How Do You Fix Dog Scratches on a Leather Couch?

To fix dog or cat scratches on a leather couch, match the couch's color and cover light scratches with a top coat dye. Fill deeper gouges, tears, and holes with a tinted repair compound first, then blend the color. The Multi-Color Re-Dye & Repair Kit by Doc Bailey's does both, on leather or vinyl of almost any color, so you can keep the sofa you paid good money for instead of replacing it.

Key Takeaways

• Light dog or cat scratches only take the color off. A matched top coat dye covers them.
• Deep scratches, tears, and holes break the surface. Fill them with tinted repair compound, press in the grain, then blend the color.
• The Multi-Color Re-Dye & Repair Kit by Doc Bailey's includes an air-dry repair compound, 7 primary color top coat dyes, a mixing chart, backing material, 3 grain papers, and the application tools.
• Repairing a scratched leather sofa costs a small fraction of replacing or reupholstering it.

How do you fix dog scratches on a leather couch?

What do pet scratches actually do to leather?

A claw does one of two things. A light scratch scuffs the color off the surface and leaves a lighter line. A deep scratch cuts into the hide itself and leaves a gouge, a flap, or a hole. The fix depends on which one you have.

• Light scratches: the leather is intact and only the color is gone. These need color, matched to your couch.
• Deep scratches, tears, and holes: the surface is broken. These need to be filled first, then colored.

How do you fix light dog scratches on a leather couch?

Re-dye them. The kit includes 7 primary color top coat dyes with a mixing chart to match your leather's color, and you can blend the shades in between. Multicolor re-dye is the heart of the kit, so you mix the exact color your sofa needs.

1. Wipe away dust and pet hair from the scratched area and let it dry.
2. Use the mixing chart to blend the dyes until the color matches your couch.
3. Apply a thin coat of the matched dye over the scratches.
4. Let it dry, then add another thin coat if the scratch still shows.

Thin coats blend better than one heavy coat.

How do you repair deep scratches, tears, and holes from a dog?

Fill them with the repair compound, press the leather grain into it, then blend the color. Here is the process:

1. Mix enough matching dye to tint the repair compound and still have extra matched dye left over to blend the repair afterward.
2. Tint the repair compound with the matched dye. Pre-tinting makes the repair easier to blend and conceal.
3. For a hole or a tear, place the included backing material behind it first, so the compound has something to bond to. Then apply the repair compound.
4. Place a grain paper over the repair and set a few pounds of weight on top. This presses a good grain impression into the repair while the compound air-dries.
5. Once it is fully dry, slowly remove the grain paper.
6. Inspect the repair. It may need a second fill. Repeat the fill, grain paper, and drying until you are happy with it.
7. Blend the repair in with some of the extra matched dye.

The kit comes with 3 grain papers, so the repair can match the texture of your leather, not just its color.

Does it work on cat scratches, recliners, and car seats too?

Yes. Cat scratches are the same kind of damage. Light ones only need the matched top coat dye. Deep ones get filled with the repair compound first. The kit works the same way on leather and vinyl sectionals, recliners, and chairs, car seats, motorcycle seats, boots, jackets, handbags and purses, and belts.

Is it cheaper to repair a scratched leather couch or replace it?

Repairing it costs a small fraction of replacing or reupholstering it. On a $5,000 sofa, that math is easy. The Multi-Color Re-Dye & Repair Kit by Doc Bailey's fixes the scratches you can see and keeps the couch you already like.

Doc Bailey's started in a saddle shop in 1991 and was built through live demonstrations at trade shows for 35 years. Doc Bailey's is made in the USA.

Get the Multi-Color Re-Dye & Repair Kit by Doc Bailey's

Dealing with cracks instead of scratches? Read Can You Fix Cracked Leather Without Replacing It? Once the repair is done, keep the rest of the sofa in shape with How Do You Protect Leather Upholstery From Stains and Spills? and What Damages Leather, and How Do You Protect It?

Good to Know

Test your mixed color on a hidden spot first.

Frequently asked questions

Can you really fix dog scratches on a leather couch?

Yes. Light dog scratches only take the color off, and a matched top coat dye covers them. Deep scratches, tears, and holes are filled with the repair compound first, then colored to match.

Will the repair match my couch's color?

Yes. The kit includes 7 primary color top coat dyes with a mixing chart to match your leather's color. The dyes intermix, so you can blend shades that are not one of the 7.

Will the repaired spot look different from the rest of the leather?

Tinting the repair compound before you apply it and using the grain paper make the repair much easier to blend and conceal. Thin coats of matched dye finish it off.

How long does a deep scratch repair take to cure?

The repair compound air-dries under the grain paper. Leave it until it is fully dry before you remove the grain paper. A deep gouge may need a second fill before you blend in the color.

Can I fix a tear or hole from a dog, not just a scratch?

Yes. Backing material is included. Place it behind the tear or hole, fill it with tinted repair compound, press in the grain with a grain paper, and blend the color once it is dry.

Does the kit work on vinyl furniture?

Yes. The Multi-Color Re-Dye & Repair Kit by Doc Bailey's is built for both leather and vinyl and works on both, including couches, chairs, and car interiors.