G asked:
I recently had a skin allergy test for a variety of allergens including dogs. I have never reacted to dogs, although I am allergic to cats. I was wondering how accurate the test is and whether anybody knows which breed of dog they use to test?
I am looking to buying a labradoodle. I have never previously reacted to either labradors, poodles, retrievers, pugs, collies, spaniels… dogs…!
NOT breed specific!!!
Those mutts w/LIES stuck on em are ***NOT*** “hypo-allergenic” =NO DOG IS!
If you’re worried then find a reputable labradoodle breeder and explain. You should be able to sell the dog back to the breeder if you are allergic. At the very least, they should be willing to board your dog until they find a new home, with you paying for the dog’s food, etc in the meantime, but with you getting the money when he is sold. However you should be fine. I have a friend who is allergic to dogs but he’s fine with his own dog, a short haired border collie, particularly as the house is kept clean, the dog is groomed regularly and sleeps outside in a run (dog, not owner).
if you are allergic to dogs, what makes you think you will be ok with a mutt?
you need to look for a purebred. either a poodle, bichon, maltese, chinese crested, or portie from a reputable breeder or rescue.
no reputable breeder would ever breed mutts.
With dog allergies, the biggest thing you need to know, are you allergic to DOGS, or dog HAIR?
With dog hair, find a non-shedding dog.
I realise i’m going to get flamed for mentioning labadoodles. Idiots on the forums act like experts when they have no experience, and just want to be negative.
Regardless of what you might hear, labradoodles are excellent dogs. My family has bred many litters, of which only two have had straight coats. Only one has had a health problem, which was fixed by simply making sure the dog was sterilised.
The thing is, you need to find a good breeder. There is no problem with a backyard breeder, so long as they are experienced and knowledgeable. I have seen and heard of more problems with so called “specialist labradoodle breeders” than I have with other people breeding their family pets.
The thing is, a lot of “designer dog” breeders ARE puppy mills, out simply to make money and fool people. With most breeds, buying from a breeder is good, but I have to say with specialist labradoodle breeders, groodle breeders, cavoodle etc, its usually bad.
Look through your paper. DONT buy over the internet. Don’t buy without seeing the dog. Get the dog vet checked YOURSELF, before you buy. If the breeder is dodgy, they may lie about the vet check. If the non-shedding is important, make sure you look at the pup’s coat. Don’t take the breeders word for it necessarily. If the dog has a straight coat, and looks like a Labrador, it WON’T grow curly. There are always throwbacks to the Labrador coat, but, especially with a labradoodle x labradoodle pup (rather than poodle x Labrador), you have more chance of getting a curly coated labradoodle. If the pup has a wavy coat, it will generally curl. The waves are easiest to see around the face, especially on the ears. No curls? Don’t take the chance. Non curly labradoodles are no different, but they look and shed like a Labrador. I can email you a picture of some of my now-curly labradoodle pups?
The thing is, there will always be faux-breeders out to make a buck.
These are the people that give a wonderful breed a bad name.
You must be ready to walk your dog. They are very large, energetic dogs. They need company, and either a big yard, or daily, walks. They eat a lot. Big dogs do.
Don’t buy a labradoodle if you’re wanting a perfect, housetrained ‘it-doesnt-shed-so-i-dont-have-to-look-after-it’ dog. They don’t exist. Dogs bark. Dogs dig. Don’t like it? Take some time and train them.
If you do, you will get a loving, loyal pet.
Also, if you’ve never had a reaction to a dog, you probably don’t NEED a labradoodle. I would still encourage them; they’re BEAUTIFUL dogs (in their own, sheep-looking way)