# Our hypoallergenic dog is making us allergic



## rsherid (Feb 23, 2010)

Last week my girlfriend and I got a wonderful little Shorkie (shih tzu/yorkie mix) from a local pet shop (a local favorite, not one of those puppy mill pet shops in the mall). We went with this puppy because the store told us he was hypoallergenic. I previously had a yorkie-poo and was fine with him.

Well, one week later and I'm having a terrible reaction to him. My chest gets heavy and my nose gets stuffy. My girlfriend has also complained a little about her allergies. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be able to keep him. Worse, the pet shop apparently doesn't give back cash refunds.

Has anyone ever had similar problems? What did you do? Has your breeder/store made exceptions for refunds if they lied to you?


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## Taz Monkey (Sep 2, 2007)

sorry, pet shops get their dogs from puppy mills. So if they told you they didn't, there was their first lie. Most people are allergic to dander, NOT hair or fur or whatever. Even hairless dogs produce dander. My suggestion is take some allergy meds and suck it up, or find it a home where the people would be willing to keep it FOREVER, not just a week.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Well, sorry to tell you now, but no dogs are hypoallergenic. They don't have to be in a mall to buy from puppy mills, either. Of course they would tell you he was hypoallergenic. They only want to make a sale.

Are you planning on returning him? Or is there a way you can be treated to relieve your allergies (I don't know if you have tried any thing, so I just thought I'd see!). I guess returns would depend on your contract and how ethical the place is about honoring them.


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## rsherid (Feb 23, 2010)

Surely there are dogs bred for people with allergies, though. Shorkies are on that list of hypoallergenic dogs, along with yorkie-poos, so it made sense we went with the breed. However, how was I supposed to know we'd both have these reactions?

i've taken some medicine, but it doesn't help much. If it's the dander we're allergic to, how do I treat it? We've already given him a few baths and brushed him.


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## Taz Monkey (Sep 2, 2007)

There are no truly allergen free dogs. Just some dogs that will aggravate your allergies less than others. I will tell you though that my boyfriend, who is deathly allergic to cats, and has allergy induced asthma, lives with 10 cats. You can barely tell he's allergic now. It took about 6 months of living with them before he was used to them, but it did happen. And his was severe. He had several asthma attacks in the first few months of living with me. Petco has allergy wipes that you can use, and baths are probably good. I would avoid over brushing because I think that would just stir up the dander and hair.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

rsherid said:


> Surely there are dogs bred for people with allergies, though. Shorkies are on that list of hypoallergenic dogs, along with yorkie-poos, so it made sense we went with the breed. However, how was I supposed to know we'd both have these reactions?
> 
> i've taken some medicine, but it doesn't help much. If it's the dander we're allergic to, how do I treat it? We've already given him a few baths and brushed him.


With mixes you never really know for sure, unfortunately. A LOT of breeds are marketed as 'hypoallrgenic" but they really aren't. The best bet for allergy sufferers imo is to go with a purebred (which yorkiepoos and shorkies are not) and spend as much time around the breeder's dogs as possible before purchasing anything. It really depends on the individual's allergies and if you're allergic to saliva or dander.

Maybe you could find a new home for the current dog and spend a lot of time researching other breeds. Or you could find a yorkie or small dog rescue to take him in.


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## Taz Monkey (Sep 2, 2007)

how much did you pay for him? You could possibly get some back, but the downside to that is that some fairly dodgy people scan Craigslist and the newspapers for dogs. Where are you located?


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## Katzyn (Mar 22, 2007)

This is why people need to research, research, and then research some more before bringing home a new animal of ANY kind. There is so much un-truth in your first post, and it's really sad to see, for both your family and the dog, because it's all based on misconceptions and misunderstandings. =(

Just about ALL pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills.

There are no true "non-allergen" dogs.

"Yorkie-poos" and "shorkies" are not breeds, those are mixed breeds, aka, "mutts". The same thing you could find in a shelter, for much less money.

I agree - try to find the pup a new home (charge a rehoming fee, if you must get some money back, since the pet store sucks and won't give your money back...), and do more research before deciding on another dog, then spend time with the dog of your choice, don't take it home just because you think it might work out.

