Whether there are dogs for allergy sufferers cannot be answered with a clear yes. Since a dog allergy is not only triggered by the hair but also by the dog’s saliva, among other things, a dog that sheds a little can reduce the risk of an allergy but cannot completely rule it out.
Whether a person with a dog hair allergy is allergic to specific dogs or not can vary from case to case. Therefore, before you get a dog, you should always try it out first to see whether it triggers any allergy symptoms – for example, by visiting its breeder or animal shelter several times. With the dog breeds mentioned here, the chance that it will work is relatively high.
What exactly is a dog allergy?
More precisely, dog hair allergies are counted among the so-called animal hair allergies triggered by specific proteins. The allergens are not produced by the hair of the four-legged friends but by the skin, saliva, or the animals’ urine. However, the dog hair spreads the corresponding allergens.
Therefore, it is advisable for people who are allergic to dog hair to avoid contact with the allergens that trigger the allergy symptoms as far as possible. Antiallergic medication can also be used for short-term treatment of the symptoms. So-called hyposensitization, in which the immune system is gradually exposed to the allergens to get used to it, can bring long-term success. Luckily, there are allergy-friendly dogs with a low risk of triggering pet dander allergy symptoms in humans.
Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier and Co.
When dogs groom themselves and lick their fur with their tongues, allergy-triggering proteins get into the skin via the saliva. The more hair the dog loses and distributes in the apartment, the greater the stimulus for an allergy sufferer. Therefore, many dog owners with a dog hair allergy have good experiences with dogs that have no undercoat and no seasonal shedding. Maltese, Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon Frize and Bolognese are among the breeds with which many allergy sufferers hardly have any problems and are also very family-friendly.
Waterdogs and special breeds
The so-called water dogs (dogs that were once bred to work with anglers) are almost always allergy-friendly with curly, specially structured fur. The Spanish water dog, the barbet, and the poodle’s relative are among them. In addition, particular breeds such as the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle are popular dogs for people with dog hair allergies. You should try out which dog breed is suitable for you – maybe a friend of yours has one of these dogs for allergy sufferers who can live with you over the weekend? A visit to the breeder usually also gives quick information as to whether four-legged friends of the breed of your choice trigger a dog hair allergy in you or not.
