There are many dog breeds that are great for kids with allergies, but some are better than others. For those of you who have never owned a dog before, it can be difficult to know where to start.
If you’re thinking about getting a dog for your child, you may want to consider one of these breeds. They’re all friendly and easy-going, so they’ll fit right in with the family. And because they’re small and hypoallergenic, they won’t cause an allergic reaction in your child!
Small Dog Breeds For Kids With Allergies
The following list includes some of the best dog breeds for kids with allergies. If your child has a pet allergy or asthma, keep him away from these breeds:
If your child has allergies, you probably already know that dogs can be great companions. They’re affectionate, loyal and love to play. All of these qualities make them a great pet for kids with allergies. Dogs are also less likely to cause allergic reactions than other pets like cats or rabbits.
Best Dog Breeds For Kids With Allergies
If you’re ready to add a dog to your family, here are some of the best breeds for kids with allergies:
Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is an excellent choice for families with kids who have allergies because it’s one of the most popular dogs in America. Labs are friendly and playful, but they can also be trained as service dogs or therapy dogs. They’re highly intelligent, which makes them easy to train and fun to play with. These days there are even Labradoodles — Labradors bred with poodles — that have hypoallergenic coats that don’t shed much hair at all.
Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is another great choice for families with kids who have allergies because it’s also very friendly and playful in addition to being easy to train and highly intelligent like Labs. They’re also very durable so they’ll be able to play happily outdoors without getting hurt too easily if they run
Some dogs do okay with kids with allergies. But it’s best to avoid certain breeds.
If you have a child who has allergies, there are some dog breeds that can make living together easier. But there are also some breeds that are pretty much guaranteed to send your kid running for the antihistamines.
Here are the top dog breeds for kids with allergies:
- Labrador Retriever
- Beagle
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd Dog
- French Bulldog
- Pug
The best dog breeds for kids with allergies are those that are low-shedding, non-allergenic and hypoallergenic. Children with severe allergies to dogs may benefit from owning a hypoallergenic dog.
Hypoallergenic Dogs
The term “hypoallergenic” is used to describe a dog that causes less allergic reactions than other breeds of dogs. A hypoallergenic dog is not necessarily a non-shedding dog, but rather one that doesn’t produce dander or saliva that causes allergic reactions in humans.
The process by which some dogs produce less dander and saliva than others is not clearly understood by scientists. However, many veterinarians believe that it may be due to some combination of the following factors:
Type of fur (long haired vs short haired). Long haired dogs tend to shed less because their hair naturally absorbs more dirt and dust than short haired breeds;
Size of the dog (larger breeds tend to shed less);
Genetic makeup of the dog (some breeds have been selectively bred over generations so as to produce less dander).
It’s a common misconception that all dogs are safe for kids with allergies.
In fact, some breeds are more likely than others to shed or have dander and shed hair.
Dander is the microscopic dead skin that falls off of your dog as they groom themselves. It can cause irritation in people with allergies and asthma, and it can aggravate existing conditions.
The following list of top dog breeds for kids with allergies was created by consulting veterinarians and dog breeders to identify the best family dogs that don’t shed as much, if at all:
Labrador Retriever
Poodle (all sizes)
Bichon Frise
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier