How to make this sofa look great again (photo)

[gregdaviesiswonderful]

We have a lovely three piece sofa set that is only 6 years old.

We also have a lovely Labrador who is also 6 years old.... you can guess where I'm going!

I hadn't really noticed how horrendous our sofas had become until my friend pointed it out (she is lovely and meant no offence).

Said Labrador does have free movement over the house and sofas and this isn't something we're going to change (we got him at a time when I was very unwell and the future looked uncertain-he really did save our sanity).

So two questions:
-how can I bring these back to life? Full of bobbles and strands pulled and looking much darker (dirtier) than the backs!

-how can I protect the seat cushions from lovely dog? I've seen those stretchy sofa covers but I don't want to cover the whole thing, just the seat cushions.

Any advice would be amazing thanks!

It's an odd photo, but if it was me I'd get someone in to clean them (presuming you can't remove the covers and was them. & id put down a hair free cover for any visitors (that are bothered) and beyond that I wouldn't worry.

You don't want to stop your dog getting up on them (don't blame you) so there's simply no point in putting new covers on it or whatever.

Just enjoy your dog & your home. Everyone else can have a hair free cover to sit in & if that's not good enough they can sit elsewhere... like their own homes!!!

Thanks for your prompt reply! It's a close up photo of the seat cushion, I'll try and take a better one when I'm back in the house.

So, I may be being an idiot but there is a zip at the back of cushion but when I look inside, there's more than just a cushion in there so I'm not sure I'm supposed to take them off? Also petrified they won't go back on-should they be dry cleaned rather than put through my washing machine?

Yes, you're right about the fact I shouldn't care really as our dog is absolutely part of the family but the sofa he sits on is so much darker than the others so just wanted to try and get them a little way back to how they were.

I've left the lovely dog snoring on when I left so I'm not sure I've got much hope!

I wonder if one of those clothes bobble removers would help? I have put sofa covers in the washing machine before, 30 degrees and they were ok, hard to get back on but doable. What about using some throws, you can easily wash them to keep the doggy smell at bay.

I have ikea throws on seats of both sofas and an extra one that covers seat and back cushion of ddog seat as she likes to sit on top of the back cushion! Wash/change them weekly.

Get a seamstress to make you a new set of covers. It's what I do. And I've replaced the actual cushions with new foam.

You could even get a couple of slip covers made up for the dogs bit and wash one while the other is on, to protect your new covers.