Are Poodles Hypoallergenic? Tips for Families with Allergies.

Having allergies around dogs is extremely common. There are some dogs considered to be hypoallergenic, and therefore a great addition to your home. I will give you all the details about poodles as hypoallergenic dogs.

If you are still worried about being allergic to poodles and bringing them in your home, don’t be worried. I will explain ways to make your home even more friendly for anyone with allergies. After reading this, you will be prepared to defend your home against allergies.

Poodles as Hypoallergenic Dogs

Now is the time to rest easy. Poodles are hypoallergenic dogs. So, if you are in the market for a hypoallergenic dog, then you are in luck.

Completely hypoallergenic dogs are not found, but poodles are about the closest you can get. Some people may still find themselves scratching, but for the most part, people do not have allergic reactions around this dog breed.

For the purposes of this article, we will call poodles hypoallergenic.

Certain features that poodles allow for them to be extremely great dogs for anyone with allergies.

1. A non-shedding coat.

If you have ever visited a home with dogs present, you have probably realized very fast if this is a pet family. Fur will be everywhere from the couch to the kitchen to the laundry room.

Many dogs shed their coat of long fur often. This causes a mess in the home and general disaster for those with allergies.

Luckily, poodles have fur that is non-shedding. This means that rather than shedding, their hair grows. Their coat is actually a single layer coat rather than the typical double layer coat that dogs have.

Poodles have a coat that is similar to hair instead of fur. This is why poodles get their coats trimmed while a lot of other breeds don’t/

This is a major blessing for those with allergies. The less hair you have around you, the better.

2. Low Dander Fur

Dander is similar to what we would call dandruff. It is common for dogs to have visible dander. It is not a bad thing. But, it is not welcome to those with allergies.

Dirt and other gross stuff gets stuck underneath the layers of fur that other dogs have and leads to dander.

Luckily, unlike other dogs who are prone to have dander, poodles are prone to have low dander.

3. A Low Tendency to Drool

Another danger that those with allergies have is to dog’s saliva. Poodles do not drool very often. Although there are variations between each dog, a poodle is typically a safe bet to not drool.

The opposite of a non-drooling pup like a poodle are dogs like pugs, who more often than not drool. This is just another great feature that makes poodles hypoallergenic. Also, it is a good feature in general. (I have not found many people that like dogs drooling on them).

4. High Intelligence

Not only is this a feature that many pet owners search for, but it is important for families with allergies.

Because poodles are intelligent and loyal, they are very easily trained. In comparison to other dogs, poodles will learn faster and with more ease.

Training comes in handy when you are trying to get your poodle to stay in one area, or stop licking you.

Although it may not seem significant right now, I will explain later why this training is important in the home of anyone with allergies.

All of these features that poodles have make them great hypoallergenic dogs.

Your Dog Allergies

Before I begin explaining how you can make your home more poodle and allergy friendly, I would like to give you a base of information about your allergies.

Regarding dogs and most pets, there are three common allergies that people have:

• Dander
• Saliva
• Urine

These three things are what irritate those with allergies to different degrees.

With these allergies in mind, you should have a few goals for a poodle in your home.

• Make sure the poodle is cleaned often to reduce dander.
• Avoid your poodles saliva, even with discipline.
• Make sure your poodle is peeing in a designated area.

These are the three general goals to keep you safe from your allergies acting out.

As someone with allergies, your goal should be to avoid dander, saliva, and urine. This can be done through a few different tactics.

Tips for Families with Allergies

Even with a hypoallergenic dog, it is important to take some special precautions.

Although a poodle will be much easier to live with than a non-hypoallergenic dog, you will find that there is still work needed to keep your dog hypoallergenic.

If you neglect the poodle and the things that you are allergic to, you will find that your allergies can still act up around a hypoallergenic dog.

So, the first lesson to learn with a hypoallergenic dog is to never blame the dog. If your allergies are acting up, it is because you have not taken the right precautions to keep your home allergy free.

To help you start out, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Take Medicine

Although many people will try to avoid taking medicine, this is a simple way to solve many allergy problems. Before you experience any kind of allergy symptoms, just take the medicine.

This will also protect you if you do end up getting your poodle’s saliva on you.

It is simple to get hold of allergy medicine. And, it will help you to have a dog. It is a blessing that you can have a poodle even with dog allergies.

Aside from allergy specific medicine, you can also get any decongestant.

You can take medicine such as mucinex and antihistamines. These medicines clear up your system enough to be able to be around your poodle.

There are also some medicines which can plunge through sinuses to completely clear them up.

2. Bathe Your Dog

With all the other things you have to do in your life, it seems meaningless to bathe a perfectly clean dog. But, it will save you in the long run.

By bathing your dog, you will find that there is even less dander. Even though poodles already have low dander, this will give you the chance to have no dander.

By bathing your poodle, it will hydrate their skin and leave you and your poodle happy. I have yet to find a poodle that does not enjoy their bath time. So, it is a fun owner-pet activity for you too.

Don’t overbathe your dog. If you bathe your poodle too often, natural healthy oils may be washed away and leave your poodles skin too dry. Try bathing your Poodle no more than once a month.

3. Wash Hands After Petting your Poodle

When you pet your poodle, there may be dander on them. Again, there will not be a lot, especially in comparison to other dogs. But, there is still a chance of getting some dander on your hands.

