Hypoallergenic dog breeds?

Discussion in 'Breeding' started by tajnz, Jun 2, 2012.

  1. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a hypoallergenic breed of dog? Or a dog breed which tends to have a low amount of protein in its dogs coats.

    My mother never displayed any signs of allergies around my childhood dogs but has since discovered that she's allergic to many breeds.:(

    She is now at a stage in her life where she would ideally like to adopt a dog again as she has an empty spot in her heart after our dogs passed away of old age. Lately she's taken to pet sitting all the neighbours dogs (even though she's allergic) and she's always reluctant to give them back.;)

    If anyone has a suggestion we'd be more than grateful!
     
    tajnz, Jun 2, 2012
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  2. tajnz

    haopee Well-Known Member

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    One of my favorite breeds is good for allergy sufferers. It's the Miniature Schnauzer. Most Poodle breed are also good for people who are hypoallergenic. Or you could always go for the hairless type like the Khala or Puli.

    Anyway, here's a list of hypoallergenic dogs you might want to consider.

    I hope your mom finds the dog fit for her lifestyle. Having dogs in our household has certainly entertained my mom and kept her happy.
     
    haopee, Jun 5, 2012
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  3. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    Hi there haopee. Thanks for the list, your help is much appreciated.

    Coincidentally my mum is a fan of minature Schnauzers. So I'll research more about them to see if they might be a good match for her. I'll also look up some of the other breeds on the list. I have looked up the Puli as I can't remember having heard of it before and it has the most interesting coat which kind of reminds me a little of ringlets or dreadlocks.
     
    tajnz, Jun 6, 2012
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  4. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    I see that the Shih Tzu is on the list. That would be a good one. The Shih Tzu is bred to be pampered. It doesn't need much exercise or much feeding. It's main purpose in life is to lie quietly while it is being groomed. Perfect pet for a sedate sedentary life style.
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 6, 2012
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  5. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    Hi Victor Leigh, thanks for your suggestion. I'll definitely look into whether the Shih Tzu would be suitable for my mother. My mother loves pampering and spoiling dogs and so perhaps a Shih Tzu could be a good match for her lifestyle. :)
     
    tajnz, Jun 8, 2012
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  6. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    If your mother loves pampering and spoiling dogs, then a Shih Tzu is ideal for her.

    The Shih Tzu is bred specifically for this purpose. According to the history of the breed, it was meant to be a lapdog for the Empress of China. China does not have any native lions but the Chinese regard the lion as a symbol of strength. So the Shih Tzu came into being. It's body shape, face and long hair is supposed to resemble the Chinese idea of a stylised lion, as you can see from the lion dances. The name Shih Tzu simply means lion in Chinese.

    One word of caution. A Shih Tzu needs a lot of grooming to be in good shape. It's hair is long and silky, if it's regularly shampooed and brushed a few times a day. So be prepared to give your mother a helping hand on those days when she isn't up to giving the Shih Tzu the attention it needs.

    If one is not enough, have two:
    [​IMG]
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 8, 2012
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  7. tajnz

    zararina Well-Known Member

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    I am not aware that even those dog breeds with long fur/hair can be a hypoallergenic dog breed.
    Nice to know that there are lots of options.;)
     
    zararina, Jun 8, 2012
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  8. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    Well, I didn't know either. I had to double-check the list to make sure that the Shih Tzu is really on it. Most of the other hypoallergenic dog breeds have short hair or no hair at all.
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 8, 2012
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  9. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    Wow, thanks for the extra information. Like the other poster, I was also surprised to see a long haired hypoallergenic breed. Yes, I can see how the Shih Tzu resembles the style of a lion. :D

    It's a good thing my mum enjoys grooming dogs. My mum washes and grooms her neighbours dogs when she thinks they need it. Don't worry she asks the owners first. ;)

    Thanks again for all your help!
     
    tajnz, Jun 8, 2012
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  10. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    @tajnz
    Does your mother brush their teeth, too? I have never brushed my own dogs' teeth but I have seen my neighbor doing it. She has a Shih Tzu and every morning, she would bath the Shih Tzu in front of the house. This included a thorough tooth-brushing. Then the Shih Tzu would sit on top of a chair waiting to dry in the sun.

    A Shih Tzu positively thrives on attention. It's also not really demanding where food is concerned. I remember taking one of mine out for dinner. I put it on the chair next to me and it just went to sleep there. If it had been Benjamas, my Poodle, I would have to share my dinner with her.
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 8, 2012
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  11. tajnz

    haopee Well-Known Member

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    LOL. Just some additional information on the shih tzu, since I currently have two. They have to be brushed at least 2 times a week to avoid matting. They used to be bred in China as living heating pads for Chinese royalty. And they are warm to the feet. They also have double coats but they shed less than other breeds. If you want your shih tzu to be comfortable with grooming (which isn't an easy task) you must introduce her to it as early as possible.

    I remember mentioning about Yorkies. They are hypoallergenic because their fur isn't fur, it's hair.

