What Do We Mean By Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds?Put simply hypoallergenic dog breeds are less likely to cause an allergic reaction in humans primarily because they shed less than other breeds. 
More specifically, as everyone is different and have different tolerance thresholds we are talking about breeds that maybe hypoallergenic to YOU but not someone else. Read on for a brief explanation of the causes behind dog allergies and take a look at some of those generally considered to be hypoallergenic breeds? What is an allergy? Approximately 10% of the population are allergic to animal hair, specifically cats and dogs, the allergic reaction is usually manifested through rashes, itchiness, watery eyes, sneezing , runny noses or difficulty breathing. This is caused primarily by a reaction to saliva, skin dander and other allergens such as pollen, dust or mould spores that are attached to dog hair. In extreme cases these reactions can be very serious or life threatening, especially if breathing becomes restricted such as for asthma sufferers or if someone has genes that are hypersensitive to dog allergens of any kind. It is sensible practice if you or anyone else in the household that show allergic tendencies to visit your Doctor or GP for medical advice before you start looking for a dog, even if they are classed as one of the many hypoallergenic dog breeds. What are dog allergens? What dog allergens are not primarily is hair or fur. Length or sheer amount of hair on its own is not a causal factor of an allergy, getting a ‘hairless ‘dog variety will not Necessarily end your allergy problems.
What dog hair does do is attract allergens that may already be present in the environment or produced by the dog and therefore make any underlying allergy worse, simply because it has concentrated the allergens that were already present in the environment. Dog allergens primarily are proteins that originate in a dogs skin, saliva and urine. The dander (small flakes of skin or dandruff) and saliva get stuck to a dog’s fur or can drift around the house as airborne motes and specks. Dog fur as mentioned above can also harbour pollen, mould spores or other irritants. All this hair, dander and minute matter particles floating about can quickly contaminate everything in the house, even areas that are pet free! What makes hypoallergenic dog breeds so special? Hypoallergenic dog breeds are not magic breeds, all dogs shed hair and dander to some extent, but you will find that in general breeds that are thought to ease allergy symptoms in sufferers do so, because they either shed less hair and or less dander than other breeds . It is interesting to note that some are considered to be hypoallergenic dog breeds because they produce less allergen than other dogs, for example Poodles or Schnauzers shed their skin every 20 days , by comparison the German Shepherd or Cocker Spaniel will shed skin every four days or so. This means an awful lot more allergen is being produced by a Spaniel than a Poodle.The Poodle also has very tight dense curly hair that doesn’t shed much. This doesn’t mean to say that a poodle is completely non allergic, no dog is but you may find that an allergy sufferer could tolerate living with a poodle far better than any other breed. When thinking about hypoallergenic dog breeds not all allergens are the same. 
And not all dogs produce the same allergens, meaning you could be allergic to one breed but not always another; this is why getting a hairless dog breed is not necessarily the answer if you are allergic to the saliva or dander that the breed produces.If you or someone else do suffer from fur allergies but would still love to have a dog Then you may be want to consider one of the many hypoallergenic dog breeds that are out there. The most sensible thing to do would be to contact a specialist breeder for the type of breed you like in order to arrange a ‘contact’ visit where you should be able to interact with the dogs and gauge how tolerant you are to the breed in general. Once you are living with your dog, regular grooming outside coupled with regular vacuum cleaning will help to reduce and remove the build up of allergens on your dog or in your home. Did you know that dogs can also suffer from allergies? for some great advice about treating your own dogs allergies why not visit our friends at hippie-dog-health.com for a fascinating and informative natural approach to your dog's health. Dogs get allergies too! This is a great site for more in depth advice regards allergies and other health issues relating to your dog. Navigate From Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds to Choosing A Dog Homepage |
