Question:
I know this question probably gets asked a million times, BUT...
Can anyone suggest a breed that has relatively little allergic reactions to
it? I have had poodles & yorkies with absolutely no problem, but to be honest,
I wasn't wild about either. I'm looking for a medium size breed, mellow, and
reasonably easy to train. I have looked at Bouvier des Flandres', but my
husband is resistant due to their "independant" personalities (though all the
ones I've met have been extremely well behaved.) I've also looked into the
portuguese water dog, but the price is prohibitive. I work at home, and have
1&1/2 acres, so attention and excercise are not a problem.There are no
children, and basically all I'm looking for is a companion. Is there any hope
for me?
Answer:
I have a Miniature Schnauzer. She doesn't shed and is a great companion
for my mother and myself. Well, I have Silkys, which are very similar to Yorkies, though larger
(about 10 lbs and 10") and very robust physically. They sound a bit
small for you - what about a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier? I've heard
that they are pretty hypoallergenic and a good medium size. I would
look more into their personalities and care... C... is so correct! There are breeds that are less likely to trigger
allergies in some people, and some people are only allergic to some breeds of
dogs, but if I hear one more person say "[name of favourite breed] is
hypoallergenic" I'll scream. THERE IS NO SUBSTANCE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH
THAT IS HYPOALLERGENIC. No cosmetic, no food, and certainly no dog. Some
people are allergic to themselves (ever hear of auto-immume disorders?),
others are allergic to tap water, others are allergic to elements such as
sodium or gold. Anyone who advertises anything as hypoallergenic - be it a
cosmetic, be it a piece of jewellery, whatever it is - is either a base liar
or seriously misinformed. My mother is allergic to all dogs. She is also allergic to all birds,
and that includes bird droppings, feathers, raw fowl meat, etc. We couldn't
have a real Christmas tree because of the allergic reaction caused by bird
droppings on the tree! (And they don't wash out with a little rinse!)
Allergies are not a little "achoo, achoo" thing that makes someone a little
sick, they can kill. Even environmental allergies, such as perfumes and dog
dander, can kill. (Sorry if you don't think so, you're wrong. I know of
someone who died from a lavender allergy.)
So if you have allergies, please be careful and don't fall for someone telling
you that a Lhasa Apso or a rescue Greyhound is "hypo-allergenic". One person
may not have symptoms at one moment in time from such a dog, but that means
NOTHING to you, now or in a few years. Well, you might want to brush up on your English before you get too
excited. The prefix hypo means under or less. In other words,
something that is hypoallergenic would induce less of an allergic
reaction. It does not mean no reaction. That would be nonallergenic.
So, yes indeed, there are many substances that are hypoallergenic, in
that they cause an allergic reaction in less people than other
substances. For example, gold is known to cause an allergic reaction
in fewer people than, say, surgical steel. Likewise, hypoallergenic breeds cause an allergic reaction in fewer
people than other breeds. That is not to say that people should run
out and get a "hypoallergenic" dog on someone else's sayso. The rest
of your points are completely valid.
Well, for some people allergies are a little achoo thing, and for
other people, like me, they can be a major asthma attack thing. It
depends on the person. Very true. I spent many years researching and visiting different
breeders before I settled on a Wire Fox Terrier. Before I even knew I
was allergic to dog dander, I had a Golden Retriever puppy, which I
owned for almost a year before his adult coat came in and I ended up
in the emergency room. One must be extremely careful when selecting a dog when they are
allergic, because many tragic outcomes are possible, including death
and having to give up the pet you love. However, it is possible to be
allergic to dogs and to still own one. I have now had my wonderful
guy for over two years, with nary a reaction, but I was very careful
and caustious. I didn't just rush out and buy a WFT because I read a
post in this group that said that "My roomate's Uncle's friend is
allergic and has a WFT and they are way cool, dude!" (which, by the
way, they are)
