Less allergy-triggering dog breeders, other allergy+dog advice
We are looking to get a puppy and trying to figure out what to do re possible allergies. My kids grew up with two dogs in the house their whole lives, and the dogs recently passed of old age. The youngest has dust allergies but never reacted to our dogs. Recently she's had major allergy reactions to some golden retrievers we've hung out with. For our new family dog a e are considering: 1) going with short hair dogs like we had before since she didn't react to them, or 2) going with a less allergy-triggering dog like a labradoodle.
Any suggestions for reputable breeders for the less allergy type dogs?
Other suggestions?
We know there aren't any guarantees re allergies with any dog breeds. A little unsure how to explain our kiddo's different experiences wrt our family dogs versus these other dogs she's now majorly reacting to - is it the long fur, is it bc she lived with the other dogs her whole life? And what our best chances are for bringing home a dog who is least likely to trigger major allergies for her. We are also seeing an allergist and pursuing shots for her, but that process will take a long time.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Parent Replies
Often kids can become tolerant of dogs they’ve lived with since they were babies but react to other dogs. Allergies to things like dogs and cats can also come out later in life. My husband and son are allergic to dogs with fur. Dogs with hair are typically fine because they produce less dander, but you never really know. We have one amazing rescue that has hair and one that we purchased from a breeder after looking around the Bay Area for about 8 months. There are lots of rescues that also specialize in specific breeds so that’s another option. If it’s a rescue they usually give you a window to “test” the dog so that might be useful. Good luck!
We got a dog after DH went gluten free. In his case, his wheat sensitivity was causing ALL sorts of reactions to other things. Once he dropped wheat from his diet: he stopped snoring, stopped rearranging phlegm constantly, and stopped reacting to most all pets. Sure, he still occasionally has issues with a dust-filled cleaning day or some pollen, but removing his big wheat trigger lessened all of his other triggers. Consider if some other allergy is causing your kiddo to react more in some environments.
When choosing dog breeds, you want to think about the temperament of course... and how it fits your lifestyle. How about fostering dogs to see how she does with various shorter-haired breeds? You could do so for a shelter, a good rescue, or a breed-specific rescue. It's a great way to get to know a dog well (and test out allergies)!
That said, if you're interested in a specific breed that's hypoallergenic, what about a poodle? I know doodles are popular, but there is absolutely no guarantee that any doodle will be hypoallergenic. It's just a mix of two breeds and there's no way to know what qualities of each are going to show up. Most people get lucky, but not everyone.
Maybe think about shedding as a good sign of how much fur you're going to have around? I have had labradors... they shed a ton (though short fur). I just fostered a lab/golden mix.... so much shedding ;)
Good luck!
I am someone who considered herself to have severe dog allergies my whole life up until 5 years ago, based on very strong reactions to a family member's series of pit bulls when I was young, and also allergy testing showed that pet dander was a trigger. I assumed that meant ALL DOGS. Happily, after spending time with various dogs I realized that not all trigger my allergies in the same severity, or at all - and we adopted a wire hair dacshund mix from a rescue 3 years ago and he doesn't trigger me at all. For me, pits and goldens are the worst allergens - they slobber a lot, and that's a big problem for me. I can instantly see a rash where their saliva lands. But our dog doesn't slobber, and doesn't shed unduly (all dogs do, to some extent) like goldens. I would strongly recommend spending time with a variety of types of dog, perhaps focusing on wire hair and whatever it is that poodles have, as those are said to be the least triggering for many allergy-prone people. Then try fostering a dog with the fur/hair typology that doesn't trigger your daughter to live with it for a while.
When we were desperate to get a dog in 2020, I talked to many doodle breeders. To overgeneralize, they are very weird and all the genetic focus ended up creeping me out (eugenics!). Our dog is a mutt, meaning he's healthy, and of course we feel good about rescuing him from a life on the street. It is very possible to adopt a dog who is not an allergy disaster.
We've been trying to figure out the same thing -- our kid had no problems with dogs until after our dog died, then started reacting to some but not others. I've read scientific literature on the subject and talked to several allergists and learned that there are no simple answers as there are multiple proteins implicated in dog allergy, most of which are present in dog fur/hair, dander, and saliva. So neither short-haired dogs nor dogs with hair rather than fur (like doodles) are a safe haven. If you're able to find out that your kid only reacts to a particular one of the proteins (can f 5), she might be fine with a female dog, as one of the most common allergens is only present in male dogs (and neutering reduces it).
The good news is that having a dog as an infant/young child is associated with developing fewer allergies later. But it's very common for teens with no dog allergy issues to go off to college and then react to the family dog when they first come home at Thanksgiving break -- essentially, their daily exposure at home was desensitizing them to the dog, and when they went away they lost that desensitization. Our kids likely experienced something similar in terms of losing that daily exposure.
We feel strongly about rescue/adoption rather than going to a breeder, especially as rescues and shelters are overwhelmed right now. So, we're thinking about doing some trial and error with fostering. Looking at shots as well for other allergens plus dog, and following the increasing interest in sublingual therapy, too.
Good luck!
I have read that sometimes the dog allergy is actually a reaction to pollen on the fur. We got a dog from a rescue and I realized I was a little bit allergic to her (runny nose). Luckily she is a short-haired dog and with some training (and lots of chicken), she is willing to let me give her a quick bath in the shower every weekend. The weekly bath and running an air purifier in my bedroom has made my allergy symptoms much better.