Melbourne Rescue Groups. Looking For Hypo Allergenic Dog

[dogslife]

I have a friend in Melbourne who is looking for a rescue that is a hypo allergenic dog.

They are looking a medium to small dog.

They have a 4 year old boy who has just started Kindy.

They want a younger dog.

Any suggestions folks???

.

Edited January 31, 2016 by dogslife

[CHA]

Depends on how allergic he is but plenty of Maltese mixes looking for homes. The Maltese doesn't shed and is fine for my daughter's allergies.

[Willem]

...the reason for a hypo allergenic dog is less maintenance or health reasons?...if it is the latter, your friend might do more reading as there seems to be enough scientific evidence that a hypo allergenic dog won't cause less allergic reactions.

[dogslife]

The child has been diagnosed with mild allergies to dogs.

They still want him to enjoy having a dog and both parents are dog mad.

They finally are in a house where they can have a dog so they want to get a dog that will have the least impact on the child's allergies.

They are a great family.

[Willem]

it seems to be a myth that so called hypo allergenic dogs (dogs with no or little shedding) won't trigger allergic reactions as the allergens are the proteins in saliva and dander and spread by any breed...some internet search will show enough reading about this myth.

Therefore to minimize the risk of allergic reactions a comprehensive maintenance regime (house cleaning, bathing the dog...) and the size of the dog it much more important.

the good: ...more options for your friend as she/he is not limited to so called hypo allergenic breeds;

[dogslife]

it seems to be a myth that so called hypo allergenic dogs (dogs with no or little shedding) won't trigger allergic reactions as the allergens are the proteins in saliva and dander and spread by any breed...some internet search will show enough reading about this myth.

Therefore to minimize the risk of allergic reactions a comprehensive maintenance regime (house cleaning, bathing the dog...) and the size of the dog it much more important.

the good: ...more options for your friend as she/he is not limited to so called hypo allergenic breeds;

Thanks Willem.

I am going to let them work it out. The mother has been told that hypo allergenic dogs are what she should be looking for by the family Dr.

Although I could point her in the right direction regarding dogs and allergies, I am just happy that they are willing to buy a rescue rather than a dog from a pet shop.

I am just wanting to point her to any reputable rescue in Melb that may have dogs that she will love.

.

[BarbedWire]

Willem you are partly right. There is no such dog as a hypoallergenic dog because it is the dander that causes the allergic response and all dogs have dander but some dogs have less dander than others so some breeds are more recommended for people with allergies. See my bolded parts in quote.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pet-allergy/expert-answers/hypoallergenic-dog-breeds/faq-20058425

Are there any hypoallergenic dog breeds?

Answers from James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D.

There's no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog breed, although some individual dogs may cause fewer allergy symptoms than others.

Many people think that pet allergies are caused by a dog's or cat's fur, but the real source of pet allergies is often a protein that's in the saliva and urine of dogs and cats. This protein sticks to the dead, dried flakes (dander) from your pet's skin.

Some dog breeds are marketed as hypoallergenic because they don't shed fur or they shed very little. Because these dogs don't shed, the allergy-causing dander that sticks to their fur doesn't get released into the air or onto the floor as much as with a shedding dog. But while you may have less dog hair with a nonshedding dog, no dog breed is hypoallergenic.

If you're allergic to dogs, but still want to have one, consider the following tips to reduce your allergy symptoms:

Choose a smaller dog, which will shed less dander than will a larger dog.

Keep your pet out of your bedroom and other rooms in which you spend a lot of time.

Keep your pet outside, if weather permits.

Bathe your pet weekly to remove dander from its coat.

Choose carpet-free flooring, or shampoo your carpet regularly.

Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifier and vent filters to help reduce airborne pet allergens.

With

James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D.

Edited February 1, 2016 by sarspididious

[BarbedWire]

dogslife not sure if these pages still work.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/227321557364076/

http://goldendoodles-australia.com/rescue.html

Edited February 1, 2016 by sarspididious

[Willem]

it seems to be a myth that so called hypo allergenic dogs (dogs with no or little shedding) won't trigger allergic reactions as the allergens are the proteins in saliva and dander and spread by any breed...some internet search will show enough reading about this myth.

Therefore to minimize the risk of allergic reactions a comprehensive maintenance regime (house cleaning, bathing the dog...) and the size of the dog it much more important.

the good: ...more options for your friend as she/he is not limited to so called hypo allergenic breeds;

Thanks Willem.

I am going to let them work it out. The mother has been told that hypo allergenic dogs are what she should be looking for by the family Dr.

Although I could point her in the right direction regarding dogs and allergies, I am just happy that they are willing to buy a rescue rather than a dog from a pet shop.

