Maple Versus the New Sofa

We bought the grey sofa in March and I honestly thought it would last at least a year. Maple, our five-and-a-half-year-old Maltese, had other plans. Within a week she had found the one corner where the cushion sits lowest and claimed it as hers. Our older cat Mochi doesn't mind sharing with anyone, but Maple treats every inch of that fabric like a personal project.

I tried the usual things. A throw over the armrest, a spray bottle (which she decided was a game), and a lot of loud 'off' commands from the doorway. None of it worked. She just waited until I left the room and went straight back up.

What finally helped was a dog bed placed right beside the sofa, with her squeaky duck and a blanket that smells like her. Now she spends most evenings on the bed with one paw hanging over the edge, watching us watch TV. Mochi has taken the top of the sofa, which I suppose is fair.

The cushions are a bit squashed at one end, and there are tiny white hairs that no vacuum fully removes. It's a small price for a dog who is happiest when she is close to us. Next month we might start on the armchair.