Dogs that are Nice to your Nose

Posted by donna@pethangout 11/14/2016 1 Comment(s)

 

Dogs that are Nice to Your Nose

 

Pet allergies got you down?    Are you sad because you feel you cannot have a dog for fear of a severe allergic reaction?     According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 10% of the U.S. population suffer from some type of dog allergy.  source:  http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/hypoallergenic-dogs/

Good news ahead – there are certain breeds that can be considered more hypoallergenic than others.     While 100% hypoallergenic dogs do not exist, there are some that come very close!

 Let’s explore a minute why some dogs really get your allergies going.   Pet dander is one of the biggest culprits…

“Pet dander is composed of tiny, even microscopic, flecks of skin shed by cats, dogs, rodents, birds and other animals with fur or feathers. These bits of skin can cause reactions in people who are specifically allergic to these triggers.”   source: http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants/pet-dander.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Note:  Pet allergens can also be composed of other agents from your pet like their urine and saliva.   Their hair is not considered an allergen by itself.   A person who is allergic has an over-sensitive immune system that reacts to the protein found in the pet allergens.  source: http://www.aafa.org/page/pet-dog-cat-allergies.aspx

 

woman-sneezing

 

The pet allergens ride on a dog’s fur so that when they shed, it contaminates your surroundings with the irritant(s).    The pesky particles get stirred up into the air you breathe and wreak havoc on your respiratory system.   So, it stands to reason that if you have a dog that is mostly “shedless”, then the animal dander and dried saliva cannot permeate your surroundings.    Yes, this is a wonderful thing!

 

Here are some of the more popular breeds that do not shed (or barely shed):

1.  Afghan Hound

  • Personality:  Happy, Independent, Funny, Aloof
  • Longevity:  12 – 14 years
  • Colors:  Black, Red, Cream
  • Size:  Male  27”– 29”    Female   24”– 27”
  • Social: Stand offish at first; doesn’t need to please humans.  Kids may be too much stress.
  • Grooming – Frequent brushing or trimming needed to avoid matting.afghan dog

 

2.   Bedlington Terrier

  • Personality:  Good-tempered, Intelligent, Affectionate
  • Longevity:  12 – 14 years
  • Colors: Blue & Tan, Sandy, Blue, Reddish brown & Tan, Sandy & Tan, Reddish brown
  • Size:  Male   16”– 18”  Female   15” – 17”
  • Social: high energy and bossy, may be too spirited for young children due to quick reaction to teasing, you will need to show them you are boss
  • Grooming – brush coat to keep free of mats

bedlington terrier dog

 

3.  Chinese Crested

  • Personality: Lively, Alert, Sweet-Tempered, Affectionate
  • Longevity:  13 – 15 years
  • Colors: Black, Chocolate, Tri-color, Blue, Cream, Apricot
  • Size:  Male   11”– 13”  Female   2”– 12”
  • Social:  Perfect for the nonmobile pet parent.  Happy to be idle for long periods of time.  Does not accepts strangers easily but crazy devoted to you once they fall in love.  Plays with kids well.
  • Grooming – Very clean with no doggie odor.  However, powder puffs (shown below) need daily brushing to prevent matting.

chinese crested dog

 

 

4.  Colton de Tulear

  • Personality:  Vocal, Intelligent, Trainable, Lively
  • Longevity:  14 – 16 years
  • Colors: Black, Gray&White, Tri-color, Black&White, Lemon&White
  • Size: Male   10”– 12”    Female   9” – 11”
  • Social: Very social – gets along well with children, other dogs, and animals.  Always wants to please their master and attached to them. 
  • Grooming – long hair requires daily and careful grooming.  You only need to give a bath once or twice a year.

colton de tulear dog

 

5.  Giant Schnauzer

  • Personality:  Strong willed,  Kind, Powerful, Dominant
  • Longevity:  12 – 15 years
  • Colors: Black, Salt & Pepper
  • Size:  Male   26”– 28”    Female   23”– 26”
  • Social:  When properly trained, a very good pet.  You must establish being the leader to control their strong urge to be the “pack” leader. 
  • Grooming: Comb or brush undercoat at least once per week.

giant schnauzer dog

 

6.  Maltese

  • Personality:  Lively, Easygoing, Gentle, Playful
  • Longevity:   12 – 15 years
  • Colors:  White
  • Size:  Male  8”– 10”    Female  8”– 9”
  • Social:   A classic companion dog that loves to play outdoors.    Guard against feeding table scraps to avoid picky eaters.   May become snappy at kids if allowed to be the  “alpha” dog.
  • Grooming: Daily combing or brushing of the long coat is important.  Be gentle.  Bathe or dry shampoo on a regular basis.

maltese dog

 

7.  Miniature Schnauzer

  • Personality:  Spirited, Alert, Fearless, Friendly
  • Longevity:  12 – 15 years
  • Colors: Black, White, Sale & Pepper, Black & Silver
  • Size:  Male   12”– 14”     Female   12”– 14”
  • Social:  Gets along well with children and likes to be with  people   A great companion and family pet.
  • Grooming: Comb wiry coat daily to prevent matting

miniature schnauzer

 

8.  Morkie (Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese cross)

  • Personality:  Lively, playful, bold, watchful, protector
  • Longevity:  11 - 13  years
  • Colors: Black, Brown, Tan, or White
  • Size:  Male   6"- 8"    Female  5"- 7"
  • Social:  Loves to be around others, especially their owner.  Can be destructive if left alone for extended periods of time.  Good with other animals and children.  However, caution with infants that may grab.
  • Grooming: Brush daily to prevent matting.  

morkie dog

 

 

9.  Poodle

  • Personality:  Faithful, Trainable, Instinctual, Active
  • Longevity:  12 – 15 years
  • Colors: Black, White, Red, Grey, Sable, Blue, Cream, Brown, Apricot, Silver
  • Size:  Toy   9.4”– 11”,  Miniature   11”– 14”, Medium   14”– 18”,  Standard   18”– 24”
  • Social: One of most trainable breeds, sensitive to the tone of your voice.  Friendly toward strangers and excellent with children.
  • Grooming: Bath regularly and clip every 6 – 8 weeks.

 

10.  Portuguese Water Dog

  • Personality: Docile, Obedient, Quarrelsome, Brave
  • Longevity: 12 – 15 years
  • Colors:  Black, Grey
  • Size: Male   20”– 22”    Female  17”– 20”
  • Social: Loves water and is fun to be around – makes you laugh.  Excellent with children and other pets.  Let them get to know your cats.

portugese water dog

 

Special Note: If you have a dog that produces a lot of allergens and wreaks havoc on you currently, we recommend trying Allerpet for Dogs.   It cleanses your pet of the dander, saliva, and urine before they can invade your home.

We hope our list has given you hope that you can have a dog minus the terrible allergic reactions.    Please explore this list and learn even more about your potential breed before committing to getting one.   Dogs add so much love and happiness to your life but they are also a serious commitment.   They need daily love, care, and attention to be the best pet possible!  

For more informative reads & looks, check out How to Make your French Bulldog Happy,  our insightful thoughts on exploiting animals, and some awesome pics of dogs diggin' the water.

 

Can you give a testament to one of these breeds being great for your allergies?

Looking for a dog right now that won't bother your allergies?     How does pet dander affect you?

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1 Comment(s)

Sara D.:
11/15/2016, 11:56:57 AM
Reply

I have a Morkie (Ella) and I suffer from severe allergies and asthma. Ella has been wonderful to have as a pet ❤️

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