Best Small Dog for Allergies?

A poodle is supposed to be good. We have a toy poodle and he's a dream as far as no hair/dander issue.

However... Please do not get a dog or any pet unless you are ready to commit to that pet's lifetime which could mean 10-20+ Years. Pets are not toys that you just enjoy for a while and throw away when they are inconvenient.

Pets ARE needy and DO need attention, care, exercise, money spent on grooming and vet bills.

If you want a not so needy pet, you might think about a cat since some are more independent. However my daughter's cat is virtually a cat/dog and very needy. She's over the hill happy with her cat she rescued.

my niece is horribly allergic to dogs, but has a bichon frise that doesn't faze her a bit. he's very smart and easy to train, but a small yappy dog and most of them are pretty needy.
khairete
S.

Doesn't sound like your family would be a good fit for any dog. They are all needy (love, food, companionship, etc.) and training depends on the dog not necessarily the breed.

You should consider another option since your husband and child are allergic, it would not be fair or kind to anyone to get a pet then have to find it another home.

I'm not trying to be mean just looking at the facts.

My allergist said there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog although most people I know claim to have one:). Sorry but I have never met a dog I didn't react to. Why in the world would you put your son and husband through this. Allergies can be very serious. I have had allergy induced asthma. Get fish.

If you have a very allergic kid, why would you even consider buying a dog? Allergies to dogs may seem like a nuisance, but if part of everyday life, allergies can lead to asthma and other health concerns.

I can't, for the life of me, understand why anyone who is allergic to cats or dogs would have one in their home. It makes zero sense. And to think a parent would endanger her child's health is unreal.

There is no such thing as an anti-allergen dog. Ask any allergist. In fact, I'd suggest that before making a purchase you go and see your allergist and get his/her opinion.

Further more, you will not know if your kid is not sensitive, a little sensitive or highly sensitive to the dog for a few months - once all the allergens really take over your home. Then what do you do with the dog?

I'd really think about this decision.

My very allergic relative found that he can have a Bichon Frise.

I would recommend going and playing with one for a few hours, and monitoring to see if you have a reaction in the next 24 hours. If not, you will probably be ok. That is what my relative did.

As for not too needy - well, it's a dog. Most dogs are needy. They are pack animals, and they want to be with their pack - which is you. If you want a pet that's not needy, try a cat?

We have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. A friend of ours asked us to bring the dog to her house so she could meet it (she has horrible allergies, and can't come to our house because we have cats). She had no allergic reaction at all to our dog; not sure if that was a one-off, or if these dogs are not allergy-provoking. They are single-coated, and have a silky coat. (You may want to visit a breeder with your allergic child and see if there's any reaction, before committing to a certain breed.) I can say with certainty that this is the best dog we have ever owned. He's happy, sweet, cuddly, eager to please us, and loooooooves kids, dogs, and cats of all kinds. He would make a terrible watchdog, because he just gets ecstatic when he sees ANYONE at the front door - the mailman, Jehovah's Witnesses, whomever. On the bright side, though, Cavaliers are one of the ONLY toy breeds that are not yappy. He really only barks when he perceives a threat (which, as I said, is pretty much never, because he is pretty sure everyone was put on earth specifically to love him).

As far as house training (and all other kinds of training), Cavaliers are quite easy to train. They're smart, but not so smart that they're willful and easily bored - they're eager to please, and for most of the tricks he learned, our puppy picked them up after just a few tries. The only thing I would say, though, is that all toy breeds have been specifically bred to be lap dogs. As such, they are going to want to be around you, or they will be unhappy. Our dog really wants just to be near us. We don't have to be interacting with him the whole time, but he just wants to be in the room with us, or at least be able to see us. I don't know of any toy breed that would be truly happy being left alone all day every day. (I'm not saying that's what you would do, but I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "not too needy.")

Dogs that have hair. Not fur.
ie: Poodles, Airedale, Bedlington Terrier, etc.

Or, those hybrid dogs like labradoodles etc.

But your kid and Husband, with any dog you choose, they should be right there by that dog, to make sure they are not allergic to it.

Neediness or house training will vary per individual dog.
They are not all the same regardless of breed.
Dogs need attention. They need interaction. They need socialization. They need to have someone around.

