Barack Obama is currently on top of the world after winning a historic US presidential election. Everything he does is big news, whether in his official capacity as President-elect or personal. At his first press conference in Chicago a few hours ago, he mentioned that he promised his daughters a puppy after the election. However, his eldest, 10 year-old Malia, has allergies, so he is looking for a hypoallergenic dog. Immediately after this event, searches for the keywords 'hypoallergenic dogs', 'hypoallergenic dog breeds' and 'hypoallergenic cats' and other related keyword configurations flooded cyberspace. It seemed everyone wan interested in getting a hypoallergenic dog for themselves too, or at least curious about the existence of such pets.
What are hypoallergenic dogs (or cats)? Are the special hypoallergenic dog breeds for allergy sufferers out there? Or is there really such a thing? A few clicks on my keyboard provided the
answers I need.
According to Wikipedia, hypoallergenic dog breeds are "are breeds that, for various reasons, might produce fewer reactions in people who suffer from allergies". These, in particular, pertain to breeds that have no hair, or shed very little pet hair or don't shed at all. Included in the list of hypoallergenic dog breeds are the following:
Hypoallergenic Dogs / Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds
Airedale Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Barbet (dog), Basenji, Border Terrier, Bouvier des Flandres, Lagotto Romagnolo, Lhasa Apso, Samoyed (dog), Scottish Terrier
On the other hand, breeds that shed very little or none at all are the following:
Bedlington Terrier (Doesn't shed), Bergamasco (Doesn't shed), Bichon Frisé (Springy undercoat doesn't hold much hair or dander), Bolognese (Doesn't shed), Cairn Terrier (Sheds little to no hair), Chinese Crested (Has very little fur, doesn't shed much), Coton de Tulear (Doesn't shed), Dandie Dinmont Terrier (Doesn't shed), Fox Terrier (Wire) (Sheds little to no hair), Greyhound (Short hair, single coat), Goldendoodle (Doesn't shed), Havanese (Doesn't shed), Irish Water Spaniel (Doesn't shed), Kerry Blue Terrier (Single-coated, short hair, sheds less), Maltese (Doesn't shed), Peruvian Inca Orchid (No hair), Poodles of all sizes and Poodle hybrids (Single coat, sheds less), Portuguese Water Dog (Doesn't shed), Puli (Doesn't shed), Schnauzers of all sizes (Short hair, sheds less), Shih Tzu (Doesn't shed), Silky Terrier (Sheds the same amount of hair as a human), Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (Doesn't shed), West Highland White Terrier (Sheds little to no hair), Yorkshire Terrier (Hair has same pH as human hair)
But if the Obama household is looking for a totally allergy-free puppy for their daughters, there isn't one. By "hypoallergenic" it means breeds that result in a "reduced allergic reaction" among allergy sufferers, thus a smaller likelihood of causing allergy symptoms. According to Wikipedia, "There is no such thing as a truly non-allergenic or hypoallergenic dog. Dogs (and cats for that matter) produce allergenic proteins that can be found in their dander and saliva, regardless of their breed or the length and color of their hair, or lack thereof. Some may produce more, or less, allergens than others simply because of their individual nature. Allergen immunotherapy may be an option for those who wish to be desensitized to such allergens." Malia may just have to settle for a low-allergy dog then.
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