In a word, No. But some dogs have hair while others have fur. The dog whose hair grows, like poodles, needs to have haircuts, like humans, because they don’t shed.

All dogs produce dander, the dead skin cells that topple off a dog, and some people are allergic to a dog’s saliva so no dog is completely non-allergenic.

Some dogs are much better for the allergy-prone than others, and I will list several later, but first you must decide if you want to commit to owning a dog around an allergy-sufferer.

We’ve always had dogs. We owned dogs before the kids came into our lives. Our one son, who seemed to have the most severe allergy problems, went for allergy testing.

The doctor drew a grid on his benefit and pricked the skin with the possible allergens. Our boy was allergic to 55 out of 80 test items.

I tearfully asked the allergist if we had to get rid of the dogs, since we obviously couldn’t get rid of the child. This is a real heart-breaker for a family, including the allergic child.

The doctor gave us a firm, “No.” He explained that our son was sensitive to grasses, molds, some types of trees, pollens, etc. He could be expected to have flare-ups when the total number of allergens overwhelmed his system. The dog would add to the number and could set him over the edge at times, but, at those times, other known allergens could possibly be better controlled.

Certain times of the year were really bad and the allergens were not avoidable so R. underwent “allergy shots” for 3 years. The shots were to desensitize him to the offending items so he could have a more normal life. The immunization process worked, to a large extent. R. even worked at a nursery one summer, but I wouldn’t recommend anyone “take chances.” If sufferers know they are allergic to something, they should avoid it.

We got to retain our dogs. We had one dachshund and 2 poodles. Most of the time, R. was OK. When he had flare-ups with the sneezing, drippy nose and itchy, watery eyes, he could usually get through a bad period on simple OTC antihistamines.

He tried to avoid an allergy overload: we vacuumed his bedroom carpet an dbook shelves frequently; we dusted throughout the house frequently with wet cloths; he avoided moldy and dusty places; he wore a screen when mowing the lawn; etc.

The dogs also collect allergens — grass, pollen, yard debris — on their hair and fur from outdoors. We washed and brushed them frequently. A side note: some dogs will tolerate being vacuumed with a soft brush on low power, but ours never did.

Dogs can also bring in poison ivy on their coats and sensitive people have allergic reactions to the plant’s secretions. We wiped them down with damp cloths if we thought they had gotten into yard weeds.

Unless your child is highly sensitive, to the point of being hospitalized with an allergy or asthma attack, I mediate dog ownership is one of the most important parts of growing up.

We believe every child should experience the companionship of dogs, the loyalty, the good-naturedness, the unconditional care for. The responsibility of caring for a living creature that depends on you for its food and water, vet visits and baths, teaches any child extraordinary life lessons.

We looked into using air purifiers. Most of them are ineffective, according to the December 2007 Consumer Reports. We had three electrostatic precipitators, and Consumer’s said they were not only ineffective, but they produced unsafe levels of ozone, which “may worsen asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections.” CR also said, “there is little definitive medical evidence that purifiers help relieve respiratory symptoms. Some may pose a threat even to healthy users.”

For those who insist on using air filtration systems, like us, CR recommends whole-house systems for those with forced-air heat. But for filtering out pollen, smoke and dust, which was important to us, CR recommended the Whirpool Whispure, the Kenmore Progressive, and the Hunter Permalife “filter purifiers,” all costing a little less than $300. (The annual filters cost $130, $145, and $44, respectively.)

These exhaust HEPA (high-efficiency particulite air) filters. Check out such items before you make a major investment.

If you are thinking of getting a dog and you have a child with allergies, try visiting with a dog you like for an hour or so at someone else’s home. Or ask to “borrow” the dog for a day and take it home.

The non-shedding breeds are often safer than furred ones. I found a list of 28, which rather surprised me, but many of them are not recommended as being suitable with children.

In infamous indexing non-shedding dogs with dogs that are good with kids, the list is much shorter. In fact, they list dogs I’ve never heard of so you might have to research them to find a good choice. (I’m cross- indexing 12 breeds from www.gopetsamerica.com.)

1. Begamasco: has a gentle nature and make suitable pets.
2. Bichon Frise: quite small; gentle; affectionate. Obviously this is not a pet for rough housing with.
3. Bolognese: listed as great with kids but can be “mouthy” so early obedience training is recommended.
4. Chinese Crested: better for children over 5, at least.
5. Coton De Tulear: ecstatic and gentle.
6. Dandie Didmonts can be obliging if they’re socialized early with children.
7. Poodles, especially the standards and giants, make affectionate pets.
8. Toy poodles “are usually tolerant of children if socialized with them early.” Maybe ours were not socialized early enough, but I was never comfortable with any of the 4 minis that we owned to trust them around young children, especially strangers.
9. Pumis are good with well-mannered children.
10. Shih Tzus are “trusting” towards everyone and love children.
11. Soft-coated wheatens are playful; huge family dogs.
12. Standard Schnauzers are “good-natured and have a positive outlook on life.”

Of course, many of the poodle-mixes will be non-shedders, but not all will be suitable with children. It all depends on what they’re mixed with.

Think it over and make a wise decision. If you would have to get rid of the dog, do you have a family member who could offer a possible back-up home? It is very difficult to give up a family pet, but if the kids could still visit once in a while, it could soften the blow of a relationship that didn’t work out.

Millions of dogs are euthanized annually for lack of good homes. I did dog rescue for 4 years and know the desperate need for good homes. Speaking as a archaic rescuer and dog lover, please spay/neuter your pets and avoid creating any more unwanted animals.

If you choose to give a dog a suitable home, choose thoughtfully and have a backup plan in mind.

Sources:
Www.gopetsamerica.com. Dogs that are profitable with children; non-shedding breeds.
Consumer Reports, “Air Purifiers: Filtering the Claims,” December 2007, published by Consumers Union, Yonkers, NY.

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