And, even though you may not see the dander does not mean it is not there. Without knowing, you might rub your eyes or face, and end up irritating.

My brother has allergies to dogs. He is often negligent about his allergies. So, without taking any precautions he was petting my sisters dogs. He then rubbed his eyes. I kid you not, his eyes were red as tomatoes and swollen within 5 minutes.

Don’t let this take away from petting your poodle. You can still snuggle your poodle and pet them all you want. But, before moving on to another activity, wash your hands.

4. Clean Your Home Frequently

I know that this is likely the last thing that you wanted to hear. I am truly sorry.

However, a clean home leads to happy allergies. It is important to vacuum frequently.

Just like leaving your poodle’s dander on your hands can be a danger to you, leaving the dander on your floor can be a danger as well. Luckily, this is very often solved by simply vacuuming.

Wash clothes too. This will help get rid of the dander that might end up on your outfits after a snuggle session.

5. Use Air Cleaners

There are many options of air cleaners that you could set up in your home. The most common brand of air cleaners used is HEPA.

These HEPA filters simply clean through the air that you breathe in. It is especially great for anyone with allergies.

Another option that my sister has used is using an air freshener sprayer and putting some melaleuca allergy medicine inside to spray out every so often in the air.

Essential oils might help as well if diffused into the air.

An Allergy-Free Home

Grooming

Grooming your poodle is extremely important. This will ensure that they are actually hypoallergenic.

However, you should remember that any grooming should be done by someone who does not have allergies to the poodle. Hopefully, you have someone in your home who is not allergic.

If there is no one in your home who is not allergic to dogs, then you may have to take your poodle to a groomer. I know that this can be pricey with how often your should groom your poodle.

If you really want to do it yourself, then you should take extra precautions in making sure that you will be protected from dander.

Grooming should be done every two to three days to be most effective.

There should be a separate area laid aside for grooming your poodle. Personally, I think the best spot is outside.

Start by brushing your poodle thoroughly.

Fun fact: By brushing through your dog’s hair, the natural oils will move around. This will lead to less dander.

When it comes to bathing your poodle, you can actually buy some product which is supposed to reduce dander. (Similar to dandruff shampoo).

Newborn Baby Protection

If you are worried about a newborn baby having an allergy to dogs and being at risk coming into your home, there is a solution.

One of the best things that you can do about a newborn coming into your home is expose them to the dog. If you have a poodle already, there should be no concern with bringing in baby.

Because of the baby’s exposure to dogs from a young age, they are much less likely to develop an allergy to dogs.

So, go ahead and keep your poodle. They are great with kids.

Air Ventilation

One of the best things you can do for allergies in your home is to invite fresh air in. Keeping the air venting through your home, rather than staying stagnant is excellent for you.

This may not be the best idea for those with seasonal allergies during those seasons. In that case, another allergy may act up from this.

However, if you do not have seasonal allergies, letting air come through will only benefit you.

By simply opening up the windows or leaving a door open, you will allow some of the bad things that you are allergic to in the air move away. And, without knowing why, you will feel healthier.

Of course, not every area can do this year round. However, take advantage of it whenever you have the opportunity.

Flooring

Another solution for those with allergies to dogs and a poodle living in their house is to change up the flooring. This is not such a simple solution and involves some work.

Carpet holds dander more. So, the rooms in your house that have carpet or fabric on them are at more risk to irritate your allergies.

So, an option that some people take is to put hardwood floors or title into their homes. These types of floors are more friendly for poodles and those with allergies.

With this tip, I can understand if you are not that invested.

But, if that is the case, you can still do more to help you live with a poodle.

By simply keeping the doors closed, you can create different zones for your poodle. This will allow them to only be in certain designated areas.

Another alternate to this tip is to place down fabrics or rugs in places where your poodle is. So, this can be on the floor or your couch.

Then, all you have to do is take these fabrics and rugs off to put them through the wash. Then, you will have a dander free zone.

Training Your Poodle Not to Lick

This concept may be difficult for those who love to be kissed by their dog. However, with saliva being one of the top allergies towards poodles, it is important that your poodle isn’t licking you.

Although there is nothing about a poodle distinctively that will make them lick you, it is just in the nature of a dog to give kisses.

But how can you train your poodle not to lick you?

1. Turn away from kisses. Whenever your poodle goes to kiss you, immediately turn away from him/her.
2. Reward your poodle for keeping their tongue to them self. Whenever your poodle puts their tongue back in their mouth, give them a treat and lots of loving affection. Let them know they have done what is right.
3. Offer other tricks. When your dog goes for a kiss, turn away and give another command. You can ask for a shake, sit, lay, or whatever you would like. But make sure they are doing something other than licking you.
4. Keep practicing and repeat. This may take time for your poodle to learn not to lick you, but they will gradually stop. Keep rewarding good behavior and turning away from any kisses.

Be patient with your poodle and soon you will find that they are being perfectly obedient.

Now if you follow all of these tips to make your home more allergy friendly and prevent any allergy irritations, you should be completely safe.

Poodles do part of the task by already being hypoallergenic dogs. Poodles are some of the best dogs you can get if you have a dog allergy (and even if you don’t).

By taking all of these precautions, you will live a happy and healthy life with a poodle.

I wish you the best of luck.