I'm thinking of getting a dog. Apart from Poodles, what's the best breed for people with pet allergies?

Answer 1

I have severe allergies and I actually got a mix between the two dogs most people are recommending. I have a Shih Tzu Bischon mix, and they are commonly called teddy bears because that is exactly what she looks like. She is the sweetest dog I have ever had in my life and she loves kids. My vet actually recommened the breed to me and told me he has yet to see one puppy of the breed to be anything but sweet and great with kids. I love my dog and HIGHLY recommend if you have allergies

Answer 2

Truthfully - there are no hypoallergenic dogs. That said, there are several breeds considered to be more hypoallergenic than others. Hair, fur, coat or whatever you choose to call it has little to do with the ability to produce an allergic response. It is the dander produced by the dog that causes allergies. Breeds that produce the least dander are Poodles (all three varieties - toy, miniature and standard) Portuguese Water Dogs (ancestors of the poodle) and Bichon Frise (descendents of the poodle) All of these breeds have coats that require the attention of a groomer on a regular basis.

Dogs that do not shed are often found to be more tolerable by people with allergies simply by virtue of the fact that there is not a lot of hair floating around the house carrying dander, however, they are still not hypoallergenic. Frequent bathing and/or grooming may help to make these non-shedding breeds more tolerable to those with allergies.

On the other hand, shaving an otherwise coated breed in hopes of reducing allergies is of little benefit as the dog will still produce dander, and , if it is a breed that sheds naturally, they will still shed - just shorter hairs. In addition, shaving a coated dog will often increase problems by destroying the natural balance of the coat and skin, causing an increase in undercoat and potential skin problems that may increase the severity of allergies rather than relieve them.

The current popularity of mixed breed crosses (Labradoodles, etc) is based on the mistaken belief that because of their poodle heritage they will neither shed nor cause allergic responses. Only if the individual puppy in a litter of these crosses happens to inherit both the non-shedding and low dander of the poodle parent will the puppy be likely not to cause a reaction in an allergic individual. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing for sure which combination you will get, and thus a high percentage of these mixes end up in rescue or shelters due to problems with allergies.

Answer 3

none. People can still be allergic to poodles. It is normall the dander not the fur which causes the problem. I suggest you go along to an animal shelter and ask if you could pet some of the dogs to see if you get a reaction. Have you been patch tested to prove that you are actually allergic to dogs?

Answer 4

I've had a lot of cross information on this in my career, there are simple answers:
-You will want a dog with hair and not fur.
-Do not think that a short haired breed will help with your allergies, shorter haired dogs (pugs, labradors, beagles) do tend to shed more than double-coated dogs and often cause hives and breathing problems in severely allergic people.
-Maltese, Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier, Golden-Doodles (Golden Retriever x Standard Poodle), Labradoodles (Labrador x Standard Poodle), Bichon Frise and Shih Tzus seem to produce good results with allergic people.

-Professional Dog Groomer

Answer 5

There is no such thing as a non-allergenic breed of dog. Hypoallergenic just means LESS allergic.

You'd probably be best going to a breed rescue for the breeds chetco has suggested. If you're in the uk, look on the dog rescue pages to find one:

http://www.dogpages.org.uk/breeds.htm

Then pet them and see what your reaction is.

Good luck.

Answer 6

There are various coat types that are said to produce fewer allergens: single-coated dogs, who do not have a thick undercoat; dogs whose coat continues to grow, like human hair, rather than shedding regularly; and hairless dogs. These breeds usually shed less dander and hair and are, therefore, considered hypoallergenic. However, even hairless dogs can produce enough dander to affect a highly allergic person.

List of hypoallergenic breeds

Single-coated breeds

* Afghan Hound
* Basenji
* Bedlington Terrier
* Bichon (all types)
* Bichon Frisé
* Bolognese (dog)
* Cairn terrier
* Chinese Crested (hairless)
* Coton de Tulear
* German Shorthaired Pointer
* Greyhound
* Havanese
* Irish Water Spaniel
* Italian Greyhound
* Kerry Blue Terrier
* Lowchen
* Lhasa Apso
* Maltese
* Poodles (all sizes)
* Poodle hybrids
* Portuguese Water Dog
* Schnauzer (all sizes)
* Shih Tzu
* Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
* Yorkshire Terrier
* Whippet
* Native American Indian Dog
* Border Terrier

Hairless breeds

* American Hairless Terrier
* Chinese Crested (hairless)
* Mexican Hairless Dog (Xoloitzcuintli)
* Peruvian Hairless Dog

Answer 7

We have 2 Weimaraners, got them because my ex was allergic to dogs. They have very fine hairs and do not cast.
We got ours from the Weimareraner Club of Great Britain Rescue, they arranged for someone to come along with a couple of Weims to meet us, we rubbed an old jumper over the dogs and my ex slept with it on his pillow to see if there was any reaction.
One thing i will say is Weims are a difficult breed, especially if you've never had dogs before, they're stubborn, willfull, sneaky, demanding etc etc etc but they are extremely loyal and loving. I wouldn't be without mine.
Good luck, choose wisely.

Answer 8

Labradoodles,sorry if I didn't spell it right.They a labrador and poodle mixed, they also have hypoallegenic fur.And their pretty cute. But their real big so if you don't want a big dog don't get that.Chinese Crested dogs have little to no hair but I think their freaky looking.

Answer 9

actually Yorkshire Terriers although long haired do not molt, therefore they are good little dogs to have around people that have allergies. There is also a hairless little dog I think from china that would be suitable although I cannot remember its breed they are very sweet little dogs

Answer 10

Bichon Frise