Dog, Allergies & Looking for a Breeder.

L.,

Most dogs that are hypo-allergenic need to be groomed.. ie. Poodle. My Brother in law (12) is allergic to the world and has had no problem with the poodle. There are many other types of dogs that are "hypo-allergenic" as well.

I am also allergic to cats and dogs. I was told that Wheaton Terriers were hypo-allergenic, but when I petted one, my allergies flared up horribly! So, I would test the waters before committing.

My neighbor was told that Yorkies are good for those that have allergies. She found a breeder in Hampshire and will be picking up a female today. This lady has papers for the pups and they have gotten their first two shots. She has two males left. The female was $750. I assume the males would be cheaper.

There is short hair terrier rescue, you can get further info fromB.C. Dog Training, ###-###-####

I too am very allergic to cats. I also am slightly allergic to dogs. I had a black lab- at first I had a constant sniffle. However,after a while I stopped sniffeling. We are now looking into getting a golden lab to add to our family. I am hoping that if I do get the sniffles they will eventually go away like last time. I chose a lab because they are great with kids -for me that was very important in choosing a dog. ALthough I didn't research dogs that were good with kids and allergies. I don't know how bad your allergies are but I would talk to your doctor.

L.. Looking for 'hair' vs. 'fur' is wise. Spend some time at the breeder's to make sure you are ok. Why a Wheaton? Are you a strong 'pack leader'? Terriers are fun dogs, but require a firmer handler. Have you considered Shih Tzu? I am a former breeder, and families have loved Shih Tzu because they want to please their owners and are very loving. Only one potential owner had allergy problems after staying in my home (2 dogs & 5 puppies) for an hour playing with the dogs. AKC has breeders listed as well as the national organization of whatever breed you choose, so check online. Hope this helps. C.

Hi L.,

I don't have allergies or a dog, but my good friend's son has allergies and they recently got a Portuguese water dog with no problems whatsoever! She (the dog) is hypoallergenic and doesn't shed! That is the same dog the Obama's got. I will send you the breeder later today. She is gorgeous and very soft. I don't ever see ANY hair when I have been there.

I know it's not a terrier and maybe you had your heart set on one, but really look into these. Good luck and enjoy your new puppy!

We have two weims which are hypo allergenic. My husband and I are very allergic to cats and he is allergic to dogs. We have no problems with the dogs causing our allergies to flare up.

Hey there L.. I just wanted to let you know that I have a soft coated Wheaton and she is an amazing dog. I'd highly recommend one. I got her when my son was a year old and have had no problems with her at all. I did extensive research before I picked a breed. Wheatons are known for being great with kids, not to large, but large enough to withstand "kid play", they don't bark, bite, aren't aggressive, and she doesn't shed, drool, or snore (things my ex-husband required).They also can play and play but are not necesarily high energy dogs that require a ton of exercise.

They are jumpers (so fences must be high, I have invisible fence, it's ideal) and they are terriers so some may dig.

My Wheaton is amazing with all the neighborhood kids. She loves them and loves chasing them and playing with them. She's super smart and they all teach her tricks. Every time someone new meets her they ask all about her and I've had 2 people go and get Wheaton's after they meet her. Just a wonderful dog.

I hope that helps.

Hi L.
We have a Shihpoo he is a mix between a Shizhu and a poodle and is non shed, hypo-allergenic dog, we love him he has a very loving nature and is so good with our 14month son, we got him at dog patch in naperville, hope you do get a dog they are such a special part of the family

There's a great Wheaten breeder in Wisconsin. You must look for a breeder who shows their dogs, who does health testing, and who only has a litter or two a year.

You can check the Great Lakes all Terrier Association (GLATA) website for a SCWT breeder, or check the Waukesha Kennel Club website. They have a breeder's listing for all breeds.

They are great dogs! Good luck. remember, the breeder should be a member of some kind of dog club, should SHOW their dogs, and should do health testing. THey will also guarantee the dog in some way, usually for a couple of years, against health problems. Stay away from ads in the paper and from websites that list breeders, unless it's a kennel club's website. :)

There is also a great Wheaten rescue called, I think, S'Wheat rescue. You can try looking for that rescue or Wheatables rescue. :)

I have a 2 year old Soft Coated Wheaton terrior. The good thing is she does not shed so hair is not flying through the house but for the first year she was difficult to handle due to the extreme high energy of the breed. She is great with kids after she settles down but they are jumpers. The hair will get matted if the grooming is not kept up with brushing. My husband has asthma and we already had a golden retriever but wanted to give her a friend which is why we picked the breed. We did not want to bring any additional allergens into the house. My husbands asthma is no worse with an additional dog in the house. Not sure of that helps.

