which dog?
 

I understand this may not be the place to ask this question but i will try it anyways. I am currently searching for a hunting dog and/or good family dog. However i am allergic to dogs. Labs really get to my breathing, so do setters and retreivers. Does anyone have any recommendations on breed that i should look at so i can have a dog but not suffer? or any other recommendations to help ease my reactions?

again, sorry if this post is obscure, but i thought there may be others that have the same problem and am just looking for recommendations.

RE: which dog?
 

how about a short haired pointer.......i dont think they shed much due to the short hair. English pointer dont shed much at all aleast mine dont. Good luck!

RE: which dog?
 

I would look serioulsy at a German Shorthaired Pointer. My kids have allergies, and the short hair is much easier on them than my labrador's.

One caveat, IF you like labradors I would really look hard for a "traditional GSP" as either a Duetsch Kurzhaar (german breeding but availble in the US) or dogs such as Shooting Star or Sharp Shooter's Kennel.

One of the best things you will find with a traditional german pointer is that at around 16 months, they have matured and are no longer "puppies"mentally, hence no chewing, digging, etc. Meanwhile, the guy with the lab has another 18 months of "puppyhood" to look forward to. Don't get me wrong, I like labs, but my one knock on them is that they mature so slowly, it really would be nicer if they settled down around a year and a half or so like pointers.

RE: which dog?
 

I do know that (for the most part) poodles don't shead and are the least likely to set off alergic reactions. This is based on info from a friend who has the same concerns. As far as not shedding, I know this first hand as I had a poodle for almost 15 yrs...

RE: which dog?
 

I would definatly go for a German Shorthair Pointer. I know several great breaders in WA, but not much in your area. I fyou have any questions about the breed you may check with the ACK and get a list of breeders in your area. That way you can visit a few and see if they set your allergies off or not.

RE: which dog?
 

Semi:

My daughter was highly allergic to animal hair. We had 2 cats and a
gsp (with 10 pups) = we loaned the cats out and very shortly she recovered. The point being the GSP had literally no effects on her allergies!!!

This pointer was a fantastic hunter and a devout family member and protector!!

I would highly recommend you give them a try. As was said find a good, reputable breeder!!!

Good luck - wish you the best!!!

RE: which dog?
 

"The point being the GSP had literally no effects on her allergies!!! "

PERHAPS!!
The point is she was allergic to cats and not dogs.

RE: which dog?
 

Short-range:

Tests proved she was allergic to both cats and dogs. She could not be around Labs- it would invoke an asthma attack.

Perhaps i should have been more lear in my post - she did not react to the GSP.

Hope this clears it up a little!!

RE: which dog?
 

I respectfully disagree with people who paint a breed with a broad brush. That is a lab is so slow at maturing compared to a pointer. I have had many different breeds including GSP, Springers, English pointers, Labs and Chessies and Weimaraners. I have never seen a pointing breed that settled down by 16 months but that does not mean that it never happens. Also I have had several labs that were steady, nonbreaking retrievers by the time they reached 9 or 10 months of age. I have had a chessie that was slow at maturing yet he did a fantastic job of retrieving at 11 months of age. Each dog is different and it pays to see the parents on both sides before picking a new pup. You can make all kinds of generalizations about any breed but that sure does not make it the gospel.

RE: which dog?
 

Check out the Wire Haired Pointing Griffon. My wife is severely allergic to cats and dogs, we went to a number of breeders and hunt trials to check out the various breeds. The only two that didn't cause a reaction were the WPG and standard poodle.

From everything I have heard and everyone I have talked to, the WPG is an excellent hunting dog, and a great family dog. Right now we are waiting for the breeder we selected to have their next litter.

JBacon - also eagerly awaiting October 1st here in NH.