What’s a home without a dog? Most families would love to have a dog to take on camping trips and bring to picnics, but if someone in the house has a dog allergy, this can pose a huge problem.
If you want to add a furry best friend to your family while minimizing the risk of triggering someone’s allergies, here are a few breeds you should consider adopting.
Is There Such Thing as a Hypoallergenic Breed?
The term “hypoallergenic” seems to imply that people who have allergies can safely use or be around something. The situation isn’t quite so clear-cut if you have an allergy to dogs. There is no breed of dog that’s completely free from allergens.
If you’re allergic to dogs, your allergy symptoms are caused by the protein cells the dog produces. These cells are throughout a dog’s entire body, including their saliva, skin, and hair. As microscopic dead skin cells (dander) and small bits of dog hair slowly make their way throughout your home, your allergy symptoms will escalate.
Some people are allergic to all dogs, but it’s also possible to be allergic to specific breeds. Not every dog will create and shed the same kinds of proteins. Your allergy response can also vary from dog to dog, depending on how they produce and shed proteins.
You can have one low-shedding retriever that barely sparks your allergies and another that sends them into a full-blown frenzy. The situation is tricky.
Before you adopt a dog based on its reputation as being hypoallergenic, you need to meet the actual dog. Reputable breeders, foster programs, rescue programs, and animal shelters will allow you to spend time with your dog before bringing it home.
If you can spend an hour playing with the dog and don’t notice any allergy symptoms within the next 24 hours, the dog is probably a good fit for you. So why do we still call some dogs hypoallergenic?
Why Are Some Breeds Called Hypoallergenic?
Hypoallergenic dogs are dogs that shed the least. Hairless and short-haired dogs won’t shed as much as dogs with thick or heavily layered coats. If they don’t shed often, these family dogs will not spread allergens around your home faster than your vacuum and your HEPA air filter can pick them up.
Many people with pet allergies find these dogs the best dog breeds to have around. Over time, they might even develop a small tolerance to the allergen and stop experiencing allergy symptoms altogether.
8 Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds Worth Considering
Let’s look at what are considered some of the best hypoallergenic dogs out there.
