I’m allergic to pretty much every type of pet dander there is. Feathers? Atchoo. Cat hair? ATCHOOOOOO! Horses, sheep, monkeys, you name it, I’m allergic.
This includes dogs. However, I had a dog for 16 years, and wasn’t allergic to her (she was a terrier-poodle mix my dad got at the Humane Society when I was 10). My parents have a German Shepherd/Collie mix (actually, she was my brother’s, but his wife didn’t like her, so she ended up at mom and dad’s “just for a few weeks” and now, six years later…)and ohhh, I love her, but only from afar. Very afar. Like, she can be outside and I’ll look at her out the window. Otherwise, sneezing and itching and writhing occur.
So why is it that I’m longing for a wee doggity of my very own? I love dogs. I loved my pup, Wicket, so, so much and never thought I could want another dog after she died three years ago because she was the Best Dog Ever. But now I find myself thinking of finding a puppy for Rob and I to love. I’ve been cruising the Humane Society website for weeks now, just looking. I’ve been trying to research hypoallergenic dog breeds (I know that no dog is 100% non-allergenic and that different folks react differently to different dogs). I know, so far, that I’m okay with terriers and poodles, and Meredith‘s delightful pup, Bonny.
Robbie definitely doesn’t want any ‘yappy dogs’ or poodles (his mom has one, he doesn’t enjoy him), and we’ve both agreed we’d rather have a girl dog than a boy. I personally would like a leetle dog– not like, small enough that I’d risk crushing her, but we’re moving into a house that doesn’t have a huge yard and I don’t think it’s fair to big dogs to have them in little houses.
BUT, the humane society never knows what kind of doggy it is for sure. I wouldn’t be able to tell if I was allergic or not because there are always other types of puppies around. And breeders? *sigh*. The day I have $600 to spend on just buying a dog will be the day… that I don’t know what will happen. Something.
But there is always hope! You just never know!
So, if any of you out there have any ideas on hypodogs, let me know, because we’re getting our own house, and Emilio and Judd need a new sister.
Generally, dogs with “hair” (Yorkies, poodles, bichons, etc.) as opposed to “fur” are better tolerated allergy-wise (they also smell less “doggy” and tend to not shed as much). Good luck with the search!
Well, Bonny is a cocka-poo (which is a terrible name for a breed!) And now that she’s 10 months she definitely doesn’t shed. You can occasionally find a poodle X breed on the SPCA site but not very often. Since I had to look for an allergy safe dog too, my brother has allergies like you and couldn’t come visit when I had the rabbits and wanted to, but we haven’t got the room for a standard poodle (we had a standard for 13 years and she was the loveliest, friendliest dog ever, no poodle-ly airs about her just a bit of a bread theif) so I started looking for cocka-poo breeders.
Anyway, don’t get some creepy hairless dog…cuz they’re weird. Some of the breeds I looked into (but couldn’t afford and I fell in love with Bonny before I found any of the in the shelter) are the Basenji, the Kerry Blue Terrier, Schnauzers, the soft-coated Wheaten (they’re so adorable!), Airedales, Westies and all of the Poodle X’s (labradoodles are awesome but expensive). All good dogs, with great temperaments usually. I wasn’t able to find any cocka-poo breeders in Nova Scotia so I looked in Ontario and there was Bonny up in cottage country.
Wheatens are beautiful dogs! Expensive, though, as Mer noted. Schnauzers (or a Schnauzer mix) have wiry coats and do not shed. I had one, but she was rather dim and nervous.
How ’bout a pug? They’re adorabugly.
I’m so with you, Louise… I’d love to have a dog that doesn’t make me sneeze like a mad woman! I’ve seen labradoodles and goldendoodles that are cute as a button and low-allergy, but, unfortunately, they’re usually expensive. :/
Hope you’re able to find something that’ll work for you!