Poodle hybrids’ key attributes are hypoallergenic traits. Many dog fanciers go for designer breeds with the doodle in a poodle mix as a choice. If you’re fearful of allergic attacks or you’re asthmatic, the poodle designer mix has the right doodle dog! So why is a poodle mix better for allergies?
Poodle mixes are a popular choice for hypoallergenic pets. Poodle breeds are known for shedding less hair and dander, and this dominant trait is passed on to their designer offspring. Doodle breeds are designed hypoallergenic in standard, medium, and teacup sizes. But no dog is allergy-free.
Poodles are regarded as a better breed for allergies. Choosing a dog is often driven by outward characteristics, and the fluffier or cuddlier ones appear the cutest. But dogs’ fur, hair, and dander are often hyper-allergenic. You might wonder if this goes for poodle mixes too and if all doodles are fine for people with allergies.
Why Poodles Stand Out As Hypoallergenic
For many dog lovers, poodles are hypoallergenic – an attribute of this breed’s near-lack of shedding hair. But though poodles are thought to be hypoallergenic, these dogs are not allergy-free. This is because we mostly think that a dog’s hair causes allergies and overlook dander and even dogs’ saliva as allergens. There are no allergy-free conditions for pet lovers with dogs.
NOTE: According to allergists at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI), we believe a dog that doesn’t shed is hypoallergenic. Researchers have found it’s not the shedding aspects that point to allergies but the actual dander (dead cells) and saliva of dogs too.
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Allergies to pets like dogs are endemic in pet owners’ DNA. Pet owners suffering from true allergies are not exempt from allergies in hypoallergenic pets, like the poodle mixes.
Poodle crossbreeds, offspring of poodle purebreds, and other pure breeds have this character trait of not shedding – a comparative measure, though.
This is a hypoallergenic trait of the poodle breed that’s dominant and passed on in these doodles. The guarantee of having an allergy-free mix is not inevitable. There are many other variables to consider for allergies.
NOTE: AAAI statistics show that almost 10 million people are allergic to their pets. Allergies are more than irritant hairs of pets as there are proteins that trigger allergies too. The proteins often are in saliva and urine and transmitted through touching or stroking a pet.
An article in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy (2011) states that a primary dog allergen, Canis familiaris (Can f 1), is present in both hypoallergenic dogs and those that aren’t. Ongoing research is being done, which leaves the choice of a dog, even a poodle mix, rather restricted for allergy sufferers.
Domestic dogs’ coats vary amongst breeds. Most dogs have a double coat – a stiff top coat to repel water and dirt and a softer undercoat. The coats are for insulation.
Uniquely, poodles have a single-hair coat that’s not called fur! A poodle’s hypoallergenic coat doesn’t shed like most dogs.
Poodles and their mixes can cause fewer allergic reactions than most other breeds but aren’t allergy-free. No dog is flat-out non-allergenic.
The hypoallergenic traits in poodles and their mixed breeds:
- shed little or no hair
- shed little or no dander
- have coarser hair
- have no undercoat of high-allergenic fine hair
Poodle mixes are intentionally bred to amplify poodles’ positive hypoallergenic traits, and the designer offspring stand out for this too. A bonus for dog fanciers who have allergies! Breeders often prefer the label low-allergy.
Less Dander On Poodle Hair
Your search for the best dog might be compounded if you’re prone to allergies. Dander is a trigger for allergies with common symptoms such as sore, watery eyes, sneezing and wheezing, and hives.
NOTE: Poodles and their mixes shed less hair; therefore, the dander or dead skin and cells are shed less.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation, a third of Americans’ pet allergies are due to the wrong dog choice. Poodles and their mixes come in on top as hypoallergenic. Dog’s hair, coat, dander, and saliva are human’s allergies.
The cause of allergies is not the coat but the dander (dead skin) allergens on all breeds – even poodles and their mixes. Poodles and their mixes have less dander but have allergens in the form of proteins through their hair, dander, saliva, and urine.
Are Poodle Mixes Good For Allergic People?
Think about this: Close to one-fifth of Americans are allergic to domestic dogs. With statistics like that, it’s challenging to think how many people would love to have a dog but just can’t. But still, some allergic reactions depend on dog owners’ predispositions to allergies.
Poodles are the most hypoallergenic, and the three dominant sizes in the breed make it possible to have a range of designer pooches!
Lower-shedding types mixed with poodles, the doodle crosses, are popular in these sizes. Yet, these are not allergy-free.
NOTE: Though hypoallergenic, people with severe sensitivity and allergies can’t have these breeds.
Allergies In Saliva
Dog saliva triggers allergies, and poodles and their designer mix are no exception. These mixes are not exempt from dander and saliva with allergen proteins.
The flake allergens are inhalants; the saliva through touch is an allergen – on hairs, clothes, sofas, and even beds! Most importantly, poodles and their mixes shed less and have less dander.
FACT: A poodle’s coat is recognizably coarser with hair rather than fluff and fur. The coat is less prone to flaky dead skin cells.