I wish you all the best. Sorry you got sucked in by the bad pet stores, as so many people get. =/


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## sablegsd (Jan 24, 2010)

Oh for pete's sake. Why didn't you do some research BEFORE you bought a puppymill mutt? 
What list? Some list at the store that lies about where they get their mutts?


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## luv2byte (Oct 21, 2009)

I am very allergic to cats, I own 2. When we got them as kittens the first 6mo were rough but after that I built up immunity to them. In 22yrs we've had 5 cats, same thing w all of them. My allergy was so bad I did go through desensitization allergy shots for a few years but it didn't help much w my cat allergy. I made the choice to adopt knowing I was allergic, I also know there is allergy meds on the market that help & that in time I would build immunity to our cats. To me benefit of having them is worth the annoyance of my allergies. Also, I'm not one to adopt then give up a pet for what I consider minor reasons.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

rsherid said:


> Surely there are dogs bred for people with allergies, though. Shorkies are on that list of hypoallergenic dogs, along with yorkie-poos, so it made sense we went with the breed. However, how was I supposed to know we'd both have these reactions?
> 
> i've taken some medicine, but it doesn't help much. If it's the dander we're allergic to, how do I treat it? We've already given him a few baths and brushed him.


Mixing a random breed with a Poodle does not magically make the puppies 'hypoallergenic'. This ridiculous belief that making a squillion different kinds of 'Poo' mixes magically creates allergen-free dogs is the biggest scam ever. Even among generally 'low allergen' breeds, an individual dog might trigger allergies in a person while other individuals won't.

Giving *weekly* thorough baths (with appropriate shampoo and conditioner) and *daily* brushing _might_ help reduce your issues over time. It's worth a try, anyway.


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## KaseyT (May 7, 2008)

You might be allergic to saliva, not dander. In any case, this post has a Bravo Serra ring to it.


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I've only known of one pet store in my life that didn't gets its dogs from a puppy mill -- it was a tiny family-run place and I know for certain that they took pups from local farms (accidental litters), treated them for fleas and worms, and sold them for around $75 each. They rarely had the same mixes twice and never purebreds, and they had only one litter at a time and took the pups home with them at night. They could tell you where they got the pups and even showed me pics of my malamute/collie with his mom. Every other pet store I've been in, no matter what they claimed, has gotten their pups from puppy mills. Just go back to yours and try asking for the name and number of that "shorkie's" "breeders" -- I can almost guarantee that you're not going to get one smidgen of information from the pet shop owners.

If you don't want to deal with the allergies, re-home the dog -- but please avoid Craigslist and the like if you can. Like Taz Monkey said, some pretty dodgy people watch Craigslist and do things like purchase "designer dogs" and then flip them for twice the price. Try to find a local yorkie, shih tzu or small dog rescue, or as a last resort, take the dog to your local shelter. A cute little mix should get a new home fairly quickly, at least.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

KaseyT said:


> You might be allergic to saliva, not dander.


Isn't "dander" just dried saliva on the fur? That's what I always thought anyway.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

Willowy said:


> Isn't "dander" just dried saliva on the fur? That's what I always thought anyway.


Dander is skin particles. Think 'Dandruff'  


If your allergies don't improve after trying the things that others suggested, I wouldn't take him back to the pet store. Find him a good home with someone else who will be able to give him a loving forever home. If you can't find someone, you could take him to your local shelter, have them put him on their adoptable pet list, and then ask to take him home and foster him until they are able to find a good home for him. We have people do this all the time when they know they are going to have to give up a pet, but don't want to leave it at the shelter. Shelters are generally petty good at insuring they go to a good home. We usually have several applications for adoption out on a dog before deciding who they will be going home with. It may be disappointing for the others who wanted to adopt said dog, but it's better for the dog.


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

sablegsd said:


> Oh for pete's sake. Why didn't you do some research BEFORE you bought a puppymill mutt?
> What list? Some list at the store that lies about where they get their mutts?


