Hi Guys,

I'm wondering whether you'd be able to help me in the decision as to which breed to get!!

I am a loving person and have grown up with dogs around me, but then it's not me that's the problem!  Unfortunately hubbie has an allergy to animals although dogs aren't as bad as cats.

Anyway I am hoping that you'll be able to help me choose a breed that won't bring him out in any rashes.  We have thought of a poodle, but being a man he doesn't fancy taking it for walks on his own!!  Have also thought of a Schnauzer or Border Terrier.  Can anyone shed any light on these breeds or think of any others.

It is only to be a pet and a firm member of the family.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Michelle.

Hi!

There are several breeds which are reputed to be suitable for people with allergies, but first you need to discover what it is he's allergic to. It's not often that it's the hair - more usually it's the dander (skin cells) or saliva. Your GP would be able to arrange tests to find out which.

If you do a search (top right corner of the screen) on this site and type in 'allergy' or similar, you will come up with a list of (usually) hypoallergenic breeds. Your next task is to study pictures of them all, decide which ones you like the look of, research deepr into those breeds, then arrange to meet people with those breeds and spend at least 2 hours in their homes with them. If your husband is fine after that exposure, you should be fine to get one yourself.

Good luck!

To everyone who replied to me!

Thanks guys.  It's really been useful and although some of the breeds don't tickle hubbie's fancy ie walking down the road with "him" in tow we do fancy some of the others.

Anyway thanks again and will let you know what we get.

Meesh xx ;o)

My partner is also allergy to animals.  So having looked in to and spent time with a few breeds, we bought a standard schnauzer and he is such a brilliant dog we have now purchased our second Standard!

The only problem we had with him is that he can be very pig-headed! But this could be because he was the first dog we had, so we got ourselves a good trainer and now he is as good as gold, most of the time!!!  He has now worked out that if he runs up behind me and pushes the back of my knees I then I fall over and make a funny noise, which he loves.

We could not be with out them. I have my little pup on my lap as I am writing this and my older Schnauzer and boyfriend are partners in crime.

But then again I am very bias.  Good luck on choosing!

Hi Meesh, i've got a list of breeds recommended for people with allergies:

Giant Schnauzer
Afghan Hound,
Irish Water Spaniel,
Komondor,
Miniature Poodle,
Standard Schnauzer,
Portuguese Water Dog,
Puli,
Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier,
Kerry Blue terrier
Bedlington Terriers,
Toy Poodle,
Miniature Schnauzer,
Bichon Frise,
Mexican Hairless and
Chinese Crested Dog.

Good luck on finding your new member :-)

Interesting about the afghan hound, puppylove, because they have so much hair that you automatically think it would be a no no for allergic people. Do they not moult?

hey if you are talking hair, what about the komondor (yes I know it is corded) if only they came in black.........................

We were tempted to buy a Komondor. They fascinated us. So we went to a breed show.

Don't stand downwind of them. They smelt really strongly of wee.

I saw one doing obedience at Crufts, very impressive, I don't remember the smell (but I can believe it) I was just thinking it would come back with so much dirt, twigs, leaves, grass et al every time it went out it would never be dry................... and neither would the house

We started chatting to some of the owners. Apparently, if you bath them, it takes 24 hours for them to get dry ... no wonder they stink! Lovely dogs, though.

Ok, in for a penny in for a pound :D

Do, (horror of horrors) some owners er trim them (shriek, gasp, faint) like the OES owners do? :D

They are certainly a lot of dog.

From what we learned, the bitches are cleaner than the dogs.

But it proved to us the vital importance of actually meeting breeds in the flesh before you buy. There is no way I could tolerate that smell in my home. And these were dogs prepared for a show!!!!

What about the Spanish Water Dog ??  :d

Look a bit like a Poodle but you clip them all off, no fancy clips for the Spanish :d   I remember once at Crufts being next to a ring where Komondor's were being shown, all the spectators were there looking at the dogs and as the Komondor's were moved so did the spectator's, the smell was quite bad!!

Seriously though, you do need to check what the other half is allergic to?  You can always ask people who own the breed that you are interested in whether you can go down and be with the dogs for a while before you decide.

Hi , have you thought of a chow my son suffers with allergies and very bad asthma, I really thought we would never be able to have a dog until we discovered the chow chow! hope this helps

My husband Mike is extremely allergic to cats and ends up wheezing and coughing and allergy bumps all over him.:rolleyes:

He was the same when I suddenly turned up ( well moved in ) with the Labs , two moulting big lumps of chocolate Labradors. :D He suffered for a few weeks but then developed an immunity. Ever since then any new puppy we have had he has a few weeks of getting used to them and is ok ! :) He said that it was all worth it so long as he had me :D

He is from a family who suffers from allergies especially his Dad,at their place there are cats and a lovely golden callled Sophie but because they have gone through the pain barrier they cope with the sneezing and allergy bumps occasionaly as Mike does then they are true animal lovers and don't give up at the first hurdle :) I do think people sometimes give up too easily.

Lucy
xx

Thanks Lucy, not sure what hubbie would say if i went out and got a breed he'd most definitely be allergic too - think it would cause too many eruptions!!......  Also have to think of father-in-law as although he doesn't have any allergies as hubbie does, he is unsteady on his feet and I think an excitable lab/springer will just topple him over completely!!  Although I'm sure we could train them not to jump up anyway.

But thanks anyway, all this advice is really useful and hopefully I'll be able to convince "him in doors" that the household really couldn't do without a friendly loving dog in it!!

Watch this space.

Meesh xx

Hi
Poodles area wonderful bread to have they don't loose there coat as much well they do but it doesn't go everywhere it stays in them witch means alot of brushing to keep them free of the knots I no loads of men that have them they are not a ponsey bread they are very fast and bouncy and that love getting dirty all the usual and they don't act the innocent either
Fiona

Hi we have just got a Tibetan Terrier and we have been told that they are really good dogs to get if somebody suffers from allergies. Good Luck and I hope you find a breed soon. Mel

Hi
We have some friends who also have a Tibetan Terrier, for the same reason.
Tracy