Did you know that certain dog breeds are considered hypoallergenic? Yes there are, and amazingly not all of them have very short hair. There are some breeds such as the Afghan Hound and the Yorkshire Terrier that sport long hair but are considered safe for highly sensitive people.
For so long, many dog-lovers who are susceptible to allergies and asthma thought they would never be able to own a pet dog again because of their extreme sensitivity to per dander. But studies have shown that particular dog breeds shed lesser amounts of hair and their dog dander is does not cause allergic reactions at all.
This is great news for dog-lovers, but be clear though that there is no such thing as a non-allergenic dog. There are only hypo-allergenic ones which will not cause the usual symptoms you get from regular breeds. This does not mean though that you're free of the troublesome task of removing shedding and dander from your environment. Just as you still have to eliminate dust particles, you have to clean up hair and dander so they don't build up.
It is important to note that pet hair itself is not the culprit that causes allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. It is the dander that comes off from your pet's skin when they shed hair that causes the allergic reaction.
Aside from Afghans and Yorkshires, other breeds that are considered hypo-allergenic include the Basenji, Bichon Frise, Border Terriers, German Shorthaired Pointers, Greyhounds and Italian Greyhounds, the Water Spaniel, the Portugese Water Dog, Lhasa Apsos and Schnauzers. Surprisingly, the list also includes the Maltese, Poodles and Shi Tzus!
As previously mentioned, it's the dander that causes you to sneeze so don't make the mistake of buying hairless breeds since some of them actually produce more dander than medium and long-haired ones. Dogs that make little or no dander are the best matches for you, so make sure you check these out first before bringing that pooch home.
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