Hello,
I am a professional pet groomer in the Elgin area and see you already received a few good responses.
I am glad to hear that you are just not getting a dog and then dump it again when allergies hit you. Thanks for taking your time to look into all the details not to have another dog end up in a shelter cause the owner did not do their research.
For one you can go to www.breeders.net and it will tell you that the next SCWT breeder is in Addison.
On the other hand I totally agree with the other post not to buy from a breeder, but to rescue a dog. www. petfinder.com is a good start. There are over 283k dogs looking for a new home and 133 of them are SCWT's. There must be one for you among these.(I do give extra discounts to rescued/shelter dogs for grooming services, because it is very important to me to get these poor souls a real home!) I know people might disagree with me, but I wish breeders would just stop breeding for one year and that would help the shelters big time.
Secondly I just saw a few days ago that a person on Mamsource wanted to give their 5 months old Goldendoodle away. Look and size wise, hypo allergenic, etc. they are not to far from each other. Maybe you two can help each other out. I have many Goldendoodle customers and these dogs are all the sweatest in character.
Third, please inform yourself more on the allergy part.
It is not just the hair that can cause you reactions. Many allergies result from exposure to dog's dander, saliva, or natural oils rather than hair and Wheatens produce all of these.
Last but not least, please be aware that these kind of breeds do require more grooming than other dogs and that can become an expense you did not plan for.
Let me know, if I can be of any further help.

www.DoggyHasIt.com

hi L.,

I was told that dogs who do not shed are easier on allergies.

We have allergies and have had three non-shedding dogs that we have tolerated just fine. One is a Cockapoo (cocker spaniel mixed with poodle), he has the poodle's coat so he does not shed. Our other dog is a French Bulldog, his coat is very short and when he sheds it's barely anything, usually don't even see the hairs they are so small.

Our French Bulldog is definitely our favorite personality-wise he is just absolutely a sweetheart and gentle as can be. He also never barks - they are expensive but I can find the breeder's name we got him from if you are interested. (Martha Stewart has one).

Our Cockapoo is just a little more wild than I would like (they are known for needing a lot of walking/running as well as a LOT of attention and ours certainly matches all of that plus he barks at EVERYTHING).

Both dogs are just great with kids.

We also had a Yorkshire Terrier in the past - they also do not shed, but their hair just grows longer & longer until it's cut (like a poodle). We had a little female who was just a wonderful little dog - she also never barked. the males are known to be a little more aggressive than the females in the Yorkies. They are so small though that you really have to be careful with them around children, as kids can accidentally hurt the dog.

I'm no expert just sharing what others have told me and what I've read.

best of luck to you!

PS I've been a working Mom and a SAHM and being a SAHM is DEFINITELY more work - no question about it. ;-)

I have had 3 dogs over the past 10 years. All 3 have been written up as hypoallergenic. One was a poodle, one was a lhasa apsa and one was a mix of lhasa and poodle. I've been allergic to all 3 of them. I'm highly allergic to cats and tested positive to dogs also, so I thought the same thing at first - get a "hypoallergenic" dog and it will be fine. Problem is, there is truly no such thing as hypoallergenic. Most people are allergic to the dander and while the dogs with hair instead of fur don't spread the dander all over your house, they still have dander. When you pet the dog, if you don't wash your hands right away, then you're spreading the dander. I still have our lhasa and our lhasapoo. Unfortunately our poodle passed away. I love my dogs dearly, so I dealt with it by washing my hands often, not letting them kiss my face and just being careful. I got all 3 of mine at ADOPT - Animals Deserving of Proper Treatment in Naperville. They were owner give ups with documentation to prove their breed. You can get a dog that doesn't shed at a shelter and it will cost you much much less and you'll be saving a life. There are so many people having to give up their pets in this economy that you can find these types of dogs in shelters now. Check out www.petfinder.com or www.adoptpetshelter.org or www.fvawl.org. Good luck!!

Additionally - there will be a fundraiser and adoption event held in Oswego on June 3rd. Here's a link to info. http://bit.ly/pGumV There will be various breed rescues and shelters at the event with dogs available to adopt, so you can meet them and see what the dogs are like. Greater Chicago Cavalier Rescue will be there and they are wonderful little dogs that don't shed much, are good with kids and just have great little personalities. Check it out.

you can check out minuature schnauzers. They don't shed, but they are yappers... especially if you have 2 of them. I'd also stay away from Pet stores and go with someone who breeds them. But, to fine a good one, you should aways get to see parents of the pup (at least the mommy). If they are caged in the back yard somewhere, run away.

