Community Forums

blyons · 07-02-2010, 07:27 PM

Well, we just agreed to purchase our first RV, a 2011 Monaco Diplomat. We have a lot to learn, but one question is in regard to our two English Cockers, who will be traveling with us. The Diplomat has beautiful leather sofas. Any advice on how to ensure the dogs don't damage the leather, other than just covering them with a blanket? It seems that there will be little floor room for a couple of bird and I'm thinking it may be hard to keep them off the furniture.

DriVer · 07-02-2010, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blyons

Any advice on how to ensure the dogs don't damage the leather, other than just covering them with a blanket?

You might think that it's your motorhome but ask the dog what she thinks!

TXiceman · 07-02-2010, 09:36 PM

We have a leather sofa at home and have found it is doing better with the two dogs than cloth ever did. If it gets dirty, we just wipe id with a damp cloth.

ken

Wayne M · 07-02-2010, 10:18 PM

The new "Ultra-Leather" is more durable than the real leather. Our Pupper can get on certain items of furniture and not on others. It's never to late to train them.

Now, to be on the safe side, when we leave the coach for an excursion without Miya, DW closes the blinds above the sofa, and we put a couple pillows on it. She stays off. Well, I have never put in a hidden camera, but there is not evidence of her getting on. We have seen her looking out the front window sitting in the driver's seat. No damage at all.

You could maybe try one of those small, collapsible, white picket garden fences to put between the arms of the sofa.

It just seems that there has to be a way to keep them off.

RickO · 07-04-2010, 09:21 AM

Congratulations on your new coach! You picked quite a rig for your first RV! We did the same thing and are now full timing only 3 years later.

We travel with 3 dogs and have the micro suede "leather". We don't even try to keep them off of the furniture and it has held up extremely well. We also removed all the carpeting and replaced it with Allure flooring so we wouldn't be constantly freaking out about the dogs tracking in sand from the beach or mud from the mountains. Whatever it is we can now clean it with a wet mop.

Have fun traveling with your fur kids.

PNWGirl · 07-04-2010, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

The new "Ultra-Leather" is more durable than the real leather. Our Pupper can get on certain items of furniture and not on others. It's never to late to train them.

Now, to be on the safe side, when we leave the coach for an excursion without Miya, DW closes the blinds above the sofa, and we put a couple pillows on it. She stays off. Well, I have never put in a hidden camera, but there is not evidence of her getting on. We have seen her looking out the front window sitting in the driver's seat. No damage at all.

You could maybe try one of those small, collapsible, white picket garden fences to put between the arms of the sofa.

It just seems that there has to be a way to keep them off.

There is an item called a ScatMat. I've been recommending it to people for around 20 years. There are two kinds: those that have a VERY mild, pulse, current and those that are made to be uncomfortable to paws (no power to them, it is how the mat is constructed).

scatmat - Google Search

There is also another product called the Sofa Scam, which emits a sharp tone that most animals do not like:

YouTube - Sofa Scram \| DrsFosterSmith.com

Sheila

wa8yxm · 07-04-2010, 07:26 PM

Alas there is no way to insure the fur kids don't damage the leather save one, and that one is, I fear, a bit of a joke.

Visit an armorer and have him make chain mail slip covers

Ok, Ok... I have cats, not dogs (Cats are worse) but....

tmar10 · 07-05-2010, 09:35 AM

Our lab, Bailey, claimed the ultra-leather couch on day one and the furniture is holding up better than expected.

tmar10 · 07-20-2010, 12:02 PM

I guess both of them have made claims to the coach.

ImagineIF · 07-20-2010, 12:07 PM

Ultra leather is a much better choice than fabric or ultra leather. We've had our dogs travel with us for years on our boats and now have an RV and the ultra leather holds up well and is easy to clean.

tmar10 · 07-20-2010, 12:10 PM

Post script: You can see the scare on the little ones head. We think she hit her head on the bottom corner of the screen door. The picture was taken after I removed the 8 stitches from her head. She has now recovered and resumed her roll as the dominant force in the RV.