Discord Inspiration

Today I got inspiration from a comment in Discord. It was about dogs. @themarkymark shared A youtube short about a girl and a Doodle sharing spaghetti. Cute of course! Although I don't have a Goldendoodle myself, it sure looked familiar to me. Shepherds also love spaghetti. LOL. After this, someone mentioned that they like Goldendoodles because they are hypoallergenic, and that comment gave me the idea to clear up a persistent misunderstanding.

Happy Doodles

There is a widespread misunderstanding that Doodle dogs are hypoallergenic. And I just want to clarify that. It is a lie! NO dog is 100% hypoallergenic. These Doodles indeed have a chance of spreading fewer allergens. But, and that's a big but... these Doodles must be from the F1B generation. Which means that they are a first cross with a Poodle parent and a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle parent. Then they are more likely to be so-called hypoallergenic. This is because F1B doodles have 75% Poodle blood, which means they are more likely to inherit the Poodle's hypoallergenic coat type. F1B generation (first cross with a Poodle parent and a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle parent) is more likely to be hypoallergenic. This is because F1B doodles have 75% Poodle blood, which means they are more likely to inherit the Poodle's hypoallergenic coat type.

Let's dive deeper into this topic.

Dog allergies are caused by the proteins found in their dander, saliva, and urine. Some dog breeds produce fewer of these allergens and are therefore often considered hypoallergenic. But it's important to understand that no dog is completely hypoallergenic. Even dogs with fewer allergens can still cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

The Poodle

The best-known 'hypoallergenic' dog breeds are the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle. These breeds are the result of crosses between Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Poodles. Without the Poodle, there sure is nothing hypoallergenic. Although they are often promoted as hypoallergenic options for people with allergies, there is no guarantee that they will not cause reactions. Furthermore, breeding Doodles involves serious risks.

Firstly, there is no guarantee of hypoallergenic properties with Doodles. The idea of hypoallergenic dogs is based on the fact that Poodles produce fewer allergens than other breeds. And the Poodle has been around for centuries. The people who now think that the arrival of the Doodles will finally allow them to purchase a dog could have always had a dog. However, most people do not want a Poodle because this breed has unfortunately fallen prey to an image problem. Poodles are often trimmed so frumpily that people think this is how it should be. This is also a myth. Now breeders have come up with the idea of crossing the Poodle with Labradors and Golden Retrievers, among others, because of these hypoallergenic properties. Unfortunately, breeding these Doodles increases the risk of genetic abnormalities because not all breeders perform the necessary genetic testing.

Let's take a look at the Poodle, the 'original' hypoallergenic breed. Although Poodles do indeed shed fewer allergens than some other breeds, and most Poodles live to a very happy and healthy old age, they are not immune to health problems. From atopy to diabetes, the Poodle is also at risk for a range of conditions that should not be ignored. Not every breeder is responsible, not even when breeding Doodles. Especially now that these dogs have become such hype under the guise of being "Hypoallergenic", many rogue breeders want to profit from this.

But let's also talk about the other half of the Golden Doodle to give an example of the possible risks of Doodle breeding. The Golden Retriever has a problem that should certainly not be ignored, but which is unfortunately often ignored. Overbreeding of Golden Retrievers has led to an increased risk of cancer in this breed. By consciously further reducing the gene pool, to consciously create a cross, this risk is only further increased. Add to that all the other health problems that already occurred with Golden Retrievers such as Spondylosis, and you understand that breeding at least the Golden Doodle entails quite a bit of risk.

Oh, They Are So Cute!

Breeding any Doodle carries more risks than most people realize. People often only think in terms of "Oh how nice, finally a hypoallergenic dog", or "But they are so cute". The first is not true, and in many cases of irresponsibly bred Doodles, the Doodle has not even inherited the hypoallergenic coat of the Poodle. So let's stop pursuing this myth and n instead appreciate the existing dog breeds. There are plenty, there is enough choices for everyone, even if you are allergic to dogs.

"Hypoallergenic Dogs"

The Poodle is of course the best example of this. But there are certainly more dogs that fall into the same category. There have always been dog breeds that people with allergies can often tolerate better. Simply because these breeds generally produce fewer allergens, or they possess traits that cause them to cause fewer allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

People who are allergic to dogs need to figure out what bothers them most, and depending on that, they can look for dogs that meet the conditions they need for their specific situation.

Less hair loss Some dog breeds lose less or no hair. This means fewer allergens end up in the air. Think of breeds such as the Poodle or the Portuguese Water Dog (already existed for a long time, but made famous by Obama). The Bouvier also falls into this group, just like the Lagotto Romagnolo.

Then there is a group of dogs that are known for Less sebum secretion Because these dogs produce less sebum, less dander is spread, and that in turn increases the chance that an allergic reaction will not be triggered. Breeds that produce/secrete less sebum include the Basenji or the Maltese.

Less saliva production: If you are talking about less saliva production then you can be sure you are not talking about the St. Bernard dog. LOL. What you can talk about includes the Bichon Frize or the Shih Tzu. Because these dogs have less saliva production, they also spread fewer allergens, which in turn may mean that you do not have an allergic reaction to such a dog.

Hypoallergenic coat structure This is something I saved for last because it is a special coat. There are also dog breeds with a coat that can be compared to human hair! A dog that has such a type of coat is the Irish Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. Because this coat can be compared to human hair, you can of course guess that it will retain and spread fewer allergens.

As you can see, there are plenty of dog breeds that have existed since ancient times that can still be suitable for people with allergies. So why do we consciously risk the health of dogs by crossing dogs to create something so-called new? The Hypoallergenic Dog. Why are we fooled by fashion trends and marketing tricks? That's what it is in my eyes. We would do better to take responsibility for the dogs we breed and adopt. We should strive for a world where all dogs can be healthy and happy, without the burden of our human illusions.

Hypoallergenic dogs do not exist.

The idea of hypoallergenic dogs seems like a smart move by some breeders to make money, but unfortunately, it's the dogs that pay the price.

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