DON'T use flat finish paint.
Even if your little sweetums goes to the groomer regularly, he or she will still leave smudges on walls and door jambs. A basset hound can sling drool across a room and onto a wall with a shake of his head, and a parrot can fling all sorts of goo out of his cage and onto the wall.
Flat finish paint is nearly impossible to clean; try to wipe off a dirty spot and some of the paint comes off as well, leaving an unsightly mark that must be repainted. Semi-gloss is the easiest to wipe down, but its sheen will call attention to every ding and irregularity in your walls. Satin or eggshell finishes are more elegant, and as easy to clean as glossier paint.
Julia Szabo and Nan Ruvel both recommend Benjamin Moore Regal Matte finish, a new line that combines the rich, deep look of a flat paint with washability of a gloss. "It's the best. I use it all the time in houses with animals," Ruvel says.