There really isn't such a thing. It all depends on the dog and the person. As you can see from the answers below, there can be many different answers to your question.

My worry is that you are looking for a dog that isn't needy. ALL dogs are needy. They are like toddlers for life really, and you need to take them to training, be consistent with them, take them to regular veterinary check-ups, feed them quality food, walk them and exercise them daily and be prepared for problems. Also, the breed of dog doesn't matter as far as house training goes. Some are easy and some aren't. Some will train, and then have problems forever. Others will not.

I don't think you are up for the dog challenge, honestly. Maybe try a guinea pig.

I have the perfect dog for you - a goldfish ;))) Just kidding. Love Maltese breed. They are so sweet and quiet. Despite the long hair, very allergenic and they do not shed.

Shih- tzus have hair, not fur, and therefore lack the dander that is what cause most people to have an allergic reaction. They are also quite smart and if you keep their hair trimmed short (and kind of punky looking) instead of long like the show dogs they are very low maintenance.

Also a havanese (which sort of looks like a larger shih-tzu) is also a great dog that is lower allergy reactive.

My in-laws own two Maltese because they have issues with allergies. They rule the house though. This may be due to how they were raised vs breed though:-). They are only about 10 lbs each.

I have dogs. Even though they don't shed...There is always dander.

My first dog was as needy as could be, hyper and crazy. When she turned 2, she mellowed out soooo much.

My second dog was quiet when we got her. She is noisy, energetic and barks all the time.

All dogs are VERY NEEDY. I only feed them organic food. I have to walk them on a leash every day. Most nights one wakes up bet 4 and 5 am to go out to the bathroom.

A coyote just killed a friend's cat yesterday. So, I have to watch my dogs like hawks when they are outside. Plus, ticks are in New England. I have to get my yard sprayed organically for ticks.

I would visit somebody w/ a non-shedding dog and stay there for several hours. I, myself, cannot be in a room w/ cats...ever. I love cats, but, I can't have one.

In my house, my dogs are my kids and they get a lot of attention. One goes out at 5am, the second one goes out at 6 am. I have to give them breakfast, fresh water, playtime, walks on the leashes, brush their teeth, brush their fur, have them groomed, have vet visits and they throw up sometimes. It takes months to train a dog, too.

My small dog just had surgery. It was a lonnnng two weeks. I never expected it. Thank goodness it went well. Although she has an allergic reaction to the food she had to be on for 2 weeks. We were back at the vet.

IT IS TIME CONSUMING !

We had a poodle growing up, when my sister was allergic to most other dogs. He was technically a toy, but oversized. Very smart and good with kids. I would put your name on a list at the shelter or contact a breed rescue to find one that is house trained and whose personality fits your family. Also, if they are still allergic to a poodle, the meet and greet part of an adoption can determine that.

German Schnauzer (or schnauzer/ poodle mix) or Portuguese Waterdog.

I am up with my dog right now. She has a tummy ache from getting into the trash. Does are just has needy and costly as human children. I would suggest not getting a dog right now. It sounds like you have a busy life and not enough time to add a fuzzy family member. Dogs are for life, you can not just send them away if you human kids ends up being allergic to him. You will have to vaccine twice a day and give the dog bath at least once a week or more if you human child is sneezing. If you do not plan on spending time with the dog, or you plan to keep it outside then please do not adopt one. If you are willing to stay up all night when it feels sick or spend hundreds of dollars if needed at the vet, they you can consider adding one to the family.

My 12 y/o son has allergies and a touch of asthma, just mostly when he runs in sports a lot, not too severe, his allergies occur mostly late spring, summer and early winter, but when they do occur, he gets bronchitis a lot. They told us when he was maybe 5 or 6 that he might have a slight allergy to dogs. But since then we've got 2 Boston Terriers. He hasn't seemed to have any real issues with them, maybe a lil itchy from the dander, but we keep them bathed often. So, no real problems, just fun and love from his doggies that he adores. Oh, and they also sleep with him fairly often, and it's never really been an issue. They are just playful, not needy, just for love really, they are the sweetest things. And it was very fast and simple to house train. Hope it helps! Good Luck!

Goldendoodles are supposed to be hypoallergenic and not shed at all, they are also a small to medium sized dog when full grown.