Life with a dog you're allergic to can be a misery. Life with a dog that's been expertly bred to minimise allergy symptoms – a hypoallergenic dog – is a delight.
Some dog breeds, and combinations of breeds, are less likely than others to trigger dog-hair irritations and allergy symptoms in the humans they live with. These dogs are considered to be hypoallergenic.
Choosing your dog carefully means that you, your family and friends can enjoy a loving companion without worrying that it'll cause allergy symptoms.
What causes allergic reaction to dogs?
Allergy symptoms are caused by the naturally occurring proteins that every dog produces. These are mainly found in its dander (microscopic shed-skin particles) and saliva. Because all dogs produce these proteins, no dog is completely non-allergenic. However it is possible for some dogs to be hypoallergenic – meaning they're less likely to cause an allergic reaction in humans.
All dogs produce dander as part of their skin's renewal cycle, as do humans. When dogs shed their hair, dander comes away with it. Hair and dander become airborne in the home environment and can irritate a sensitive person through contact and inhalation, and are the main causes of allergic reactions in humans.
In addition to carrying dander, dog hair can trap other allergens – like pollen, picked up when out on walks – which are introduced into the home environment when a dog sheds its hair indoors.
Signs & symptoms of dog hair allergy
People vary in their sensitivity to dogs, and symptoms can include:
Sneezing
Runny nose
Coughing
Wheeze
Itchy eyes
Skin rash
Our puppies could be suitable for you if your symptoms are mild-to-moderate.
How Low-shedding doodles can help
A low-shedding doodle is one whose coat doesn’t shed at all, or who sheds a very minimal amount of hair. Features of a low-shed doodle coat include:
No hair shed or minimal amount of hair shed
Shedding unlikely when the dog is stroked or brushes against clothing or furniture
Small amount of hair likely to be found in the brush when being groomed
Requirement for regular grooms and trims to keep the coat mat-free and comfortable
A non-shedding dog exposes its human family to far fewer allergens because less hair – and therefore fewer allergens – are released into your home.
Our hypoallergenic puppies
At Cheristone Doodles we carefully breed doodles who have Poodles, Golden Retrievers, and Labradors in their heritage.
Both Golden Retrievers and Labradors have straight, shedding coats but they contribute desirable personality traits and health benefits to doodle puppies, and help to make the curly doodle coat a little looser and more silky than that of a purebred Poodle.
Poodles have low-shedding coats, characterised by tight curls. It’s these genes that need to be passed down, and maintained through the doodle generations, to give doodle puppies non-shedding hypoallergenic coats.
Research has found that combining these breeds and preserving the right genetic material, produces hypoallergenic puppies, which means that they're less likely than other dogs to trigger allergic reactions in humans. All our parent dogs are DNA-tested to enable us to do this. DNA tests reveal the unique combination of genes that determine a dog's coat characteristics, colour, size and freedom from inherited health conditions.
Following DNA testing we carefully match mother and father to ensure that their puppies will carry the right mix of genes that result in hypoallergenic non-shedding puppies.
How to reserve a hypoallergenic puppy
Several of our puppies have gone to homes where family members have dog allergies or conditions that could be aggravated by dog hair. A hypoallergenic dog means they’re able to experience the joy of dog ownership.
If you‘d like talk to us about how we can match you with a hypoallergenic puppy please contact us.