Best Dogs For Allergies

‍Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds

For years, pet owners have struggled with their allergies to their dogs - with little to no results to show for it. There are a lot of solutions that professionals offer to dog owners about coping with their allergies, but they are often incredibly tedious and laborious. Many dog owners have to clean their homes religiously in order to keep their allergies to their pets at bay, but this requires you to have your house spotless 24/7, which can be quite challenging to achieve with your furry friend running around.

We often see a lot of products that are marketed to pet owners that claim to eliminate dog allergies such as fancy shampoos and ointments. However, they rarely work as well as they are advertised and they can be quite expensive when you add up the lifelong costs. It goes without saying that the best way to avoid having dog allergies is to simply not have them as a pet, but let’s be honest - for any real dog lover, this is simply not going to be a realistic option.

With that being said, the best way to get around your dog allergies is to find the right breed for you that is hypoallergenic. There are plenty of dog breeds out there that are much better suited for allergenic households that give off significantly less dander. These dogs are the perfect solution to avoiding a sneezing fit every time that you want to cuddle your pup.

However, you will find that some breeds are going to be better options for you than others. The best way to identify the breed that is going to suit you better is to gauge how allergic you are to dogs and to identify what you are specifically allergic to. The reason for this is that some people are allergic specifically to dander and some saliva - or if you happen to really be allergic to dogs - all of the above. By identifying what your specific allergy is to dogs, you can prioritize breeds that will be the most beneficial for you. To help you understand this better, we are going to take a closer look at some of the best dogs for allergies.

Bichon Frise

If you want to say bye-bye to your allergies, there are few dog breeds out there that can compete with the Bichon Frise. These adorable puffballs will make any home feel complete, as the Bichon Frise is a loving pup that is playful and very affectionate.

For so many pet owners who have allergies, the Bichon Frise is highly regarded as being one of the most hypoallergenic dogs that you can ever find. The reason for this is that they have a very unique coat, given that they hardly shed at all. This is surprising to so many people as the Bichon Frise has quite a lot of hair. However, the double coat that this breed has is structured in a way that hardly any hair ends up shedding, which is not only going to prevent you from sneezing and sniffling but it will help keep your home looking tidier - without the need for constant vacuuming or sweeping.

In addition, the Bichon Frise is not only great with minimal shedding, but its coat also provides a protective layer that keeps a lot of other allergenic materials contained. The double coat is excellent at preventing dead skin from escaping, which makes the Bichon Frise a great breed option for people who are allergic to dander.

Many owners also love that the Bichon Frise is a very small dog, which makes it perfect for a wide variety of different households - big and small. Having dog allergies is bad enough but having allergies to your pup when you are crammed in a tiny apartment together is asking for trouble. With the Bichon Frise, you can really enjoy some quality time with your dog and not worry about letting your allergies act up.

Poodle

A classic breed that is a favorite among so many pet owners is the Poodle. This elegant and highly intelligent pup is an amazing dog for people with allergies, as it is widely considered to be one of the top picks for hypoallergenic dogs.

The Poodle has a coat that stands out in the world of dogs. You can easily spot one of these K9s the second you see them by their diva like presence and fashionable coat. Poodles have a fluffy coat but at the same time one that hardly sheds at all. In fact, Poodles do not even have fur - unlike most dogs. This breed has hair that is actually quite similar to human hair.

This feature makes the Poodle a very allergy-friendly dog for people who suffer from just about every allergy symptom. You will find that their hair does grow quite fast, which is why you want to be sure to give them plenty of grooming and bathing, as this will help keep them look presentable and it will also mitigate most of the risk of slight allergy response.

With that being said, Poodles will lose a little bit of hair here and there. This is common especially if you let the hair get too long and do not take care of your Poodle’s coat. A failure to look after your Poodle’s coat can significantly increase your chances of experiencing allergies with your dog. This amount of routine maintenance is one of the reasons that some people with allergies are not as drawn towards adopting Poodles, as you will need to put in the effort to groom them, which can end up not only taking a considerable amount of time but also costing quite a bit of money in the long run.

However, Poodles are also a great breed for owners who are allergic to drool, as well as hair. This breed is not known for being a drooler, which makes it perfect for owners that are allergic to saliva. You should expect a wet lick and kiss from your pup from time to time but at least you can justify a small allergy response as affection from your pup.

Lastly, Poodles can also be great for owners that are extremely allergic to fur or hair, as you can get very creative with how you end up grooming them. Poodles are known for having a dynamic coat that can be as short or as long as the owner wants. You will find that some of these dogs can even be predominantly barren - with hairless Poodles being quite a standard. The most important thing to keep in mind with how much you groom your Poodle is the climate that you live in. At the end of the day, you need to make sure that you pup does not get too cold if you decide to groom them really short.

Kerry Blue Terrier

The Kerry Blue Terrier is a lovely breed that is adorable, loyal, and highly hypoallergenic. These medium-sized dogs are hands down one of the best breeds for people who suffer from dog allergies.

The reason that the Kerry Blue Terrier is such a hypoallergenic dog is that it has a coat that pretty much prevents it from shedding at all. Their coat is extremely soft and very full, which normally would imply that there would be a substantial amount of shedding going on. However, the Kerry Blue Terrier defies all logic with its beautiful furry blue coat that is dense - yet does not shed.

