holly Pet Sofa, one size (53cm x 120cm x 70cm), £535, furniturevillage.co.uk
IF AnY more proof were needed that we spoil our dogs this must be it (see main picture). This is a scaled-down version of Furniture village’s throne-style modular sofa The Holly.
For humans, a three seater is £1,405. For dogs, the same style — with the same medieval style studding — is a third of the price, currently at a princely £535. However, at 120cm across, you’ll need a lot of room in your lounge — or a bigger house.
It comes in a hard-wearing chenille velvet fabric, which is as soft as Honey’s fur, and at 70cm, it was just deep enough for her to lie in every direction without her paws hanging off. plan ahead if you want one though — at the moment, the website is showing a 19-week wait. 4/5
MUTTS HAVE IT MADE
Bonnie Grey Sofa, one size (34cm x 72cm x 45cm), £149, made.com THe pioneers of the dog sofa are trendy retailer made.com, who first spotted there was a breed of pet owners who don’t want to compromise their interior style.
one of their latest designs is the Bonnie dog sofa, inspired by their boucle fabric Bonnie chair. While not identical, this painfully cool retro style was the perfect style and shade match for my grey
Made sofa too. At the moment it comes in just one size, 72cm across, so it’s better suited to smaller dogs and cats. 3/5
BUILD YOUR OWN
Omlet bolster bed, large (26.5 cm x 105.5cm x 71.5cm), omlet.co.uk We HUMAnS love that freshsheet feeling. now dogs can get that too with this design-yourown dog sofa by omlet, which comes with removable covers you can unzip and launder with the rest of your linen.
The fact they are easy to clean allows for a choice of 15 more daring colours in the soft geometric fabric. You can choose the size and colour of the base, and also which legs you want to put on it, ranging from steel hairpin-style to tapered wood. It’s also made of memory foam to mould to your dog’s body for dreamier naps, and no doubt, more snoring from Honey. 5/5
THE HIGH LIFE
Woodleigh Pet Sofa, medium (53cm x 117cm x 80cm), £299, dfs.co.uk THIS cute couch — with three chesterfield-like buttons — is almost an exact replica of the fullsize dFS Woodleigh sofa. It can be designed to suit any colour scheme, ranging from mocha to blush and cream. It’s not a sofa to sink into — it has a firm consistency with foam cushions you don’t need to plump.
For furry companions, there are three sizes, 102cm, 117cm, and 137cm across. As a mid-size cockapoo, Honey had plenty of room to swing her tail on the medium and it allowed her to sit at the same height as I do on my sofa — so she definitely feels part of the family. 4/5
SCANDI CHIC
Kyali Dog Sofa, S/M (26cm x 75cm x 49cm), £169. made.com THIS Scandinavian dog sofa is so chic, it’s a piece of statement furniture in its own right. It’s perfectly designed with a grainy ash wood surround to make Honey feel cosy when she curls up. The grey base and side pads are stuck fast with velcro so it looks like it would stand up well to any attempt by your dog to remove them for a chew. And unlike some of the other dog sofas here, it wouldn’t require you to upscale your house.
This one was by far Honey’s favourite. It was just the right size and she instantly recognised it as a dog bed, whereas the others left her slightly baffled about whether she was allowed on them or not. The height of the surround was also just tall enough for to rest her snout on so she could keep an eye on the household when she was resting.