I've heard that Sunbrella now has super durable, high-wear great looking fabrics that are no longer just like outdoor looking/feeling fabrics. Worth looking into!

A slipcover is probably your best DIY option, unless you have mad upholsterer skills. Then you can take it off and have it periodically dry-cleaned.

If you want to stay with pale neutral colors, beige and mushroom are much more forgiving than white. And get a fabric that is somewhat stain-resistant.

I second the slipcover option.

I think a slipcover is a good choice, and it would be fairly easy for that shape sofa. I recently did this instead of attempting to reupholster my couch, and I am really happy with the results. I borrowed a book on slipcovers from the library and used a medium-weight cotton. It was pretty easy to sew, looks relatively crisp, and is washable!

I had the exact same urge as you right after college- even down to the white couch. The only difference is that I got my dog- a Bernese Mountain dog puppy- the same week that the couch was delivered.

I have a sectional from Pottery Barn in Stone Everyday Suede. For the first 6 months, the dog wasn't allowed on the couch, but that changed when I experienced my first New England winter and I wanted a furry warm friend to cuddle with.

Now for the most part, she stays to one cushion of the sectional by her own choosing. I have a spare sheet in a similar color to the couch that I leave on her spot, and when guests arrive unexpectedly, I can just grab it and throw it out of the way. I also have an attachment on my vacuum that lets me quickly do the sofa (I vacuum the floor daily- welcome to life with a Bernese- and the sofa weekly).

The couch has even survived a puppy-explosive-diarrhea-attack thanks to a lot of white vineger (no stain, no smell- thank goodness).

I think if you love your white couch, then you should keep it. Just be prepared for the extra maintenance keeping it clean will require with a dog.

I have had some success with teaching my dog to stay on a throw blanket when hes on the couch. I went out and bought him a really nice, warm fuzzy down throw blanket which any little cuddly animal would be instantly attracted to. I hardly had to force him to start using it because its so soft and plush. The nice thing about this is when I want the room to look its best for company I can grab it, fold it up, and put it away. With new interesting people around he doesnt have much interest in napping on the furniture anyway.

It has taken a lot of the brunt of stains and messes saving the couch a few times, but is far from 100% effective obviously. I would still say a slipcover is a good option, and add the throw for extra protection.

I bought khaki-colored denim custom slip covers from Todo Es (www.todoes.com) and they worked out great. The company has you measure your furniture to the finest detail, and makes covers that fit.

I have a white couch and my dog is NOT allowed on it---or any other furniture for that matter. That's what dog beds are for, right?

I, too, have a white couch and a dog. My dog is really small, so he can't do much damage. But when he is on the couch he stays either on my lap or lays on a large pillow or on a blanket. I can't say that he ever voluntarily sits on the couch without some kind of cushioning. Maybe you could train your new dog to have a similar manner? As long as he/she doesn't plop on there after coming in from the mud I think it will be ok.

As for slipcovers v. upholstery: Remember that you have a lovely and expensive couch. If you are anti slipcover, practice upholstering on a chair first, then tackle the couch! Just in case! ;) Good luck!

I bought cotton duck on Fabric. com and then had slipcovers made. The fabric was quite reasonable and you can order swatches for a few dollars. and the fabric was quite reasonable. If there is a fabric store in your area that carries upholstery fabric, they can recommend someone who does slipcovers.

I second the cotton duck, it wears nicely and can be thrown in the washing machine!

I do not have a white sofa (mine is orange), but I do have two dogs (neither of which is orange) and they are allowed on the furniture (one dog sprawls out on the sofa and the other in the matching chair). My dogs are old (14 and 15) so they spend a *lot* of time on the sofa. I found a nice, solid color quilt that matched the sofa (it wasn't very expensive but is nice - from Marshall's) and also several matching throws (the "throws" are actually faux suede-looking shower curtains that were very, very cheap but have held up extraordinarily well over the years). I keep the thick quilt over the sofa with a throw or two on top (because my dogs like to claw loose covers into a ball and then lie on them). I have two throws over the chair. I have a couple of kilim throw pillows (to help anchor the pieces the down so they don't get clawed into a ball) and I will sometimes also drape smaller kilims or salt bags over the top (they help keep the throws in place and they make the draped sofas more visually appealing to me).

If there is an accident, I can quickly take off the soiled piece and redistribute the other pieces while the dirty article is being washed. I tend to wash one or two throws a week and the quilt once every six weeks or so - something is always getting washed and everything else rotates around the furniture. I shake out the throws and reposition them once a day when the dogs are eating. I rotate the cushions on the couch and reposition the quilt about once a week. When I have guests, all of throws and quilts come off. So far, this system has worked for me....

Scotch Guard is your friend. I would recommend steam cleaning your sofa, to remove any stains, and then Scotch guarding the be-jeezeus out of it. Keep in mind that you will not be able to use the sofa while it is drying, and you will have to re-apply every 6 months.

Scotch guard is awesome. You will be able to vacuum dirt off of the fabric, and liquid will not absorb.

Thanks for the help guys!
I actually did get a slip cover, made by Ethan Allen specifically for this sofa. Unfortunately, it is also only in light colors, so I was back in the same boat...
I've tried working with Dr. Watson (the 80 lb. golden retriever who really likes mud) on staying on one part, but it is just an exercise in futility, and who am I kidding, I'm a total sap for her sad old man eyes.
Scotchguard sounds like a promising lead, at least in the dry winter months, and maybe a bundle of blankets/throws? Also, hosing down the dog before she comes inside should help. If only the landlord would bring the hose back.

My children have ruined my expensive sofa, I've opted to cover mine with a gorgeous Indian bedspread. Both arms are covered in supercool fabric remnants from a local rummage sale. I change all the fabrics seasonally & its like getting a new sofa every few months.