???Dog Lovers???

my friend had severe allergies also, almost allergic to herself...just kidding.....and she now owns 2 Maltese, and is very happy with their hypoallergenicness (is that really a word?), so I would recommend Maltese.

Hi. My room mate and I have an Italian Greyhound that we absolutely adore. They call them IG's for short.

The dogs are very small, 13 - 15 inches tall, and do not have much hair to shed as their coats are sleek. A great dog for ones with allergies.

There is a site I listed below that will tell you about them. They are wondeful little dogs and the one my room mate and I have is also used as a therapy dog.

The breeder we got ours from designed the site and our dog's on it and named Reddy. He's a spoiled little thing too.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

http://www.italian-greyhound.net/

Being a student I don't post much, in fact I think this is the first time I have posted. I really enjoy reading and learning it helps me greatly in my studies. However this happens to be a subject I am well versed in. A business/hobby that I have done for a very long time (since I was about 16 I am28 now) is dog training. I import and train Belgium malinois and German Shepard mostly but work with many other breeds as well for advanced sport protection competitors, personal protection and various police depts. Nation wide. So I am somewhat versed on dog issues. I totally agree with fire wolfs post Italian greyhounds make WONDERFUL pets! As well as poodles. They are both allergy friendly and extremely intelligent, the poodle being in my opinion and those held by many vets and k-9 professionals as the most intelligent dog breed. ALSO look for a it. Grey hound rescue, why buy a dog when there are plenty out there to be adopted!

Poodles and Bichons would probably be great for your family. I personally wouldn't get an IG if I had a seven year old boy because they aren't well suited to the kind of horseplay he might like a dog to be. The nice thing with a poodle is you can get a toy, a miniature or a standard.

My best friend's husband and children have severe allergies to pet dander and hair. They have purchased two Shar-Pei's, you know, the wrinkly faced big babies?? I am happy to tell you the family has no problems with allergies or shedding, and these two dogs are so good with children!!

Try a shar=pei!!

I have heard that Wheaten Terriers are hypoallergenic. They are very nice dogs but I don't know that much about them. They are medium-sized dogs. I'll see if I can find a link.

Here's a blurb I found a website about soft-coated wheaten terriers:

Question: "Do Wheatens shed? Are they hypo-allergenic?"

Answer: "All dogs shed, but the Wheaten is a single-coated dog and generally sheds very little. They do not seasonally 'blow' coat as do many other breeds, but they do need regular brushing to remove dead hairs and prevent matting. Wheatens often appear on lists of dogs which are good for people with allergies because of their non-shedding coat. However, many allergies result from exposure to dog's dander, saliva, or natural oils rather than hair and Wheatens produce all of these. Each person's allergies are different so a person who suffers from allergies should visit a breeder and spend some time with the dogs at close quarters. If no reaction results, Wheatens may be a good choice."

have you seen an allergist and had your daughter worked up? possibly with allergy treatment you would be able to choose any pet that is right.

The flip side is what will you do, if your daughter becomes allergic to the new pet?