Do you love animals but hate the shedding most leave behind? If hair on your clothes bothers you, then stick to reptiles or fish or maybe a pet rock. Most pets shed and even the most well groomed pet will leave evidence of their affection for you on you and around your home from time to time. What can you do to keep this to a minimum? Here are a few ideas in this edition of Pet Pointers.

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If you are adamant about sharing your home with a low shedding pet, check out the AKC or Cat Fanciers Association websites at www.akc.org or www.cfainc.org. They are great resources for breed information. Or consider a reptile.

Otherwise, daily brushing is a great start, especially for pets with thick coats, like long-haired cats and Siberian husky type dogs. Guinea pigs and rabbits will also enjoy a daily brushing and they too can have long fluffy hair that needs regular attention.

You don't need any fancy equipment to keep your pet looking sharp and your home fur free. Most pets are fine with a Slicker brush, or a rubber bristle brush for short coats. A long haired pet with an undercoat may need a steel toothed comb as well as a separate brush for the top coat. You can try a spray on fur conditioner now sold at many pet stores to help make the process a bit more pleasant for you both.

If expense isn't an issue make an appointment with a professional groomer every 6 to 8 weeks. If your dog has a hair like coat that requires regular grooming don't neglect it. The consequences can be very unpleasant.

If your pet sheds a lot, has bald patches where skin is showing, has dry flaky skin take them to the vet ASAP. These could be signs of a more serious illness.

Feeding your pet a quality food that has a protein source as its first ingredient, like beef, chicken or lamb can also can help cut down on shedding and flaky skin. And as any pet parent knows a lint roller in every room can help you deal with the small inconvenience of a few stray hairs.