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Dog lovers with allergies are always looking for that special breed of dog that will not cause an allergic reaction. Unfortunately, there are NO non-allergic dogs. All dogs can cause an allergic reaction; it has little to do with how much hair they have and more to do with their diet and how they are groomed. However, there are some breeds (in general, the female of the breed is better) which come close to being hypoallergenic and there are some breeds that are hairless or naturally don't shed hair or shed very little. What they all have in common is they require regular grooming all year round.

ABOUT DANDER AND ALLERGIES:

Allergies are not a direct result of too much hair and even dogs with fur like human hair can cause allergies. The sebaceous glands are the culprit. Dogs, like other animals and humans, secrete an oily lubricant (sebum) through their sebaceous glands, which keeps their skin supple and their coat (hair) shiny. The allergen in the secretion causes the allergic reaction and is present in dog's saliva and dander. As the dog ages and the skin dries, more sebum is produced and the scaly bits of dried skin are released, resulting in dander (or dandruff in humans). Be careful when buying a puppy because you might not have an immediate allergic reaction. Puppy's skin is supple and sebum isn't released so they have no dander, but you might eventually get an allergic reaction as they age and dander forms.

A FEW SUGGESTED BREEDS FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS:

Basenji

Shed little or no hair, have no doggy smell and they groom themselves like cats; however, they do not do well with non-canine pets. They are energetic and easily trainable.

Bichon Frise

Shed little or no hair but must be groomed once a month. They are affectionate, intelligent and independent. They love people and children and are easily trainable.

Chinese Crested

Shed little or no hair, have no doggy odor and are not prone to ticks or fleas. They are affectionate, lovable, energetic and easily trainable. They are not barkers.

Poodle

Shed little or no hair and are intelligent and easily trainable. They have a good temperament, but if untrained, they tend to bark a lot. Also, be careful with the mixed breeds.

Schnauzer

Shed little or no hair, are great house pets and love children. They will bark and make good watchdogs and mouse catchers.

Shih Tzu

Shed little or no hair and is alert and spunky. They make good watchdogs even though they are small.

Yorkshire Terrier

Shed little or no hair, but their temperament is that of the Terrier breed. They are good watchdogs but tend to be snappish if teased or surprised. They are easy to train, but a little stubborn.

Xoloitzcuintle

Hairles s breed sheds no hair and the coated breed sheds very little. They come in three sizes and are very intelligent and easily trainable.

COST:

It is difficult to find a price range for any of them without going to each breeder's site and requesting information, but suffice it to say that pure-bred dogs will cost you several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the breed. You can, however, check with the Humane Society and other dog adoption shelters because it is estimated that about forty percent of all dogs in those shelters are pure-bred dogs.

Resources:

www.consumerhea lthreviews.com
www.dogchannel.c om
www.dog-abc.com
www.dogs.abou t.com
www.angelfire.com
www.dogb reedinfo.com

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