It’s a problem that occurs often. You get a new pup you’re totally in love with and then somewhere down the line you find out from your doctor that you are allergic. If you are more worried about what to do about your golden retriever’s allergies, sit tight. I’ll be writing on that soon.
One thing that most people seem to do in a crisis like this is buy a “hypoallergenic dog”. Now, obviously this wouldn’t be a golden retriever, but I wanted to address this anyway. Truth is, there is no set group. There is no group of dog one can point to and say “these are hypoallergenic”. People have differing levels of allergy and allergies to different things. It can be hair, dander, or even saliva. The only way for an individual to be certain that they are not allergic to a particular breed is to spend some time with certain breeds and see how they react to the dog. Keep in mind that for virtually any breed of dog, there is a person who is allergic to it.
There are certain breeds that are often recognized to stand a good chance of being hypoallergenic. These include:
• small dogs
• extremely short or no hair
• “human like” hair
• dogs with non-shedding hair
Small dogs are probably “hypoallergenic” because there is less of them to shed or otherwise distribute allergens
Dogs with little or no hair may be good candidates for some, because the amount of hair shed is so much less. Breeds in this category include: whippets, Mexican Hairless, Chinese Crested, Boxers, greyhounds, Basenjis, shorthaired Chihuahuas, etc. However, for some sufferers, they exacerbate the problem, because the dandruff and saliva is more accessible.
Breeds with “human like” hair usually have long silky hair that sheds minimally. Many people seem to have limited reactions to this type of coat. Breeds falling into this category include Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Bichon Frise, Havanese, Silky and Skye Terriers.
Canines with nonshedding coats are the most commonly recommended breeds for allergy sufferers. However, it is important to note that there are some people who can’t tolerate these dogs either. When a dog’s coat does not shed, there are less allergens released in the air. This is provided that the coat is kept clean and clipped. Breeds that do not shed include all three sizes of Poodles, the Komondor, and the Puli.
Golden Puppy
Picture taken from: http://dogs.petbreeds.com/
Puppies often have different coats than dogs do, it’s important to check that you are not allergic to either puppies or adults of the breeds you are considering. For example, puppy Standard Schnauzers may trigger allergies while adults often do not. Conversely, Golden Retriever puppies may not trigger attacks whereas an adult probably will.
Balance your allergy needs against the kind of dog you want. If you are a retriever lover, you may not be happy with any of the terriers, even if the terriers are what you are not allergic too.
From what I can gather here, if you own a golden retriever, and you’re allergic to it, you should probably get on some kind of medication. Of course, that is if you’re extremely dedicated to the golden retriever breed. Since this is running a bit long, I’ll have tips on how to deal with the allergies in another article.
