You want a dog for a companion, but every time you get near one you start sneezing. Your eyes water. You break into a rash. Your doctor told you that you’re allergic to dog dander. And if you cannot stand a dog, don't get a cat!

But perhaps you don’t have to live without those puppy-dog eyes and that wagging tail, or that cute little kitten. While there is no perfect dog for people with allergies, vets, and pet owners say there are breeds less likely to cause that sneezing fit you dread so much:

They include the Basenji, the Bedlington Terrier, the Poodle, the Bichon Frise, the Portuguese water dog, the Chinese Crested, the Irish Water Spaniel, the Kerry Blue Terrier, the Schnauzers and the Soft coated Wheaten Terrier.

Allergies are associated with the dander produced by the dog and not the dog himself nor the dog hair. Dander is the dry skin that flakes off, floats through the air and induces the classics signs of allergy.

There are some common sense things to do that reduce dander exposure, do not sleep with the dogs, and try to have just hardwood flooring wherever possible – carpet tends to harbour pet dander and makes it hard to remove. You can have HEPA air cleaners in the house to reduce the mold, pollen and dander level. Vacuum the house regularly with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner. Wash your dog twice a month to remove dander. Wash all the dog bedding and toys regularly.

Pet allergies can strike anyone at any age in their life. Most people that suffer from pet allergies often have other mild or moderate allergies to pollens or molds. There is believed to be a strong genetic correlation in contracting allergies. In other words, if your parents have allergies, then you are likely to have them also.

a realistic option the majority of the time. The same holds true for telling people that are allergic to animals to just avoid them.