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Being an allergy sufferer and a dog lover means you either can never own a dog or must carefully consider the particular dog you bring into your home.
If you are hoping to adopt a Pit Bull and are crossing your fingers that you can live with one, it might be doable, but unfortunately, Pit Bulls are not considered hypoallergenic. In fact, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog breed.
However, as an allergy sufferer, you can take a few steps to make living with a dog more achievable. We’ve also included low-shedding breeds that some consider to be better options for you and your family.
What Causes People to Be Allergic to Animals?
It’s common for people to think that animal allergies are triggered by fur. That’s partly true because fur carries some proteins (allergens) secreted by the dogs’ bodies that cause allergies. However, these proteins are also produced in dander, saliva, and urine.
Dander (dead skin cells) is one of the worst culprits, and this is where the confusion with the hair comes in. Dander also floats through your home, landing on all kinds of surfaces. It’s also small, so it can stay airborne for long periods and eventually find its way into your lungs and eyes. The proteins in the dander trigger your immune system, which causes wheezing, itching, and sneezing symptoms.
Why Are Pit Bulls Not Hypoallergenic?
Pit Bulls have short hair, so you might think that would make them less allergenic. But it’s more about the presence of the dander. Pit Bulls might not have long hair, but they still produce dander.
Their shedding doubles during spring and fall, though Pit Bulls are considered light shedders for most of the year.
What Makes Some Dogs Hypoallergenic?
There is no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic dog. Every dog, even the hairless ones, produces allergens in hair, dander, saliva, and urine. There are at least seven types of dog allergens, the most studied being Can f1 and Can f2. Each person’s allergy is different, and they can react to specific allergens differently. Moreover, the amount and type of allergens each dog produces are different, which means some dogs may trigger more or less allergy symptoms than others.
Why Do Dogs Shed So Much in the Spring and Fall?
Once spring starts to approach, dogs shed their heavy winter coats and grow light coats for the hot summer months. Then, in autumn, when the weather starts to grow colder, they shed their summer coat to make room for the warm winter coat.
Pit Bulls need regular grooming throughout the year, but they should be brushed daily during the spring and fall, which can help remove excess hair. If possible, groom them outside to prevent dander from spreading inside your home.
What Can You Do to Make It Possible to Live With a Pit Bull?
It depends on how bad your allergies are and how willing you are to take all possible measures to reduce the allergen load in your home. If you or any of your family members have severe allergies, living with a dog might not be possible, but that is something that you can discuss with your doctor.
If your allergies are mild and you really want to bring a Pit Bull into your home, you can try the following tips to lessen your discomfort. Just remember that any cleaning, grooming, or bathing should be done, ideally, by a non-allergy sufferer. If that is impossible, you should wear a disposable facial mask and wash your hands thoroughly afterward.
Bathing Your Pit Bull
Most dogs only need a bath every 6 to 8 weeks or when dirty and stinky. You can give your Pit Bull more frequent baths to reduce the allergen load.
The only problem with this is frequent baths can dry the dog’s skin. Speak to a vet about the best products to use and avoid using human shampoo. Alternatively, you can use wipes and a leave-in conditioner.
Although no dog is completely hypoallergenic, regular bathing can help reduce the amount of dander and other allergens in their fur and the air. We highly recommend Hepper's Oatmeal Pet Shampoo for this job!
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Barring Your Bedroom
It will be difficult to ban your dog from every room where you spend time, but keeping them away from your bedroom is vital. Having at least one dog-free room is ideal so that airborne dog allergen levels drop to a minimum.
Since you spend much of your life sleeping in your bedroom, you should get a good night’s sleep. This will be hard to do if you’re sneezing. So, it’s best to keep your bedroom off-limits to your dog.
Using HEPA Air Filters
HEPA air filters are great at removing allergens from the air. They can remove up to 99.7% of particles, including dander, so you can reap the benefits by placing HEPA air purifiers around your home and changing the AC filters monthly. You should also pick up a good vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
Cleaning Frequently
This is where your HEPA vacuum will come in handy. Living with a dog when you have allergies includes doing a great deal of cleaning. When shopping for a vacuum, aim for one with a HEPA filter designed to remove pet hair.
You’ll want to vacuum at least twice a week. When possible, replace carpets with smooth flooring (wood, tile, linoleum) since carpets are the primary reservoir of allergens in the house. You’ll need to vacuum practically everything, including carpets, upholstery, and curtains, and focus on areas where your Pit Bull tends to spend most of their time, like the dog bed.
Also, dust with a damp cloth on every surface, including the walls. The more cleaning you do, the fewer allergens will be in your environment.
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Providing High-Quality Dog Food
High-quality food keeps Pit Bulls healthy, including their skin and fur. The drier the skin, the more flaking you’ll see. Dog food with adequate amounts of omega fatty acids can keep your Pit Bull’s skin and coat healthy. If you believe that your dog has skin issues, contact a vet for an examination.
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Speaking to a Professional
If you haven’t seen an allergy specialist yet, this could be the best way to determine if your allergies are triggered by dogs. You might discover that it is something else in your environment.
You may want to consider allergy shots, which can temporarily reduce your symptoms. However, it usually takes several months or more to develop a tolerance. There are also the usual nasal sprays and antihistamines.
Low-Shedding Breeds
Living with a shedding dog is challenging, particularly with all the cleaning that you’ll need to do. However, some breeds don’t shed much and are relatively easy to live with.
- Basenji: These unique dogs require a great deal of exercise but have short, smooth, low-shedding coats.
- Bichon Frise: Bichons are low-shedding pups, but since their hair constantly grows, they require significant grooming.
- Chinese Crested: These dogs can have two coats: powderpuff and hairless. Powderpuff has a short undercoat and requires daily brushing.
- Havanese: Havanese are low shedders because they have silky coats. They can be corded or shaved down to reduce brushing.
- Irish Water Spaniel: This breed has a water-repellent double coat that only needs brushing every few weeks.
- Poodle: The Poodle is considered by some to be a hypoallergenic breed. Their curly coats are low shedding but require a fair amount of grooming.
- Shih Tzu: They have low-shedding, double coats but require regular grooming.
- Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier: They have a soft and silky coat that needs a fair amount of grooming.
Conclusion
One way or another, dogs are a great deal of work, particularly if you have allergies. If you bring a Pit Bull home, you must be prepared for regular cleaning. You can speak to your doctor if you have allergies so that they can help you find the best way possible to keep them under control.
If you decide that the Pit Bull is the dog for you, regardless of the cleaning, you won’t regret it. These highly energetic and loving dogs are worth a try if you can cope well and manage to live happily in their company.
- You may also be interested in: When Do Puppies’ Eyes Change Color? What You Need To Know
Featured Image Credit: Diego Thomazini, Shutterstock
