Before buying or adopting a pet, do your research! While all pets shed some hair, you can curb some of the shedding by choosing a pet that’s right for you and your lifestyle.

Breeds with thick double coats will regularly shed hair, whereas other dogs lik the poodle, maltese, schnauzer and bichon are low shedding. While these canines leave little hair around the house, they still require regular grooming and trimming to keep their coat clean and healthy. With felines, low shedding cat breeds include the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex.

The more hair on the brush, the less there is in your house! Regular brushing and bathing will remove loose hair before it ends up all over your furniture and other fabric surfaces. Make sure you choose the right brush for your breed – use a rubber brush for short coats and a slicker brush for removing undercoat- and loose hair in long-haired dogs. An undercoat rake is also useful for breeds such as the husky or samoyed.

Certain fabrics such as wool, velvet and tweed are a nightmare for collecting pet hair, especially when they are used for high-touch furniture such as sofas. Consider fabrics like ultrasuede, microfibre or crypton and make sure you’re equipped with the right tools to care for your fabric surfaces. Often overlooked, fabric care makes a huge difference in keeping your home feeling fresh, stylish and clean.

Avoid wall to wall carpet which will quickly entrap pet hair. Tiles and floorboards are more manageable but choose the right colour flooring – dark floorboards will show up light pet hair more than light floorboards.

Nobody wants to spend hours untangling hair from the vacuum, so choose one designed specifically for pet hair removal. A vacuum with high suction power that allows you to remove hair easily from both floor and fabric surfaces is essential. Many will also come with a pet hair tool designed to make eliminating pet hair from fabric sofas and upholstery easy.

Text: Homes To Love