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Allergies to dogs

Dog allergies may be caused by skin flakes or dander, saliva, urine or the actual fur. All these in the home may even result in an increase in dust mite activity which can affect many people with sensitivities. It really does depend on the individual person as to what and how badly it affects them.

If you suffer from dog-related allergies or asthma but desperately want to share your home with a hound, here are some Dogs Trust top tips to give you the best chance of fulfilling your dog-owning dreams:

• Non-shedding, oily-coated, silky, fine haired or hairless breeds and crossbreeds may be more easily tolerated by sufferers. These could include: Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Schnauzers, Poodles, Chinese Crested, Yorkshire Terrier, Irish Terrier, Airedale Terrier, Afghan Hound, Curly Coated Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel, Greyhound, Lurchers and crossbreeds containing one or more of the above.

• Once you have researched and chosen your breed, spend some time with it to see how you react. Spend a couple of hours with the breeder and their dogs - if you are considering a pedigree puppy. Be sure to obtain a guarantee in writing that the breeder will take the puppy back should a problem arise.

• Groom your dog daily in the garden or out of doors. Wash his bedding at least once a week. Don’t let him in your bedroom. Hoover carpets and soft furnishings on a regular basis. Ideally, remove carpets and have hard floors instead, replace curtains with blinds, and use leather and wooden furniture.

• Consider trying a product such as Petal Cleanse™, which claims to remove pet allergens from the coat with weekly application. UK trials of the product showed that over 90% of people with pet allergies only benefited from use. Although Dogs Trust does not endorse any products, feedback suggests this has helped many allergy sufferers.  See http://www.bio-life.co.uk for more information.

Sadly even after taking these precautions, an allergy may still be too severe to give a dog a permanent home. If this is the case for you, but you’d still like to be involved in a dog’s life, why not consider sponsoring a dog?

Breed types more suitable for allergy sufferers

The following breed types tend to cause less of a problem to people with allergies and asthma, however all dogs moult to some extent. Crossbreeds containing one or more of these breeds may also be suitable.

Afghan Hound
Airedale Terrier
Australian Silky Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Bichon Frise
Cairn Terrier
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Chinese Crested
Curly Coated Retriever
Greyhounds
Irish Terrier
Irish Water Spaniel
Kerry Blue Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Lurchers (particularly Bedlington Terrier/Whippet crosses)
Mexican Hairless
Miniature and Giant Schnauzer
Sealyham Terrier
Toy, Miniature and Standard Poodle
Welsh Terrier
Whippets
Yorkshire Terrier