Articles and Info
We will be adding info and migrating shortly. Please check back for updates.
We will shortly have links to general information for new puppy owners from crate introductions and potty training to socialization and basic obedience.
Issues and Adult Dogs
We will be providing links to articles for special topics that deal with a variety of dog training and problem areas.
Hypo Allergenic Dogs – Myth and Facts
First, let’s carefully look at the word “hypoallergenic” as it is vastly misunderstood. It does NOT mean allergy free. It means low allergy (hypo = low; hypoallergenic = “relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction” per Dictionary.com). If you have severe allergies, be aware and take things slowly and appropriately.
Now let’s look at some specific claims. X breed does not shed. Absolutely false. ALL animals with hair or fur shed. Some shed less (maybe way less!). Undercoats shed a lot, so consider a German Shepherd which shed a lot daily. Dogs without undercoats shed much less. People shed (check your hairbrush). Brush any dog – you will find hairs in the brush. That’s because old hairs fall out and new ones are replaced. Additionally, hair alone is not necessarily the source of the allergy. If all allergies were down to an issue of shedding, all hairless breeds would be fine and yet many are quite allergic to them.
Dander. X dog does not produce dander. Ridiculous. Dander is shed skin cells. Can you really think of any animal that does not shed skin cells? Skin is constantly being replaced. Are rates of shedding variable? Of course. But in this mix is perhaps one of the key areas of why a breed creates more allergens or less. What covers those skin cells? Saliva from self-grooming and oils from the skin. Like all animals, those may vary tremendously. Does a dog that sheds less probably have less of these on the hair and thus in the environment. Probably.
Variation between breeds and within breeds – this is real and matters. A person may have an extreme reaction to breed X and be fine with breed Y. Why? Maybe for the same reasons that a person can be very allergic to one flower and tolerate another just fine. Allergies are highly variable and unique to each person. Similarly, a person may be ok with Sue’s puppy, and try to get the same breed and not do so well. Pay attention the parents of the puppy or spend time with an older dog to be sure your allergies are not triggered.
Lastly, be sensitive to other aspects of a dog’s odour. Some people react terrible to dog poop if the dog has an accident or during housebreaking but are otherwise ok.
