I buy the remnants of fleece at the fabric stores. It doesn't have to be hemmed, washes well, and is dirt cheap. They make nice liners for the crates when we have to go to the vet, too.

"...And very cozy for the dog or cat in winter." Awww, that's so cute Oakley! I'm sure they will be well-used & appreciated.

Darn, I never thought about just buying some fleece, especially in the color I'd prefer! But I like the idea of paw prints on these because then company will know what it's for and it won't stand out. Have you looked at some of the prices for dog blankets? Wow.

Stinky, I'm the one who will appreciate it more than the pets. Grace sheds all year long..white hair at that! I am sooo tired of cleaning hair from the furniture that doesn't have a sheet on it.

My dogs have microfiber blankets- they're cheap on sale and I get the twin sizes.

One of our thrift shops often gets donations from JCPenney. They get the solid-color, 100% cotton, quilted bedspreads. Plain and simple, not puffy. And of course, they often have them from regular donations.

I wait until they're half price at the TS, usually $5-$10, and get as many as they have. On the way home I toss them in the laundry mat. Wash and dry with bleach and high heat.

When I get home I cut them in half and hem the edges. I now have double the number of large, easily washed dog beds.

My Harry sleeps with us, so my queen bed is always covered with a variety of flat king-size sheets. They hang nearly to the floor on three sides and cover the pillows. He sleeps on top of the sheet, we sleep in the bed.

Some folks would cringe, but my bed and bedroom is as clean as can be. I change his sheet every other day. I don't think I could sleep without my sweet little 80-lb. puppy next to me.

I've never had a problem with the TS bedspreads and top sheets, but now with all the "bed bug" scares I don't know what I'll do.

Thank you for the link Oakly! I will look into that, looks so cute!

We don't literally drape the sofa in a blanket. We have a big queen size blanket that they curl up on and make nests in. Some hair gets on the couch, but not a ton. I can live with it.

We have a formal living room parlor so if someone comes over that is disgusted by hair, and I don't have advance notice (If advance notice is given I of course vacuum), we can all sit in there. I personally don't mind the dog hair.

But what a great link. I think I might get one just for the cuteness factor!!!!!!!!!! Our 3 dogs and 2 kitties will like it and so will we!

I bought a couple fleece throws at IKEA a year or more ago. They were "for" pets I suppose because they were in the pet section and had pawprints embossed on them. Unfortunately, the hair really didn't wash out of them (fine, soft, short cat hair). Maybe it depends on the quality of the fleece?

Cute link!

My cats "knead" blankets (with their claws out), so we keep all the "human" blankets locked up when they are not in use.

But I do buy the cats their own cheap fleece blankets at places like HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx. A fleece lasts about six months with this kind of treatment--which is sad, but the cats are so happy that it's worth it.

My mother has the dark brown one! She has a dark brown leather sofa, so it blends in with it, but the cute little paw prints lets you know it's for the dogs.

Laurie

I have brother/sister Golden Retriever 3 year olds. They are outside dogs and have a large enclosure in the garage where they go to sleep or get away from the elements. I have given them nice blankets and even once gave them a queen sized mattress, but they tore it up (ADD I think...LOL). They now get thrift store blankets and love them. My Mom even buys them when she is out shopping and she is not a dog enthusiast but loves a good bargain and knows I use them. When they get tired, I throw them out and give them a new one. Some of those fluffy throws are really great in the winter.

We use an old twin sheet that I've shortened as a throw on our club chair. It's almost the same color as the chair and EZ to pull off, shake outside, and throw in the wash. Hair from our golden doesn't come out of fleece easily. In the winter, we use an older twin quilt on the same chair. Again, easy to shake out and wash. Yep, she's spoiled. :)

Same experience as Jakabedy and Sippimom: I have a cairn terrier, and her hair will NOT wash out of the fleece. (Had some for her predecessor pup, too, same thing.) I had a small fleece blanket and I also got some fleece yardage at JoAnns fabric store when on sale but I've pretty much tossed those out (I think I saved just one).

You also have to be mindful of where you place that fleece. My sofa is navy and has a textured surface (can't recall what kind of upholstery it is), and that stuff will pick up litle bits of fleece from a microfiber blanket I got at Kohls last year.

I was trying to clean the sofa this morning (2 visitors might stop by today), and between the Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pets and a sticky rip-off-the-used-sheet lint roller, it took me a long time. After that effort, I didn't want to pull out the vacuum.

I will have to look for a little blanket with a slick top surface, I think.

I pick up used baby comforters at garage sales and thrift stores. My small dogs love them.

Hey, I just thought you decorated around the dog. Make sure the colors and floors camouflage the dog hair. Then use lots of leather so the hair slides off with a minimum of fuss.

Isn't it amazing what we put up with for our pets? I bought two small dog beds at BB&B. Almost immediately, my larger dog chewed a hole in one and began salting the room with stuffing chunks. I read her the riot act, grabbed it up with all the stuffing, sewed it back up on my machine, and she hasn't touched it since.

After buying the two little dogs beds, I felt bad for the bigger dog. So I bought her a big bed -- really big enough for the three of them. I have to laugh when I see the biggest dog curled up in a tiny ball, trying to fit in the tiny dog bed, the larger small dog in the other small dog bed, and the smallest dog of all on the great big dog bed. Dogs! What ARE they thinking?

Know this is not a cleaning thread, but may I mention something to Pammyfay?

I feel your pain! Seen it, done it, been there! Those doohickies that are supposed to pick up pet hair are a PITA! Surely you felt exhausted by the time you were done.
So, Go get yourself a good hand-vac & never buy another one of those useless, expensive contrapations again!

My Eureka Easy Clean hand vac changed my life. It has a hose attatched with this on-board crevice tool that sucks up the hair in crevices of upholstered furniture. You'll be done in no time, with lots of energy left over for your guests. I found mine on Amazon & decided to buy after reading all the rave reviews. I'm so glad I did.

Ahh, the joys of pet hair clean-up!

Provides a familiar surface for pet naps or travel, while protecting your couch or car from paw prints and pet hair. Made with the same rugged and comfortable fabric we use for our Premium Dog Beds. Reverses for twice the wear. Quilted top is soft fleece in an attractive plaid.

Here is a link that might be useful: craftmatic

Housefairy--leather would probably be good, but then again, I'd probably end up slipping off of it, too!

Stinky--thanks for the tip! I have a Dirt Devil (I think that's the brand) hand vacuum, with a very long cord, but it's a bear trying to clean, and it has a rotating brush thing on it, and human hair just ends up tightly wrapped around it. I will certainly look up your model!

Stinky, and Pammyfay --

Please, which one of those two hand vacs would be better on a carpeted staircase?

Oceanna: To me, any one that has a smaller nozzle would be best. I say that because my corded hand vac (which is actually a Black & Decker DirtVac--I just checked) has a pickup head that's 5.5 inches wide, and it cannot get into the tight corners or the wall side of my carpeted staircase, and that's where "stuff" eventually collects.

Thanks, Pammyfay!