On average we bathe our schnauzer every 2 weeks and during from April - October, we get him groomed (a cost of about $40.00 each time). You can learn to groom them yourself to save the money, but if you are anything like me, you'll find it easier to just pay someone else to groom him/her. Oh yeah, and you'll also have to learn to trim thier nails during the winter months when not getting groomed on a regular basis.

Dogs that don't shed are a bit more maintanence, but I'd prefer a non-shedding dog over a dog that sheds anyday.

If you get them groomed short, you don't have to worry about brushing out their legs and beards.

I can't help with a Wheaton specifically, as I have no experience with them. I am highly allergic to cats, and test mildly allergic to dogs. I know within minutes of being in someone's home if they have cats, but I've never had any issues around dogs. I have two, and sleep with them. They do not cause anywhere near the same level of reaction as cats! I have done series of allergy shots twice in my life and found that I do get relief from them (noticeably so with cats), but after stopping the shots, I get bad again. So, you may need to stay on a maintenance dose. I have had no problems with the shots and would do them again if needed. I generally don't find the medicate year-round, but when I do, that's when I head in for shots again!

Keeping up on grooming your dog and washing your linens/any fabrics they are in contact with will help keep your allergies in check too.

If you decide to buy a puppy from a breeder, please make sure you look for a responsible breeder. They should have a code of ethics, be breeding for the betterment of the breed, not for $. When I selected a breeder it was important to me that they have a sense of responsibility for every dog they produce. Our breeder has a health guarantee, and a policy that if we at any time couldn't keep the dog, it must be returned to her, not sent to a rescue or shelter. One of our dogs has some serious health issues and our breeder offered to refund the money and/or take the dog back (3 yrs old by the time we knew the extent of the problems). I refused, because my ethics mean that I don't bring an animal into my home that I'm not fully responsible for. However, I appreciate her feelings and I know that the last thing she wants is to be contributing to overpopulation problems. People who breed their dog to have cute puppies or try to make back some of the cost of their puppy are the ones producing dogs who end up in shelters. Don't encourage them.

RESCUE!! Please go to www.PETFINDER.COM first, to seek a rescued Wheaton Terrier, or many of the other less-allergenic breeds. There is no such things as a "hypo-allergenic" dog, just those that shed less, therefore less hair & dander to trigger an allergic reaction. You will still need to bathe the dog frequently & keep it groomed as well as vaccuum, etc. which you need to be committed to before getting a dog, so it doesn't end up homeless if it doesn't work out with your allergies. It is a shame in this day & age of dogs being put down in shelters across the country to seek a breeder, most of whom have dogs bred in deplorable conditions, sending you sick animals who end up back at shelters! At Petfinder.com, you can search any pure-breed (including Wheaton Terrier) for all ages, including rescue groups dedicated to the breed with puppies seized from puppy mills, as well dogs across the country of all ages. Many are in foster care with rescue groups, where they know the temperament of the dogs to make a better fit into your family. As a mom to 3 young kids 5 & under & my 4th due in a month, with 3 rescue dogs, I know the bond rescued dogs form with you & your kids is like no other--they never forget you saved them & gave them a second chance! It's the BEST way to add a doggy member to your family, and you're saving a life (literally) instead of hurting by adding to the pocket book of abusive breeders & more dogs unwanted dogs ending up unwanted in shelters, (which is an amazing lesson to teach your kids, as well!). Petfinder.com can help you network to find the perfect dog for your family & can be a fun search for the whole family! For more info on puppy mills, you can go to www.stoppuppymills.org

Good luck, and I hope you'll at least give rescuing a try!

Once you do find a breeder please before bringing a member of the family home, putting yourself through taking medicines, shots that have negative effects on the body spend alot of time with the dogs. Don't promise to get one to your children until you are sure you can have these animals around you and not get sick. They would rather have a Mom around later in life that has a healthy body than have a memory that they had a dog. Also if if you got the dog and found out it was impossible to live with the reaction then you would break their hearts more.

For 10 years we had the most wonderful "softie" (Wheaton Terrier). His name was Nuzzle. He was without a doubt the best dog and smartest dog in the neighborhood. Keep them brushed so as not to knot and exercised and they'll give you more happiness than you could ever imagine. They kids loved him soo much they didn't have to fight to feed him; they just did it. This is a dog that needs room to run. They're a herding dog from Ireland and instinctly run...circles around the pool and yard with untiring effort.. If in the house with you or the kids, they are very protective; growl and scratch at window pane if strangers approach but wouldn't hurt a fly (not even the mailman). In fact my mailman bought a softie for his kids and still has it 11 years later. Go online thru trainers or owners to get the best information on where to get them from. We got ours thru a puppy palace type place on the northeast corner of Arlington Heights and Palatine Roads in a huge shopping center. Most people wouldn't agree to getting them there but 1 years ago it was still safe and they are a reputable business...all paperwork was proper. Anyway, now I have a Brussels Griffon (Westminsters winner of the "toy" catagory this year). He sheds and my grown daughter can't breath around him without taking medicine. She takes it because she loves him soo. He's a great per also. NO DOG IS COMPLETELY HYPOALLERGENIC. They pick up the things grownin in the yard or on walks etc. Take Benedril or Sudafed, whatever you need because a dog is truely mans best friend.

