Pet dander is the reason for your allergies. Your allergy symptoms may vary from a sneeze and watery eyes to itchy and painful hives. But you are in luck! There are some types of dogs that will give you fewer allergic reactions or maybe none at all.

First of all, let’s be honest, there is no breed of dog that is 100 percent hypoallergenic. There are breeds that have what dog experts call “consistent and predictable coats” that tend to be more suitable for people with allergies. These breeds do not shed, so they create less skin dander, which is the main element in the dog’s hair that causes people to experience allergy symptoms.

Here are the 11 breeds of dogs that dog experts suggest “generally do well with people with allergies”:

- Bedlington Terrier

- Bichon Frise

- Chinese Crested

- Irish Water Spaniel

- Kerry Blue Terrier

- Maltese

- Poodles (toy, miniature, standard)

- Portuguese Water Dog

- Schnauzers (miniature, standard, giant)

- Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

- Xoloitzcuintli

When considering any of these breeds, it is important to avoid so-called “designer dogs” since these dogs are usually mixed breeds. It is best to pick pure breeds as their coats are more predictable. 

When doing a bit of research on this subject, however, it is easy to get confused by conflicting information. Many websites overstate claims of allergy-free breeds and some claim certain breeds to be allergy-friendly. As we said, there are no breeds that are completely allergy free. 

(Read also: 6 recommended places in Jakarta to spoil your dogs)

The list above was compiled by the American Kennel Club, a non-profit organization with the largest purebred dog registry. They created this list based on breeds with non-shedding coats, so they produce less dander; however, they all still produce dander and whether the dander is less allergenic from one breed to the next has not been proven in any studies.

Of course individual dogs may have more or less dander and be more allergenic, depending on their genes or other factors, but a dog’s breed is not necessarily a reliable indicator of how allergic a person may or may not be to any given dog.

Picking a breed

If you are a dog lover and have the worst allergies, you probably are wondering which breed is best for you. 

First, carefully consider what kind of dog might be best for your needs, which is what anyone should do, allergies or not. Every breed of dog has different behaviors and personality traits. After you have done some research and you know what breed may be best for you, try to prepare your living space as well as you can for the dog — try to avoid drapes, rugs, furniture with thick upholstery, or any extra carpet or fabric that might catch and trap dander. 

After choosing a dog, you should make sure to groom and clean your dog regularly. This will reduce the amount of dander around the house. This means more regular sweeping, vacuuming and so on.

One important step is to limit the areas where your dog is allowed to be — the family room or the basement, perhaps. If you have allergies, you should not allow the dog to be on your bed, or probably even in your bedroom, to be safe.

If you are aware that no breed of dog will be totally allergen-free and if you are willing to be little more diligent about dander, even those of us who suffer from allergies can enjoy some great canine companionship. (kes)

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