Hypoallergenic dogs

Between 15-20 percent of the population is allergic to dogs. This causes challenges for people who want to get a dog and people who live around dog owners.

Many of those who dreamt of becoming dog owners had to give up on their dream due to allergies. However, a big part of those who dream, despite their allergic reactions, decide to get a dog either way.

Many of those who decide to get a dog get a so-called allergy-friendly breed. Rumors say those breeds are hypoallergenic and therefore provoke no reactions in people with allergies. Those rumors are not true, and in the worst-case scenario, a dog owner will have to give his dog away because of allergic reactions.

Many breeders still advertise the dogs they are selling as hypoallergic dogs. And if you search for allergy-friendly dogs on google, many of the results will claim that dogs can be allergy-friendly. However, if we were to follow scientific advice, there is no such thing as a hypoallergic dog breed.

It is not the fur that provokes reactions.

A common misconception about allergy-provoking dogs is that their fur awakens allergic reactions. In reality, it is the dogs, spit, urine skin cells, and different glands that provoke allergies. The same protein is called ‘can f1’ and is impossible to avoid altogether.

Some dog breeds get advertised as allergy-friendly because they shed extraordinary little or have little or no fur. However, many allergic people are not aware that the fur is irrelevant to their allergic reactions.

A study conducted in 2011 concluded that a household consisting of only allergy-friendly dogs accumulated just as much of the allergy-provoking protein as a household with ‘normal dogs.

Over 60 so-called allergy-friendly dogs were used in the study but had no desired effect on the result. The breeds used include labradoodle, Hairless dog, Portuguese waterdog, amongst more.

Spend time with a dog breed before buying one

Completely hypoallergic dogs are not a thing. However, some allergic owners still report that certain breeds are more suitable to live with. Therefore, it is not entirely impossible for allergic people to own a dog.

However, you must spend time with a few different breeds to experience the outcome before buying one.