I am just wanting to point her to any reputable rescue in Melb that may have dogs that she will love.

.

there are also studies confirming that growing up with pets actually helps in regards to allergies - there is also a psychological component that triggers allergy attacks and there is enough evidence that having a dog as a companion can have actually a huge positive impact. All the best with the future companion - the pounds are full of beautiful dogs waiting for a good home!

[mita]

If you're allergic to dogs, but still want to have one, consider the following tips to reduce your allergy symptoms:

Choose a smaller dog, [t will shed less dander than will a larger dog.

Keep your pet out of your bedroom and other rooms in which you spend a lot of time.

Keep your pet outside, if weather permits.

Bathe your pet weekly to remove dander from its coat.

Choose carpet-free flooring, or shampoo your carpet regularly.

Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifier and vent filters to help reduce airborne pet allergens.

James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D

That list first qualified that, once someone (adult or child) has already shown allergic reactions to dogs, they can only at best try to reduce (not eradicate) the allergy symptoms.

Dogs get returned to rescues .... or put into rescues/shelters in the first place... because someone with a known allergy finishes up in that position & it becomes untenable.

My own opinion (& I'm not speaking for all rescuers) is that I woudn't put a rescue

dog into that situation, where risk of 'bounce' is increased.

On 2 other tips, my position is also strong 'Choose smaller dog' and 'Keep your pet outside'. Many of the small breeds are strongly inclined to live a fair amount of their lives, inside. Again, my own opinion (& not speaking for all), I wouldn't be recommending a rescue from my own breed of interest to be adopted into such a context.

Re the OP's contacts who are looking .... so long as they disclose details relating to the fact there's already a known allergy & how will the dog be accommodated and cared for. It's then up to individual rescues to make their own call.

Edited February 1, 2016 by mita

[dogslife]

If you're allergic to dogs, but still want to have one, consider the following tips to reduce your allergy symptoms:

Choose a smaller dog, [t will shed less dander than will a larger dog.

Keep your pet out of your bedroom and other rooms in which you spend a lot of time.

Keep your pet outside, if weather permits.

Bathe your pet weekly to remove dander from its coat.

Choose carpet-free flooring, or shampoo your carpet regularly.

Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifier and vent filters to help reduce airborne pet allergens.

James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D

That list first qualified that, once someone (adult or child) has already shown allergic reactions to dogs, they can only at best try to reduce (not eradicate) the allergy symptoms.

Dogs get returned to rescues .... or put into rescues/shelters in the first place... because someone with a known allergy finishes up in that position & it becomes untenable.

My own opinion (& I'm not speaking for all rescuers) is that I woudn't put a rescue

dog into that situation, where risk of 'bounce' is increased.

On 2 other tips, my position is also strong 'Choose smaller dog' and 'Keep your pet outside'. Many of the small breeds are strongly inclined to live a fair amount of their lives, inside. Again, my own opinion (& not speaking for all), I wouldn't be recommending a rescue from my own breed of interest to be adopted into such a context.

Re the OP's contacts who are looking .... so long as they disclose details relating to the fact there's already a known allergy & how will the dog be accommodated and cared for. It's then up to individual rescues to make their own call.

They have a sister who is willing to take the dog if its a total disaster so the dog will remain within the family no matter what.

I believe that the dog will be inside but not allowed in the childs bedroom. I think its worth a shot.

[RuralPug]

In this instance, make sure that any rescue they are thinking of adopting from has a two-week (minimum) refund and return policy. Two weeks should give a viable testing period, I know that some allergies get slowly worse with exposure but that seems to be covered with the sister being back-up owner.

Avoid pounds, shelters and any rescue that only offers a couple of days or no trial, the sister will not be able to take on an unlimited number of failed candidates LOL.

The child might be fine with one dog, but not another, especially since most of the low-shedding heavily coated breeds are not all the common in rescue although heaps of their crosses are.... the crosses are not necessarily low shedding of course.

They will have more likelihood of getting a purebred poodle, bichon or maltese through rescue if they are willing to take on a senior.

It sounds like their mind is made up, but I can't help stating my opinion that some doctors are less than informed, if it is an allergy specialist that has made the recommendation then fair enough. Personally I think in many cases children will grow out of atopic allergies, especially with mild exposure.

[perrin]

One of my children has animal allergies and sees an allergist specialist and it is possible to make it work. You just need to be committed.

We succesfully live with both an indoor cat and a Dalmatian. Both shed like mad but we have floorboards and daily swiffering or vaccuming to pick the fur up means that for the most part we all live comfortably with minimal fuss and you do build up some immunity as you are in daily contact.