    I love miniature schnauzers, too! They're my favorite breed but they're quite expensive here in the country so I haven't thought of getting one, especially since we have other dogs to take care of, but I bet your mom would love them.

    I'm not sure where you're currently living but if in case you've decided on adopting a schnauzer (and you're in Canada), here's a blog page of a friend who specializes in fostering them. http://www.furryfosters.net/
     
    haopee, Jun 9, 2012
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  12. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    I caught up with my mum for lunch today and shared the suggestions of minature schanuzers and shih tzu with her. :)

    My mum loves grooming all her neighbours dogs, some with long coats. She gets upset if it looks like her neighbour hasn't done a good job and does it again herself. :eek: Anyhow, one question she had about shih tzu is how often do you have to get their hair trimmed? I'd call it fur, but it really looks more like hair ha ha. ;)

    It seems like my mum is currently leaning towards the minature schnauzers not the shih tzu though. Thanks for sharing your friends website. If only she lived in New Zealand. I do have friends in Canada who love dogs and I'll be sure to let them know about the website for future reference. Your friend is doing an inspiring job.

    Thanks for mentioning Yorkies too. They are adorable, although growing up one of my friends had one that kept nibbling on peoples fingers as a puppy. So when I think of Yorkies I think of that.:p
     
    tajnz, Jun 12, 2012
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  13. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    About the Shih Tzu, the whole idea is to let the hair grow until it reaches the ground when the dog is standing up. I have had my own Shih Tzus and I have friends who have Shih Tzus, too. All of us only trim the hair when it gets matted. This normally happens when we have been negligent in our grooming. Sometimes, when the weather is very hot, we do give our Shih Tzus a Lion Cut and the Shih Tzu would end up looking like this:

    [​IMG]

    This is more like what a Shih Tzu should look like:

    [​IMG]
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 12, 2012
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  14. tajnz

    haopee Well-Known Member

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    Oh your mom's in New Zealand. Well, that's okay. But I'm sure you can find a reputable breeders their, unless she prefers to adopt from a shelter. Yes, shih tzus are bit high maintenance because grooming for long-haired tzus should be done daily. Ear cleaning should be done 3 times a week (they even have to be plucked) and paw pad hair trimming should also be done weekly. There's also a clipping technique that owners should learn so as to avoid getting their fur off their eyes (or you could always settle for the top knot).

    Well, I wish you the best in looking for your dream schnauzer. Here's what I did to my shih tzu because it was summer.

    [​IMG]
     
    haopee, Jun 13, 2012
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  15. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    I have done that once to one of my Shih Tzus and it was positively unhappy about being so "nude". When I did it to my Poodle, however, it was very happy to be cool. I think Shih Tzus and Poodles definitely have different views about what looks good.
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 13, 2012
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  16. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    I know my mother would love to adopt from a shelter again but finding a hypo-allergenic dog in a shelter can be a little hard as most of the dogs in our shelters tend to be mixed breeds. :)

    Your shih tzu is adorable even nude! I also liked the photo Victor Leigh shared of the Lion Cut. I think shih tzu like cute with every different cut possible :)

    I also had no idea that the popular top knot was more for practacality and not style. I also had no clue that shih tzu had to be plucked. They are certainly a very interesting breed. :D
     
    tajnz, Jun 14, 2012
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  17. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    From my experience, it is preferable to use the top knot to keep the hair out of the dog's eyes. Trimming the hair is only a temporary solution because it will grow again. So let it grow long and then tie it up in a top knot. btw Shih Tzu puppies have a very discernible facial hair pattern like this:
    [​IMG]

    Don't trim that hair which is growing like a brush over its nose. Soon it will be long enough to look like this:
    [​IMG]
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 14, 2012
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  18. tajnz

    haopee Well-Known Member

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    Thank you. Dogs are always cute in the eyes of dog lovers. ;)

    Forgive me for not clarifying that. My terrier mix needs to be hand plucked while the shih tzu needs to be clipped in case you plan to groom him/her yourself and prefer the puppy cut. And for the long haired ones, as Victor had mentioned, you could always have their hair on a top knot so that it doesn't go to their eyes.

    Yes, you should brush the hair over its nose as often as possible so that it doesn't go to their eyes. Unfortunately, since the shih tzu in that picture does not live inside the house and loves lying on the ground, he always gets his beardie dirty. That's why we resorted to cutting the beard.

    On the other hand, Chooey lives with us 24/7 so I do her grooming daily.
     
    haopee, Jun 15, 2012
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  19. tajnz

    Victor Leigh Well-Known Member

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    That's too bad. The Shih Tzus that I have met so far do not really like to roll around on the ground. They would much prefer to lie on cushions. Probably it's a matter of upbringing.
     
    Victor Leigh, Jun 15, 2012
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  20. tajnz

    tajnz Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for all the information Victor and Haopee.

    I personally think it's fine for Shih Tzu to enjoy rolling around and getting dirty. As with humans all dogs are different and many have contrasting personalities to their breed type. There's nothing wrong with a dog being different, it's what makes them unique and special.
     
    tajnz, Jun 20, 2012
    #20
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