Hypoallergenic Apartment Dogs

Did you know that you don’t need to have a pet in order to struggle with pet allergies? According to the American Pet Products Association, more than 90% of all U.S. homes test positive for animal allergens – even if those households don’t have pets?

Are you one of those unfortunate souls that suffer from allergies, such as sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, skin hives, or maybe even more serious respiratory issues? This can be a heartbreaker (and a deal-breaker) if you’re a lover of dogs!

Do you live in an apartment? Or do you just prefer small dog breeds?

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we explain what the definition of a “hypoallergenic” dog actually is, and if you or a household member suffers from allergies, why one of the dog breeds listed in this article might just be the perfect choice for you! We also provide 5 fabulous tips to dramatically reduce dog allergy symptoms in your home.

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What is a hypoallergenic dog?

First, lets take a look at the literal definition of the word “hypoallergenic”

Hypoallergenic

Designed to reduce or minimize the possibility of an allergic response, as by containing relatively few or no potentially irritating substances:
dictionary.com

Next, we need to find out what specifically makes dogs cause allergy symptoms. But this can differ from person to person, and from dog to dog.

What parts of a dog am I allergic to?

Some people can be allergic to dog hair, whilst others may be allergic to dander (dead skin cells), and some people can even be allergic to saliva!

So taking the above into consideration, if you, or somebody in your household, has an allergy to dogs, it is possible to reduce or minimize an allergic response by opting for a dog breed that doesn’t shed its hair or sheds infrequently.

Training your dog not to lick you

Another aspect to consider, especially regarding any allergic reactions to dog saliva, is the possibility to minimize risk by opting for dog breeds that don’t drool. Alongside training your dog not to lick you, we’re actually left with one remaining issue: Dander, which is the dog’s dead skin cells.

Unfortunately, the amount of dander your dog produces is going to vary from dog to dog, so this isn’t something I can quantify in this article. But what you can do is take a look at our tips to reduce allergy symptoms for dog owners.

Small Hypoallergenic Dogs

Small White Hypoallergenic Dogs

Because we know our readers so well, we’ve gone ahead and created a convenient list of small white hypoallergenic dogs!

Tips to reduce allergy symptoms for dog owners

As a dog lover, discovering you or a household member has a dog allergy can be heartbreaking. But fear not! Below you will find 5 tips to reduce allergy symptoms.

Make your bedroom a dog-free space

Did you know that on average, humans spend between 30% and 50% of their time in the bedroom?

Keeping your dog out of your bedroom, keeping the door both fully & firmly closed, and cleaning the bedroom thoroughly & regularly can help reduce allergy symptoms.

Replace carpets and rugs for hard flooring

Removing wall-to-wall carpets, and replacing them with solid floorings such as vinyl, tile, or wood should be pretty high up your priority list.

Hard floors make it much easier to clean and keep free of dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens.

If you’d like at least some minimal soft flooring, you should opt for throw rugs. This will allow you to clean the rugs with ease using hot water.

But if you insist on having carpets, be sure to select one with a low pile, and be sure to steam clean it frequently to reduce allergens such as pet dander, pollen, and dust mites.

Use a steam cleaner

Steam cleaners are an often overlooked and underrated cleaning appliance that can be used to both clean and sanitize hard and soft surfaces around the home without the use of chemicals to remove dust and dirt from air ducts, ventilation systems, and air conditioning units.

Steam cleaning can also be used to kill bedbugs, dust mites, parasites, and other allergens from mattresses, bedding, pillows, upholstery, and furniture.

Choosing and investing in a versatile steam cleaner will also help you clean vinyl floors, hardwood flooring, carpets, rugs, couch, bedding, toys, crates, and even jobs such as disinfecting refrigerators and other kitchen appliances!

You can also replace many chemical cleaning products and accessories, which is great if you or someone in your house is sensitive to chemicals, potentially saving you $100’s in annual expenses over the lifetime of the steam cleaner.

Vacuums for allergies, and dust masks

Vacuum cleaners agitate allergen particles and make them airborne with every use. These allergen particles then spread and settle on surfaces throughout your home.

If you or someone in your household suffers from allergies, we highly recommend you invest in specifically designed vacuums for allergies and asthma where possible.

We also recommend wearing a dust mask when you vacuum.

Be sure to take a look at our vacuum cleaner buying guide.

Regular cleaning to remove allergens

Pet dander is actually really sticky. This means that without a regular and thorough cleaning, your allergy symptoms aren’t going to improve.

In an ideal world, you should aim for bare floors, surfaces, and walls.

Cleaning and scrubbing all surfaces frequently throughout the home, and keeping it clean and uncluttered at all times will help to reduce allergens in your home.

Using a quality furniture polish will help to repel pollen and dust particles from landing on surfaces, meaning there’s more chance an air purifier can help to filter it out.

Use Air Purifiers and Air Cleaners to reduce allergy symptoms

Air purifiers that use allergen filters specifically designed to trap allergen particles less than 0.1 microns in size at more than 99% efficiency.

This means that when you stay on top of cleaning surfaces and regularly vacuum settled pet dander and pollen, the air filtration will reduce allergy symptoms significantly.

Just be sure that the air purifiers you research are certified asthma and allergy-friendly, and that you read the manufacturer’s instructions to replace the filters as necessary to maintain efficiency.

References and further reading

Below we’ve listed a few references used in this article and included some further reading to help you reduce dog allergy symptoms and asthma in your home.

Final Thoughts

Have I missed something obvious, or is there anything you’d like to add to the discussion?

Do you have any tips for reducing allergy symptoms around the home?

Let me know in the comments below!