SOME people have no taste in how to respond to a post, also not ALL pet stores carry puppy mill pups and I know in my area this is true, believe me if they were all sick, bad puppies this pet store would be shut down since this area is quite small and there would be way too many complaints. For example: 2 people breed their dogs, both CKC and AKC registered figuring these pups will go well but unfortunately they aren't able to sell them all, they decide to see if the pet store will take them and they did. They posted pictures of both parents and the people to contact for questions. The only thing about it is your being ripped off money but it's amazing what people will pay for a pet store and not from the people that bred them. I'm sure these people will not breed their dogs again.
That's one happy story unfortunately not all pet stores are run that way but it's not fair to bash ALL of them


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

dakotajo said:


> SOME people have no taste in how to respond to a post, also not ALL pet stores carry puppy mill pups and I know in my area this is true, believe me if they were all sick, bad puppies this pet store would be shut down since this area is quite small and there would be way too many complaints. For example: 2 people breed their dogs, both CKC and AKC registered figuring these pups will go well but unfortunately they aren't able to sell them all, they decide to see if the pet store will take them and they did.


Responsible breeders don't do this. Responsible breeders care what happens to ALL of their dogs and make all new owners sign a contract stating that they will spay/neuter a pet quality dog and return the dog if they can't keep it for any reason. The couple you're talking about sound like backyard breeders -- people who decided to breed their dogs because they are registered (which does NOT mean "breeding quality") and "cute." When they didn't make money like they wanted, they gave the pups to a pet store to sell. That's better than a puppy mill, but still irresponsible and not something I would like to encourage by giving them my money. 

Also, there was a horrible pet store in a small city near me that sold sick puppy mill/BYB puppies (many of whom died of parvo within days of going home with their families) for 15 YEARS. (Another news story said he had deals with "over 125 breeders across the Maritimes.") Even after recent news stories made people in adjacent provinces aware of all of this, people still bought from this guy and had their puppies die. He was finally driven out of business and is being charged with animal cruelty, which is awesome, but this is after selling literally thousands of puppy mill/BYB dogs. A few complaints won't get a place shut down, especially in Canada. We really suck when it comes to animal cruelty laws.


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## meghf (Jul 12, 2009)

Like the others have said, there's no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog. All dogs shed although some more than others. My standard poodle sheds although it's hardly noticeable at all. And like the others have said, there's still the dander issue. I have horrible allergies (to cats, dogs, rodents, trees, pollen, etc) and I notice that I'm more allergic to my "hypoallergenic" dog as he starts needing another bath. I'm not sure if it's the outside allergens that he's bringing in on his coat or if it's the dander and he needs a bath. So baths are good. 

Whenever anybody with allergies asks me about the "hypoallergenic" breeds I always suggest they spend some time with the breed they're interested in BEFORE committing to buying. Everybody reacts differently. While I'm not terribly reactive to my poodle I did have a reaction to my friend's yorkie. So it differs by breed too.

As for medicine, I take Claritin daily and there are other prescription allergy meds you could probably get your doctor to prescribe. In high school I did allergy shots to help with my allergies to my family's two cats and it did help, so that's always an option. If none of these work and you have to rehome the dog, good luck and please take the time to find a good home for him. I'm sorry you'll lose money but that's life I guess.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

dakotajo said:


> SOME people have no taste in how to respond to a post, also not ALL pet stores carry puppy mill pups and I know in my area this is true, believe me if they were all sick, bad puppies this pet store would be shut down since this area is quite small and there would be way too many complaints. For example: 2 people breed their dogs, both CKC and AKC registered figuring these pups will go well but unfortunately they aren't able to sell them all, they decide to see if the pet store will take them and they did. They posted pictures of both parents and the people to contact for questions. The only thing about it is your being ripped off money but it's amazing what people will pay for a pet store and not from the people that bred them. I'm sure these people will not breed their dogs again.
> That's one happy story unfortunately not all pet stores are run that way but it's not fair to bash ALL of them


The posts like those you just have to learn to ignore. There are lots of helpful answers from this forum, and lots of not so helpful knee jerk reactions. I've had them, too. 

