If you’re a dog lover, chances are the very worst thing that could happen is that you, or a loved one, is diagnosed with an allergy to man’s best friend. It happens though, and if it does, you’re likely to be looking for options to cope.

The obvious choice, although the hardest, would be to stop keeping dogs as pets. Or you might seek out treatment for the allergy, or make sure your dogs are always bathed and brushed, minimizing the likelihood of reaction. What if I told you there are some allergy free dog breeds out there though?

It’s true – some breeds are considered hypoallergenic, or allergy free dogs, and if you chose to adopt one of these allergy free dogs, you would minimize, or even eliminate, most of the symptoms and reactions of a dog allergy!

Here are a few of the allergy free dogs you might want to consider if this is your problem:

Hairless Breeds

Yes, they’re certainly not pretty – some of them look like little aliens in fact, but hairless dogs are certainly allergy friendly! Try looking at the Chinese Crested or Mexican Hairless breeds, among other hairless breeds. The good news is that while these breeds might look strange, they are certainly allergy free dogs, and they generally have great temperaments!

Curly Coats

Another good group of allergy free dogs to choose from are those with curly coats. Poodles, Bichon Frise and certain water dogs, like Irish Spaniels, all fall into this group. Curly coated dogs do require regular grooming and brushing, so make sure you have the time to care for them, or find a good grooming parlor!

Terriers

Many of the terrier breeds, which often have short, single coats, or wiry hair, are good choices when looking for allergy free dogs. Some of your options would include Schnauzers or Kerry Blue Terriers.

Single Coated Dogs

Often, it’s the dog breeds with dense undercoats that cause the most trouble to dog allergy sufferers. So if you’re looking for allergy free dogs, trying to find a single coat breed might be a good place to start. Maltese and Chihuahua if you’re looking for a small dog as well as Weimeraners and other large breeds, all have smooth coats with no undercoat.

As you can see, there are choices for allergy free dogs out there. Popular breeds like Labradors, German Shepherds and Shar Peis are unfortunately not great for allergy sufferers. Also, it’s good to note that even within the so called allergy free dogs, there will be some that work better with a particular individual than others. It’s always a good idea to first introduce the person with the allergies to a particular breed, too test their reaction.

Once you’ve made a choice, remember to bath the dog regularly, and in the case of all but the hairless breeds, brush regularly, as a buildup of dander on even allergy free breeds may cause a reaction in a dog allergy sufferer.