Hi,
my children are wanting a dog to join our family, the trouble is, I can be allergic to animal hair/dander! Is the poodle the only breed that doesn't shed? Also I have noticed that some dogs are naturally smellier than others even though they've just had a bath!! ie; a friend has a yorkie/shi-tsu cross and she doesnt really smell , another friend has a border terrier which seems to permanently have an odour!
finally, bitch v dog are they different in habit?
hopefully someone out ther can offer me some answers .thankyou.

There are several breeds which don't shed - as you say, there's the poodle, there's also the Bichon Frise, and I've heard that Bedlington terriers and Miniature schnauzers are also non-shedding.

Regards smell, the type of coat has a big bearing on this - the Border terrier's coat is harsh and weatherproof (it has to be for his job!) so needs a certain amount of natural oils for it to be a healthy coat - these oils of course have an odour (particularly when wet!!) Also in my experience, male dogs' coats tend to be smellier than a bitch's.

Male v female behaviour-wise....nobody can agree on this! Some swear bitches are easier, others would only have dogs. It all depends on the individual animal!

Hope this helps.

Hi Guest

Do you have any friends with dogs or anyone you can visit to see if some affect you more than others.

I find that some people who are very allergic to dogs "can" be okay with my pack because I have no carpets and the suite is leather and therefore is easy to clean.

You might find that one dog with carpets, fabric furniture and curtains (yes we do have curtains) might be worse for you than another home which has a few dogs and no dander retaining furnishings

Christine

Bitch v Dog differs depending which breed you are looking at. Once you have a short-list, type the breed name into a search engine like Google and you should come up with lots of sites. Give a few breeders a call and ask for their opinion. A reputable breeder will tell you the whole truth about the breed and not just be intersted in getting your money.

As you are looking for a breed that won't upset allergies - I would also recommend spending a little time with your chosen breed BEFORE you buy as some people suffer allergic reactions to different breeds anyway. You may be able to de-sensitise yourself to the trigger also and there are some products now that you can use on the dog to reduce the allergic reaction in you. Petal Cleans is one - like baby wipes that you wipe over the dog.

Good luck