On bad days we have antihistamines.

[_PL_]

it seems to be a myth that so called hypo allergenic dogs (dogs with no or little shedding) won't trigger allergic reactions as the allergens are the proteins in saliva and dander and spread by any breed...some internet search will show enough reading about this myth.

Therefore to minimize the risk of allergic reactions a comprehensive maintenance regime (house cleaning, bathing the dog...) and the size of the dog it much more important.

the good: ...more options for your friend as she/he is not limited to so called hypo allergenic breeds;

Thanks Willem.

I am going to let them work it out. The mother has been told that hypo allergenic dogs are what she should be looking for by the family Dr.

Although I could point her in the right direction regarding dogs and allergies, I am just happy that they are willing to buy a rescue rather than a dog from a pet shop.

I am just wanting to point her to any reputable rescue in Melb that may have dogs that she will love.

re a Melbourne rescue. Rescued With love is still going strong rescuing 'lower shed' breeds like maltese but if the little kiddie hasn't had a scratch/prick test by a specialist it would really help rule out trial and error. Saving the dog bouncing out of an adoptive home. :)

I'm not allergic to dogs but Shar Pei give me a lasting rash and I know people who get the same contact allergy from foxies but no other short coats. Odd isn't it!

[Maddy]

it seems to be a myth that so called hypo allergenic dogs (dogs with no or little shedding) won't trigger allergic reactions as the allergens are the proteins in saliva and dander and spread by any breed...some internet search will show enough reading about this myth.

Therefore to minimize the risk of allergic reactions a comprehensive maintenance regime (house cleaning, bathing the dog...) and the size of the dog it much more important.

the good: ...more options for your friend as she/he is not limited to so called hypo allergenic breeds;

Thanks Willem.

I am going to let them work it out. The mother has been told that hypo allergenic dogs are what she should be looking for by the family Dr.

Although I could point her in the right direction regarding dogs and allergies, I am just happy that they are willing to buy a rescue rather than a dog from a pet shop.

I am just wanting to point her to any reputable rescue in Melb that may have dogs that she will love.

re a Melbourne rescue. Rescued With love is still going strong rescuing 'lower shed' breeds like maltese but if the little kiddie hasn't had a scratch/prick test by a specialist it would really help rule out trial and error. Saving the dog bouncing out of an adoptive home. :)

I'm not allergic to dogs but Shar Pei give me a lasting rash and I know people who get the same contact allergy from foxies but no other short coats. Odd isn't it!

I'm allergic to cats and dogs (cats being the worst, presumably because they get a lot of saliva on their fur from grooming) and have noticed the some individuals within a breed cause me a worse reaction than others. Idiot Dog, a 30kg greyhound who sleeps on my bed, doesn't bother my eyes or skin at all but a few of the foster hounds caused nasty red rashes/hives/insanely itchy eyes just from contact like patting them. And oddly enough, when the Shitty Whippet first arrived, I lived on Zyrtec and Naphcon for several months but now that we've had her for almost two years, I still get itchy eyes but not much else I assume in some cases, you can become less sensitive?

[Taliecat]

it seems to be a myth that so called hypo allergenic dogs (dogs with no or little shedding) won't trigger allergic reactions as the allergens are the proteins in saliva and dander and spread by any breed...some internet search will show enough reading about this myth.

Therefore to minimize the risk of allergic reactions a comprehensive maintenance regime (house cleaning, bathing the dog...) and the size of the dog it much more important.

the good: ...more options for your friend as she/he is not limited to so called hypo allergenic breeds;

Thanks Willem.

I am going to let them work it out. The mother has been told that hypo allergenic dogs are what she should be looking for by the family Dr.

Although I could point her in the right direction regarding dogs and allergies, I am just happy that they are willing to buy a rescue rather than a dog from a pet shop.

I am just wanting to point her to any reputable rescue in Melb that may have dogs that she will love.

re a Melbourne rescue. Rescued With love is still going strong rescuing 'lower shed' breeds like maltese but if the little kiddie hasn't had a scratch/prick test by a specialist it would really help rule out trial and error. Saving the dog bouncing out of an adoptive home. :)

I'm not allergic to dogs but Shar Pei give me a lasting rash and I know people who get the same contact allergy from foxies but no other short coats. Odd isn't it!

I'm dangerously allergic to some cats (can't breathe, it was only my cat out of a 3 cat household that gave that reaction. I still love cats I just can't touch them just in case), and mildly allergic to dogs (my hayfever only started getting bad when we got Dozer), it can really be a bit of a lucky dip and I definitely recommend a rescue where they can do a trial period.

