When getting a new dog - how do you know if you are allergic without living with them? (border collie, lab)
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I am allergic to some animals, but when I am the symptoms don't become apparent until like after an hour of being with it in close quarters. Therefore, when I am looking for a new dog at a shelter or breeder, how do I know if I'm allergic to it or not quickly? Petting it and holding it etc etc for 5min won't have any effect on me, but possibly after taking it home and living with it I might
We just had a friend and her black lab move in, I had allergies for about a week and then was fine, it just took some time for my system to adjust. I find that I have more allergies to short haired dogs like labs, do fine around longer fur of border collies and goldens and have some problems with double coated breeds like huskies. If your allergies are severe you could look at breeds or mixes that tend to cause fewer reactions.
I am not sure you be certain before living with the dog. It is not unusual for someone to develop allergies at any time in their life and as Dogmama said you can also get used to the allergen so the reaction is not quite so bad. If it is areal concern, you can get tested to see if it is the hair, the dander or even the pollen that they trap in their fur that affects you. Looking to find a breed advertised as being better for allergy prone people such as a poodle might be the way to start. There are tons of rescue groups dedicated to specific breeds that would make it easier for you find what you are looking for.
If the dog is in foster, they might be able to bring it over for long enough that you could tell. If you are at a shelter and not able to spend as much time as you'd like, handle the dog as much as possible. Many dogs don't really like being hugged, especially by strangers (something that lots of people meed to learn!), but get the dog to make as much contact with you and your clothing as possible. If you're allergic, the reaction might not kick in until later, but you could come back the next day to do the adoption if you decide it's the dog you want.
I'm slightly allergic to dogs, and come in contact with an awful lot of them at the shelter as well as everyday life. I've noticed a few things. One is that, as others mentioned, I seem to get accustomed to a dog's dander with time. Another is that dogs who are very stressed or excited seem to cause more of a reaction in me. This makes sense, because animals often blow their coats a bit when under stress, such as at the veterinarian. And lastly, something that seems obvious once you think of it, I have a lot stronger reaction to dogs who really need a bath, so that might be something that affects your reaction that you wouldn't take into account.
As I said, though, my allergies to dogs are fairly mild. If yours are severe, you need to be more cautious in assessing the dogs.
I am allergic to some animals, but when I am the symptoms don't become apparent until like after an hour of being with it in close quarters. Therefore, when I am looking for a new dog at a shelter or breeder, how do I know if I'm allergic to it or not quickly? Petting it and holding it etc etc for 5min won't have any effect on me, but possibly after taking it home and living with it I might
I'm a retired dog trainer and breeder. (This was a 40 year long avocation of mine.) Dark colored fur tends to arouse more allergic reactions than light colored fur. If you keep your canine brushed and wash him (about) once a month, you will greatly reduce any tendency you might have to experience an allergic reaction. It's, also, true: Over time and with regular exposure you can become desensitized to animal dander.
I suggest you give your new friend a bath, take him to a groomer, or (maybe) to the washing tubs at one of the large pet supply chain stores BEFORE you bring him home and start living together. You should be fine.
I am allergic to some animals, but when I am the symptoms don't become apparent until like after an hour of being with it in close quarters. Therefore, when I am looking for a new dog at a shelter or breeder, how do I know if I'm allergic to it or not quickly? Petting it and holding it etc etc for 5min won't have any effect on me, but possibly after taking it home and living with it I might
the best thing you can do is concentrate on finding a dog that does not shed and has the dander most people are not allergic too or have tests, but that is the expensive way. Poodles, Shih Tzu's breads lioke those are normally fine for people with dog allergies. Of course, then you have to worry about dogs bringing things from the outside into the house: things you might be allergic too. Something else, I see referred to here is: sometimes people have an allergy for awhile and it disappears. Our son, who is allergic to almost everything, eventually was able to be around almost any dog and be fine. To this day, at 50 years old he can not be in the house with cats.
First, you can go to an allergist and they can pre-screen you to determine if you have animal allergies. They can also determine if it's cats or dogs or both.
"The level of shedding is a question many prospective pet owners ask when deciding upon which dog to choose. It may be a matter of allergies or some people simply don’t want to deal with the housekeeping issue involved with dogs that shed heavily. Whether it’s a matter of cleaning or allergens that pose a problem, you are in luck. There are many wonderful dog breeds that are neither heavy shedders nor copious allergen producers."
This isn't typical but the shelter/program I adopted my dog from let me take him home for a week long sleepover. It's actually not that wierd, some people are super allergic to some dogs and not allergic to others.
For me it's golden retrievers. Most others dogs I'm fine with but goldens make my eyes puff up and water, nose run, like crazy. Most dogs I'm fine with. If I roll around and wrestle with my dogs I'll wind up covered with welts but just sitting with them, petting them, laying with them I'm fine so I'm guessing I'm more alergic to the slobber than the dander and hair. Anyhow differnet dogs and different breeds affect people differently.
If you can't take the dog home for a trial run I'd recommend playing with the dog, letting them lick your arms and face, maybe even sorta roughhousing a little, if there is going to be a reaction thats what will make it happne.
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