Braxton Taylor
As someone who can barely be in the same house as a cat, I understand the frustration of an allergy to pets. While I’m no Steven Rinella, who is widely known as a cat guy, I wouldn’t be opposed to a tabby in the house, especially because it would make one of my daughters very, very happy.
I just don’t want to have to take an antihistamine every day, or suffer the stuffy nose, itchy eyes, and general misery of being with something that my body rejects. People who are allergic to dogs feel the same way, and they have options.
Some breeds, like standard poodles, are known as hypoallergenic dogs. This is, at least partially, responsible for the doodle craze of the last decade. The truth is, there has been a fair amount of research into this, and the findings suggest that it’s not so simple.
There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog breed, but there are breeds that are less likely to trigger allergies. There is also a lot of variation in individual dogs as well.
What Causes a Reaction
Allergens are proteins in a dog’s saliva and dander. Exposure to either, or both, will trigger a response in certain individuals. You only have to be able to handle very simple math to understand that the more hair a dog sheds into your house, the higher the likelihood is of a reaction.
But it’s not so simple. For reasons that still evade researchers, some people can tolerate some individual dogs more than others. The likeliest culprit here is a difference in the proteins (allergens).
To muddy the waters further, there is a strong correlation between folks who are allergic to dogs and are also allergic to mold and pollen. With these people, a dog that spends some time outside might pick up environmental allergens and introduce them into the house, which can compound the effects.
Which Breeds Are Best Then?
This is a tough one, but I’ll give it a shot. Dog breeds that exhibit minimal shedding are a good start. Poodles, Portuguese water dogs, Irish water spaniels, and a host of dogs that should never set a paw in the woods, or on the water, are considered hypoallergenic.
Then you have the doodle subcategory, which consists of a bunch of designer dogs that are sold as allergy-friendly, because they can be. They also often aren’t. They are also often bred simply to meet high demand, and that can lead to a whole host of problems well beyond giving their owners a sneezing attack.
More recent studies point to a different, but intriguing problem in this category–gender. Some people are sensitive to the allergens from one gender of dog, but not another. This is because both genders produce sex-specific proteins, which might trigger a reaction. Pay attention to what dogs cause you to react the worst, because if there is a trend of them all being male or all female, you might be onto something.
Now, because there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog, there is no such thing as a dog that is guaranteed not to trigger a response from someone with allergies. It doesn’t work that way, but you can hedge your bets some.
You can also try to be vigilant with cleanliness, which can have a huge impact on how strongly someone will react to your house. Cleaning often, thoroughly vacuuming, and using air filters have all proven effective at reducing the amount of allergens in a home. Allergy shots are an option as well, but it’s generally recommended to address environmental concerns first.
As a parting shot, I feel I should say this—there is a lot of marketing around dogs. Some of it promises hypoallergenic bloodlines and breeds. While it’s true that a specific breed, or specific individuals of a specific breed, might not trigger a response out of one person, there is zero guarantee that it’ll work that way for you.
That’s not great news for individuals who suffer from dog allergies. The good news is that it’s very likely there is a dog out there just for you, even if you generally feel the snot faucet kick in the moment you’re within 20 feet of most dogs.
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