I hope they find a pup that fits with their lifestyle and needs

[JayGee]

I am allergic to cats, dogs, horses, bees......I carry an epi pen. I'm also an asthmatic whose favourite drug is an antihistamine. My eyes close over with much dog cuddling and I can't breathe. But, being the fool that I am, I still pat dogs everywhere. I just can't touch my face until I scrub my hands. I get hives from dogs. BUT, interestingly, I knew a lady with a poodle many years ago, and never had an allergic reaction to that dog. It is the only time I could spend hours with a dog, and not have hives or reaching for the Ventolin. Now, I've only trialled this on one poodle! I own a doberman, she's a real snuggler. I just wash my hands a lot, vacuum regularly, change her crate bedding twice weekly, and we get by. Everyone's allergies and degree of reactions are going to be different. But, if it were me, I'd try out a poodle.

[westiemum]

If you're allergic to dogs, but still want to have one, consider the following tips to reduce your allergy symptoms:

Choose a smaller dog, [t will shed less dander than will a larger dog.

Keep your pet out of your bedroom and other rooms in which you spend a lot of time.

Keep your pet outside, if weather permits.

Bathe your pet weekly to remove dander from its coat.

Choose carpet-free flooring, or shampoo your carpet regularly.

Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) air purifier and vent filters to help reduce airborne pet allergens.

James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D

That list first qualified that, once someone (adult or child) has already shown allergic reactions to dogs, they can only at best try to reduce (not eradicate) the allergy symptoms.

Dogs get returned to rescues .... or put into rescues/shelters in the first place... because someone with a known allergy finishes up in that position & it becomes untenable.

My own opinion (& I'm not speaking for all rescuers) is that I woudn't put a rescue

dog into that situation, where risk of 'bounce' is increased.

On 2 other tips, my position is also strong 'Choose smaller dog' and 'Keep your pet outside'. Many of the small breeds are strongly inclined to live a fair amount of their lives, inside. Again, my own opinion (& not speaking for all), I wouldn't be recommending a rescue from my own breed of interest to be adopted into such a context.

Re the OP's contacts who are looking .... so long as they disclose details relating to the fact there's already a known allergy & how will the dog be accommodated and cared for. It's then up to individual rescues to make their own call.

Well Said Mita. Agreed - I wouldn't put a rescue dog into a situation like this - the risk of the placement failing is too high. I also would never let a rescue who is used to being part of a family inside into a spot where they are an 'outside' dog. We've gone too far down the companion animal/part of the family route IMO. So sorry - I don't mean to come on too strong - but there are too many lovely dogs out there who have needlessly ended up in pounds or worse because of a 'wrong call'. If this family is determined to have a dog, then play it safe and go for a purebred with a wool coat - i.e. go for a poodle and don't play the cross breed genetic lottery.

Edited February 13, 2016 by westiemum

[Purdie]

dogslife not sure if these pages still work.

https://www.facebook...27321557364076/

http://goldendoodles...com/rescue.html

I have developed an allergy to dogs over the years ;was not so when i was younger.

I have tested with a few breeds and the ones to steer clear of are the breeds with oily coats.The wire hair breeds are better but you need to bath the dog monthly and groom regularly and wash bedding frequently.

Steer clear of poodle crosses ,i have so far reacted to all the several ones i have met.

So far the best breed i can tolerate have been Miniature Schnauzers ; might be worth a look at. I have reacted to some poodles 'mostly males.

Male dogs often have a stronger body odor than females which like in my case can trigger allergic reactions.

You can also get a reaction to dogs saliva or urine.

Before you get a dog let the dog sleep on or wear T shirt for a few hours and then keep it nearby for a few days to see if there is a reaction.

There are lists of low allergenic dogs so look at some of them.

[Papillon Kisses]

I am allergic to cats, dogs, horses, bees......I carry an epi pen. I'm also an asthmatic whose favourite drug is an antihistamine. My eyes close over with much dog cuddling and I can't breathe. But, being the fool that I am, I still pat dogs everywhere. I just can't touch my face until I scrub my hands. I get hives from dogs. BUT, interestingly, I knew a lady with a poodle many years ago, and never had an allergic reaction to that dog. It is the only time I could spend hours with a dog, and not have hives or reaching for the Ventolin. Now, I've only trialled this on one poodle! I own a doberman, she's a real snuggler. I just wash my hands a lot, vacuum regularly, change her crate bedding twice weekly, and we get by. Everyone's allergies and degree of reactions are going to be different. But, if it were me, I'd try out a poodle.

Could you do immunotherapy for your dog allergy? It's been great for my grass and dust mite allergies, but they aren't so bad as to need an epi pen.