There is no such thing as a "hypo-allergenic" dog. You may be more or less allergic to certain breeds of dog, though. Many rescues allow a few weeks for you to return the animal if you determine you are allergic to it. If you decide to go to a breeder, I'd suggest finding out if they have a similar policy.

I know you said you're looking for a dog and are highly allergic to cats...I was in the same boat until I found out about a breed of cats that are very "dog-like" and are hypo-allergic (i.e., they titrate MUCH less dander than a typical house cat). The breed is Russian Siberian and they are the sweetest, most playful, fun pets ever. Mine acts just like a dog (I've had a Lhasa Apso) in that he greets us at the door, doesn't hide, fetches things, walks on a leash, wants to hang out with us all the time, etc. I love having a cat b/c he is so easy to take care of! We don't have to worry about a kennel when we go out of town, he's very self-sufficient, etc. He truly is my little lover.

If you would ever consider a cat, this breed could be for you. I got mine at a breeder in Carpentersville (my father also got one from these breeders as well). They do an excellent job with socialization.

Good luck with your search!

I too am very allergic to cats and slightly allergic to dogs. I had a German Shepherd for 9 years. As long as I kept her clean, I never had any problems. I currently have a Bichon/Cocker Spaniel mix and have no problems at all. Maybe you can try visiting an animal shelter and cuddle w/some of the hypo-allergenic dogs. Keep in mind, those hair cuts get pretty costly!

good luck,
L.

My husband also has a lot of allergies, mainly to cats. However, we were also afraid of bringing a dog into the house, fall in love with it, only to have to give it away due to allergies. We purchased a soft-coated wheaten terrier after much research. We love him! He is a very friendly dog. He just loves people and attention. The dog has not bothered my husband's allergies at all. I don't currently have the name of the breeder but they lived in Milwaukee.

If you would like to contact them, let me know and I will look them up for you.

M.

I was tested several years ago and found to be "Highly allergic" to dogs and cats. I have also had them all my life and can't imagine not having them around. Officially I have found that you are allergic to the dander which is the protein found in spit. Since cats clean themselves constantly that explains why so many have strong reactions to cats. It's not the fur itself. Anyway, I have found that I can be around my own animal friends and they can even lick me without adverse reactions. I do have to be cautious around other animals. One lick and it may make me very itchy and red. I have never had the shots but I know many who did and it helps. Long story short- in my experience you develop an immunity against your own critters.

The person who talked about dander it right on the money!!! I talked to my allergist friend about the whole hypoallergenic dog thing. She said it was a farce. Most people are allergic to the dander not the hair or fur. different breeds have different amounts of dander (even poodles).So if you didn't react to a dog that either mean your not that allergic to dander or that dog doesn't produce that much dander. Cat allergies are more to the saliva and dander. I say go with a pound puppy too. Go and see if you react once you have contact with them...Good luck.

Not really sure how Sandy E helped you with your question about dogs. Why she felt the need to attack you and tell you that you need to start working part-time just blows my mind. I'm sorry that you can't ask a simple question and get opinions on that alone but apparently you aren't pulling your weight around your home ?!?

My daughter has allergies to cats and dogs (MUCH worse with cats though). She has no problem at all with my mom's silky terrier. We have had it live with us for extended periods of time. I do notice a reaction more to larger dogs than smaller (not sure what the reasoning is). I think the best thing you can do is to spend some time with the desired breed. Maybe you could even find one to take home with you for a week to test it out. Good luck.

I'll just add my two cents. There is NO SUCH THING as a hypoallergenic dog. That being said, it's a very individual thing what you can tolerate with your allergies. We have a Soft Coated Wheaten (please note correct spelling) and had two of them up until two years ago. They are wonderful dogs, but as someone else pointed out, they do need grooming. Wheatens need frequent brushing and regular professional grooming, unless you are talented with the clippers. Also, they tend to be high energy dogs. You have kids and stay home, so probably could cope with their exercise needs.

However, I have to say, please don't buy a Wheaten. There are too many who do not have homes. I know of a rescue group, S'Wheat Rescues, that has plenty of dogs who need good homes. Or try Petfinder.