Best Poodle Mixes For Low Allergies
Allergies are a fickle concept that depends on peoples’ proneness to allergic reactions. Doodle mixes are known for being less allergenic and range from larger, medium-sized to miniature:
| Doodle Mix | Cross & Size | Coat | Allergenic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cockapoo | Cocker Spaniel & Poodle Lapdog | Needs grooming | Non-shedding, hypoallergenic coat |
| Cavapoo | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel & the Poodle Toy dog | Silky, smooth coat | Hypoallergenic |
| Labradoodle | Labrador Retriever & Poodle | Hair can be wiry, soft, straight, or wavy and curly | Sheds coat to a lesser degree |
| Goldendoodle | Golden Retriever and a Poodle Miniature, Medium, or Standard size | Soft Coat | Hypoallergenic, little to no shed |
| Poochon | Bichon Frise & Poodle Small-sized, toy-like dog | Fluffy white coat | Low-shedding, hypoallergenic coat |
| Maltipoo | Maltese & Poodle Toy breed | Long and silky, non-shedding | Hypoallergenic coat |
| Yorkipoo | Yorkshire Terrier & Poodle, toy-like dog | Hardy coat | Hardly sheds |
| Shih Poo is known as Little Lion (its appearance and gait) | Shih Tzu & Poodle House dog | Furry coat and shed moderately With Miniature Poodle, a coat can be curly | Almost non-shedding coat |
| Schnoodle | Miniature Schnauzer & Miniature Poodle | A wiry upper coat and undercoat catch loose hairs | Low to non-shedding coat |
| Bernedoodle | Bernese Mountain Dog & Poodle Large | Hypoallergenic fur | Hypoallergenic fur, allergy in saliva and dander |
| Peekapoo | Pekingese & Poodle, companion dog | Shed moderately | Not totally hypoallergenic coat |
| Double Doodle | Poodle crossbred with Goldendoodle or Labradoodle Large | Sheds the least, won’t cause allergies | No allergies, ideal for allergenic families |
| Poovanese also Havapoo | Havanese (Cuban) & Poodle Small | Low-shedding coat | Hypoallergenic |
| Sheepadoodle | English Sheepdog & Poodle Large | Long, soft, and curly coat | Doesn’t shed unless brushed |
| Food | Toy Fox Terrier & Miniature Poodle | Non-shedding | Hypoallergenic coat |
| Chip | Chihuahua & Poodle Small | Sheds little | Hypoallergenic coat |
| Pomapoo | Pomeranian & Poodle | Sheds little and needs grooming | Little shedding |
| Doxiepoo | Dachshund & Poodle Small | Smooth short coat or poodle curly coat | Moderate shedding |
| Jackapoo | Jack Russell Terrier & Poodle | Almost no-shedding coat | Almost no-shedding coat |
From above, the smaller breeds are house pets and shed little:
- Cockapoo
- Cavapoo
- Poochon
- Peekapoo
- Doxiepoo
Poodle mixes are hypoallergenic, and some are popular among allergic dog owners. The Peekapoo doesn’t have an utterly hypoallergenic coat.
So whether you decide on a Maltipoo or a Yorkipoo, the admired poodle mixes have hypoallergenic coats. The Schnoodle has a wiry coat with an undercoat that catches loose hairs. Schnoodles are non-shedding. A fascinating crossbreed is the Shih Poo with a curly, almost non-shedding coat!
Larger breeds like the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle are fashionable designer pets that have even been rebred into the Double Doodle. Doubly secure for allergenic families!
The Saint Berdoodle (and smaller Bernedoodle) is a different mix with a hypoallergenic coat that can be inherited from a poodle.
NOTE: The Bernedoodle slobbers and drools and makes this prominent designer poodle mix a candidate for passing on allergies. They shed less than their original breed, but this is not always the case.
Poodle Mixes and Asthma
Asthma, respiratory predispositions, and allergies are concerns when thinking of having a dog. Dog hair and dander contribute to worsening these conditions. Allergies can be caused by:
- dander
- saliva
- urine
NOTE: It’s not the short-haired but the shedding of hair and dander that’s the culprit. Also, the same breeds or mixes can differ in the degree of allergens.
Poodle breeds are at the top for their hypoallergenic traits. They are less likely to be unmanageable in asthma or respiratory disorders. When a doodle mix is bred with another doodle, the hypoallergenic pool is often increased.
Poodle Mixes and Allergies
Most allergic reactions are from dogs’ dander. This is when a poodle’s or mix’s skin gets dry, flakes, and causes allergies.
As poodles and their labrador or retriever mixes aren’t slobbery, the allergens in saliva are not as much of a concern. But the St. Bernard mix known as the Saint Berdoodle does slobber, and salvia is an allergen.
Is Any Poodle Mix Good For Allergies?
The poodle designer dog is not always hypoallergenic. Much goes into the breeding and the gamble of passing on genes!
As seen above, Berndoodle’s slobbering increases allergens from saliva. Labra- and Goldendoodles have the advantage of a low-shed coat, less dry skin, and less dander, and are primarily hypoallergenic.
NOTE: Not every poodle mix is necessarily low in passing on allergies.
A quick scan of a handful of poodle mixes shows that a genuinely hypoallergenic mix is hard to find. Also, a non-shed indication for a poodle hybrid doesn’t imply a dog is allergy-friendly.
Some of the criteria for the existence of allergens are actually from their dried or dead skin! Dander causes allergies, and so does poodle crossbreeds’ saliva.
Designer breeds have caught the fancy of the fashionable. They are fine as long as they have no underlying allergies.
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