This is great news for people that have issues with fur and dander for their allergies, as you can kiss your runny nose and coughing fits goodbye. Another great aspect of this is that you can minimize the amount of cleaning you need to do around the house. Owners who have dogs that shed a lot really have their hands full, as the amount of cleaning required to keep your home presentable is frustratingly tedious.

The Kerry Blue Terrier is also a very loyal dog and is good with people in general, which can make it a great pup to bring into the family if you have got kids. If there is one thing that tends to happen with allergies it is that they are hereditary. If you have more than one person with allergies in the house, you are definitely going to want to have a great dog like a Kerry Blue Terrier.

The main thing that you should keep in mind is that while the Kerry Blue Terrier is great with people, it can be a little aggressive when in the company of other dogs - or even just small animals in general. A big part of this just has to do with the upbringing of the dog. The Kerry Blue Terrier was brought up to hunt down vermin and household pests. This means that it is going to be instinctive for them to chase down smaller animals.

The potential aggressiveness of the Kerry Blue Terrier can make this a questionable breed for people who own other pets such as cats and other smaller dogs. If you want to enjoy all the benefits of this hypoallergenic dog, you should just be sure to expose them to plenty of social interactions with other animals early in life, as these negative traits are greatly minimized through proper training. Aside from that, the Kerry Blue Terrier is a wonderful breed that is affectionate, loyal, and great for people with allergies.

Maltese

The Maltese are an amazing breed for so many reasons, as these dogs are very loving, playful, and hypoallergenic. You can spot these pups by their long smooth hair that makes them look elegant and very adorable. However, most people are in disbelief when told that this dog is good for people with allergies, as its hair does get quite long.

Despite their long hair, these dogs hardly shed at all, which is great for dog owners that love having a pup with a long coat but don’t want to deal with the risk of allergic response. With that being said, just because a dog is classified as hypoallergenic like the Maltese is it’s not a guarantee that it won’t trigger any allergies at all.

The Maltese, just like most hypoallergenic dogs, will lose a little bit of hair. The amount is relatively insignificant but it could still potentially cause an allergic response for owners who are highly allergic to hair and dander. If you are highly allergic to dogs, you should not rule out breeds like the Maltese based on the fact that they shed a little, as you can minimize your allergic response by properly grooming your dog on a regular basis.

Scrubbing your pup with good shampoo will greatly minimize the amount of dander that you have around the house and proper brushing will pretty much make shedding non-existent. This will require a little attention and care from your end but if you want to have one of these cute pups in your life, it’s a small price to pay.

The great thing about managing the Maltese coat is that there is not much to take care of despite the long hair. This breed falls into the Toy category for dogs, which means that it is tiny. Ultimately, the smaller the dog, the less maintenance it is likely going to require, as you have got less volume of hair to deal with. In addition, the Maltese hardly ever drools, which makes it perfect for people who have an allergy to dog saliva.

Basenji

If you want a breed that is a whole lot of fun to have around this house and is as cute as it is friendly, the Basenji will be a perfect dog for you. These pups, which were traditionally brought up as hunting dogs, are an amazing breed for households that like the stay active but also for individuals who suffer from dog allergies.

These pups have got plenty of pep in their step, so you should expect this adorable animal to be bouncing around the house with plenty of enthusiasm. The good news is that they won’t be leaving a trail of fur and dander behind them as they do, as this breed is highly regarded by pet owners as a dog that hardly sheds at all.

Basenjis have a very light and short coat that feels great to the touch and is pleasing to the eye. The fact that they hardly shed means that dander is not going to be a problem in your house any longer. In addition, they are perfect for people who have an allergy to saliva - given that drooling is not something that this breed is known for.

You should also expect your Basenji to be a very loyal dog and protective of its owners. This makes it not only a great breed for people who suffer from allergies, but also for family households. Basenjis love being around their family and they thrive in this sort of setting. However, you should make sure that they do not get too overprotective, as they can sometimes become a bit wary of outsiders that they are not acquainted with. But you should only expect this to be a small issue if you have not properly trained them early on.

Shih Tzu

A breed that is easy to notice and immediately fall in love with is the Shih Tzu. These tiny little furballs are extremely cute and great for people who suffer from dog allergies. They are very good with shedding and will hardly lose any of their hair.

When Shih Tzus grow out their hair and their coat gets nice and full, you can hardly even see their eyes or anything other than a moving pile of hair bouncing around the house. This characteristic makes a lot of owners skeptical about how much shedding will actually occur - as a dog with hair as long as a Shih Tzus must shed a considerable amount, right? Wrong!

The Shih Tzu is known for having very long, fast-growing hair but it hardly sheds it. This is a great dog for an owner that loves to have a dog with a long coat but wants to skip the sneezing and runny nose. With that being said, Shih Tzus are quite versatile with how their coat can be presented, as you can groom them to have hair that is either long, medium, or short - completely up to you. Just make sure that their coat matches the climate that you live in so that they are comfortable - given that they can be quite sensitive to adverse weather conditions.

Shih Tzus pretty much never drool and are a great match for an owner that is allergic to saliva. In addition, the tiny size of this breed makes it great for so many different households. This breed is happy to live in a big house with plenty of room to run around in but also small households that could be the size of a studio apartment. Ultimately, so long as you are there to give your Shih Tzu the affection that it needs, it will be there to return the favor - without making your allergies act up.