Bichon Frise puppy for my allergic to animal dander little girl. I need info on anything that might help my daughter tolerate a dog. She has always been highly allergic to dogs, cats, and rabbits. She is 8 years old and is begging for a dog. We have been doing reserach on it for months and trying to find a way for her to get one. Our son loves dogs too. I have seen a list of 8 different breeds that are suppose to be low dander and non shedding dogs and we went and looked at some puppies today. We made sure she held them, petted and actually put them up to her neck and face to see if she would have any reaction. One puppy was brought outside to us that was a maltise puppy. Hard to tell the difference in the pups and my girl held it too. Then we realized it was the wrong kind. She seemed to be doing fine until we were about 45 minutes away and then her eyes started itching real bad. Good thing I had brought the benadryl in the car. This place was an hour and a half away. So I gave it to her and she got much better pretty quickly. Had to find a rest stop for us to wash our hands too. But I can not have her take that daily every 4 hours. She already uses Nasonex daily and the Ped. Dr. won't refer us to a allergy Dr. to get shots because he said it is only about 65 to 70 % affective. I am not sure if she had a reaction from being around all the other dogs in a barn for a few minutes to go see the parents. Or if it was from holding the other kind of dog or if she is really allergic to the Bichon. The puppies are not going to be weaned for a couple of weeks so we have a little time to think about it. But I hate to get her a dog that she can not ever pet or cuddle with too. The dr. told us it would be best to not ever get any pets but I hate to see my kids grow up without ever having a pet to love. The owners said we could try to keep it for a week or so and see how she does but I don't want to invest alot of money on buying dog stuff and then not be able to keep and and have to heart broken kids crying if we have to give it back. Tough decision!
We have already done the lizard thing and I do not want to have a fish tank either. You can not play with or snuggle with a fish.
Any ideas would be great. I have heard about shampoos to help with dander but these dogs are not suppose to have any to begin with. So I am stuck! What to do, what to do??????????
My daughter is allergic to cats and dogs also, as well as molds, pollen, grass, weeds and trees. We have cats outside and also 3 toy poodles inside and a large dog outside. My daughter had allergy testing done late last year to find out why she was always having a runny nose, fluid in her ears, headache, dizziness, burning eyes, you name. She tested positve for all but a few things, but she is more allergice to dogs and cats than anything else. She is currently on allergy shots since December,and is doing well, although we won't reach a maintenance dose for a while yet. She will have to take them for 4 to 5 years. It has made a difference though. Do you need a referral to go to a ENT doctor? That is who is treating my daughter, not an allergy specialist. I didn't need a referral to make an appointment, I went on my own. If you can do that, it would at least get you started somewhere so you can look into this further, as it does sound like your daughter has allergies.
Back to dogs. We have had our poodles for 7 years now and i have always heard that they were low dander. They are low shedding, but all dogs produce dander. My daughter has one that sleeps in her bed, which her doctor has told her to get it out of her room and out of her bed, lol, she says I would rather suffer, lol. It is weird that the dogs seem to bother her less than going outside where the pollen is flying. It doesn't make sense. She had been on nasal sprays and allegra and claritin and docotr just decided to stop them as they were not doing any good. I have noticed that since she has been taking the shots (by the way she gets 3 every week), that I can give her an over the counter antihistamine and it seems to work real well. Just try to find a way to get your daughter to see at least a ENT, as I think it is irresponsible of her doctor to just let her suffer with allergies without trying something.
i am allergic to cats and i can tell you its not the moost pleasant thing in the world but mine results toconstant sneezing for about 2 hours until i took pekock from the local chemist i now have a cat and i can do anything i like and i only sneeze about 2 a day if the dogs odor is to strong for the medicene but it is a vast improvement as i used to sneeze 4 times every 5 minutes
Thanks for all the replies. My son would love to have a snake. NOT me. We have no desire for a cat at all either. Don't think we need any other kind of critters. They really are excited about getting the puppy. We are going to get the puppy on Good Friday and try it for a week. The breeders are going to let us bring it back if she has too many problems. I am going to get her started on Claritin in the next few days and hope it helps some. We are going to try shampoo for the dog that is suppose to reduce dander allergies and have her wash her hands after petting the pup. It will not be allowed in the bedrooms at all either.
From what I have read about allergy shots it takes years to get much relief and she would have to take them for many years too. If we have problems and can not keep the dog maybe when she is a teen, we could get the testing done and it would be more effective and we could try again. Wish us LUCK!!
Their are hairless cats, and I have tried one, with no success. It took a few days, and then I was miserable as heck and had to take the hairless cat back.
I will not be able to ever get a cat again.
I am also allergic to dogs, but to a lesser degree, and currently live with a dog which is a poodle mix, with very little shedding. She does sleep in my bed, against ENT's wishes, and I do take Nasonex and Zyrtex daily to counteract this allergy plus others.
My advice to you - if your little girl is very allergic to dogs, which it sounds like she is - dont get a dog. As much as she will love the dog, she will be miserable. Also, I dont like the idea of taking medicines all the time, and if you can eliminate some of them, I think its a good idea. I know I shouldnt have the dog, but I know I cant have a cat......tough decision, I know. Good luck!
Have you considered babysitting a poodle to see if your child can tolerate that? Poodles don't shed. However, it's often the dander and sometimes the animal's saliva that triggers the allergy, and not necessarily the hair itself.
I don't recommend buying a pet at this time. Find a friend who has the type of dog you are considering and babysit it for a week or so. To bring a dog or puppy into the home, and then realize you can't keep it, is cruel to the poor animal and the child who feels that that puppy is theirs and is now being taken away.
I have heard about shampoos that help with allergies and bathing it every week. My kids both know that this is a trial basis, and that there is a strong possiblity that we may have to give it back in a week. They are both willing to give it a shot. We have talked about it quite a bit and we have made it very clear that if it causes her health problems it is not worth the misery. The main thing she gets from dogs is itchy eyes. I wondered if eye drops for allergies would be better to try on her? We are taking every precausion that we can think of. The puppy owners are willing to take it back and find new owners. Shoot we may know in a day or so. We believe that it is important for us to at least try, and this may be her only hope of ever having any pets. I just think it would be sad for us not to try. Don't want the kids to say that we never even tried to have any pets for them. It may be hard for them to say good bye but if we only have it for a week or less maybe not as hard as having a animal for years and then having to deal with death. I think they will get over it very quickly. We have made sure they both fully understand this may not be for long. I will be the main caretaker too. I have not had a dog in 10 or 12 years so this may be harder on me than the kids. Then I guess we will have to resort to raising tadpoles!!
I have to chime in and cast a vote for the standard poodle. Before anyone laughs read on! We have one and I have zero allergies to it. The only time I am allergic, is when the dog is around other dogs and picks up their smell/dander.
When our dog is clean and not around other dogs I have zero allergies to him. Standard poodles actually have hair instead of fur, so they don't shed (At least no more than you or I do) and this means less allergies for most people.
I say give it a shot with a standard poodle. Get him a 'puppy cut' which is equal length hair, not the typical silly poodle cuts. People actually admire him and ask what kind of dog he is. They are amazed when we say he is a poodle. Standards are also very smart and very family oriented!!!
Sorry to be a kill joy but I have to chime in here. I vote for "just say no" there are alot of things you kids will want in their life and for some reason or another they will not be able to get. My son is also allergic to "everything" when he was younger he was in the hospital 5-10 times a year with respitory problems triggered by allergies. We had a dog at the time we knew he was allergic to dogs but thought that could not possibly be it. Then we had to move we decided to give the dog to a neighbor and be pet free in our new home. He has not been hospitilized since 8 years now. I don't think it is a coincidence.
We got the puppy Friday and she played with it all evening and all day Saturday. Except while he was sleeping. My daughter is taking him outside and has had lots of kisses and held him up to her face too. SO far, NO PROBLEMS at all. This looks really good. Normally she would of had her eyes swollen in the first hour or so. I am not saying for sure yet, but Both my kids are doing awesome!! He is asleep in my lap now...SO cute!!
Frosty.........ever consider your son was allergic to some thing in the hosue you were in? Maybe mold in the walls or basement? Was it a old house? Or possibly food allergies? Wonder how he would do now with a pet since so much time has passed. Glad he is no longer so sick!!
Thanks for all the replies!!
We got out first bichon when my son was 13. He had really bad allergies to cats and most dogs. We since have gotten another one. He never had any trouble with either dog and he slept with both of them. They make great pets they are smart, cute and your house will never smell like you have a dog living there. Molly Mc
Well, we have had him a week now and no one has had any reaction. SO the little Bichon is here for good. My daughter would of by now been having allergy problems but not once has she complianed or had any itching!!!! So here is my vote for this breed for others who are allergic to dogs! He is nine weeks old now and seems happy. My kids are having so much fun with him too. So happy that they can have a special friend for many years. I always thought we would forever not be able to get a dog and they would miss out on all that goes with a family pet. Needless to say I am thrilled!!!! The kids are too!
Hi, I am very pleased that you have your dog and that your daughter has not had any allergic reactions to him/her. I think children should have pets, they give them responsibilities. I have a 6 year old King Charles spaniel. He is the most precious thing ever. :-)
What about a chinese crested, hairless dog, they are really cute and have tufts of hair on there head and feet! My cousins have three of them, and love them, and they are all extremly allergic.
Maybe you could check for a rescue puppy, they might be expensive.
There's nothing like the love of a dog....
Hi. I have allergies to cats, dust, mold, pollen, etc. I have dogs of my own, and I foster rescue dogs. I can tell you that I'm not allergic to dogs, but the dogs can get allergens trapped in their fur which may be bothersome, i.e., pollen, cat dander, etc., or even dust. So, seeing that everything has been fine so far, it looks like if she does start to have a reaction, it may be due to something trapped in the dog's fur. I try to bathe my dogs regularly. Not only does it help my allergies, but dogs really do hate when their fur is dirty. I had a rescue dog come in who I'd gotten hives from, which is unusual for me. This dog had been on the lose and roaming through fields. Once I bathed him everything was fine, although he did need two baths in a row! Ha ha. There was also a dog who had previously lived with a cat, and the dog made me sneeze until he had his bath. I use regular dog shampoo or baby shampoo - nothing too perfumey. If you have to use a flea and tick shampoo, it's best to wash the dog a day or two later with the dog or baby shampoo, as the flea and tick formulas are strong. They make the dog itch, and then any dust or dander flies around when the dog scratches. So, for the fleas and ticks, it's best to stay away from the shampoo solutions and just use one of the topical, one drop once-a-month applications. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention the brand names here, but I'll try - Front Line.
Thought I would bump this up. Our little white furry friend is now over two years old and my kids that are very allergic to dogs, have had NO problems at all. They can sleep with him, play and cuddle with him and we don't have to bathe him in anything special either. I do all his grooming and he is my shadow. My kids still have problems with allergies around other dogs. So glad we made to choice to give him a home with us and so are the kids. They love our little Sugar. He is a Bichon Frise if anyone wants a new allergy free dog. The dog even puts up with my rough little boy!
I'm glad that everything worked out with your new dog. Several years ago we went through the same thing with my daughter. The allergist told us to try a Bichon, as they have skin similar to a human and while they may lightly shed on occasion they do not have dander.
My daughter was constantly doing breathing treatments because she loved dogs and we couldn't always keep her away from them.
Long story short, we have had our Bichon for 7 years and no problems what so ever with my daughter. She occasionally has a slight reaction if he licks her, but nothing severe.
Re: Dog for very allergic little girl???? 
Re: Dog for very allergic little girl???? 
So here is my vote for this breed for others who are allergic to dogs! He is nine weeks old now and seems happy. My kids are having so much fun with him too. So happy that they can have a special friend for many years. I always thought we would forever not be able to get a dog and they would miss out on all that goes with a family pet. Needless to say I am thrilled!!!! The kids are too! 