You'd be very hard pressed to find a pet store that doesn't buy pups from mills. I'd be hard pressed to believe they even exist at all. The reason your example doesn't work is because no breeder would do that. Not to mention AKC/CKC has nothing to do with any thing, because I have a BYB dog that is AKC registered. I am not a breeder, but from what I have learned litters and planned and homes are planned in advanced. And if some "just don't sell" the breeder takes responsibility for them and they stay with them until a home is found. I personally would not purchase a pup from a breeder who sold to pet stores, either.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

dakotajo said:


> SOME people have no taste in how to respond to a post, also not ALL pet stores carry puppy mill pups


Where do the dogs come from? Reputable breeders do not sell to pet stores


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## GypsyJazmine (Nov 27, 2009)

InkedMarie said:


> Where do the dogs come from? Reputable breeders do not sell to pet stores


They might not come from a puppy mill per say but 100% of pet store pups come from irresponsible breeders.


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## AnimalCrazy20 (Jul 15, 2009)

Most pet stores I believe, do sell puppy mills pups, which is sad. But in my area people who've had an accidental litter can take their pups to the pet store and they will sell them. Although I've only seen it a couple times. Unfortunately you got scammed by the pet store.

I'm allergic to pet dander aswell and I take Benadryl ( however it's spelled) and I vacuum everyday just to tolerate my cats. Before you got this Pup you should have done ALOT of research before. I agree with everyone else on this. Most pet stores sell puppy mill pups and you should have done your homework before even bringing an animal into your home, because now, if you re-home the dog, it will probably have been through 3-4 places in such a short time. ( Puppy-Mill to the Pet Store, from the pet store to your place, and from your place to his new and hopefully forever home)


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## Purplex15 (May 28, 2007)

> Where do the dogs come from? Reputable breeders do not sell to pet stores


The only places i know that sell puppies/dogs that i know dont come from puppy mills, are not what i would consider pet stores (at least not in the typical sense). There is a place in my county (a feed store), that is owned by a man who every week goes to Kern County AS (a high kill shelter about 2 hours from him), takes as many as he can, and then adopts them out at the store for the same price he paid for the adoption. He has a vet that does low cost shots/spay/neuter for people who get dogs from him. He also does home visits, checks references, and makes people sign a contract stating they will give the dog back to him if it does not work out. That is the only store i have ever heard of that sells dogs that dont come from puppymills.

I actually worked for a petstore for 1 shift (thats all i could take). i wrote down some of the random breed names/numbers that were on the pens the dogs were in. not one of them came from a good breeder, and not one inspection i read had good results (some where down right shocking to read, yet they still passed and were able to continue producing puppies). 



> However, how was I supposed to know we'd both have these reactions?


by doing the research before purchasing a dog. If you had, yourd know all the things people are telling you, as well as the issues surrounding buying a pup at a pet store. I cant offer any more advice other than whats already been given. but you seem to think that you could have never seen this coming, when all of us knew exactly what this post was about just by reading the title.


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

GypsyJazmine said:


> They might not come from a puppy mill per say but 100% of pet store pups come from irresponsible breeders.


I do agree with this and I'm assuming these people will not breed the dogs again. I don't think they looked into the breeding aspect of it all but considering people who have have bought the pups from the pet store after can contact the original owners of the pups is a little better peace of mind.
We all make mistakes at times and can only learn from them


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## KaseyT (May 7, 2008)

rsherid said:


> Surely there are dogs bred for people with allergies, though. Shorkies are on that list of hypoallergenic dogs, along with yorkie-poos, so it made sense we went with the breed. However, how was I supposed to know we'd both have these reactions?
> 
> i've taken some medicine, but it doesn't help much. If it's the dander we're allergic to, how do I treat it? We've already given him a few baths and brushed him.


Dogs with hair tend to produces about 20 times less dander the than dogs with fur, but they still produce some dander.

Both shih tzu's and yorkies have hair, so their cross will have hair. However, even though hair dogs generally produce much less dander than fur dogs, there is going to be a some variation. Dry skin, allergies, and random differences in skin makeup all will effect the amount of dander produced. You could simply be sensitive to this particulars dog or mixes dander. 

Regardless, most people with dander allergies will have no problem with this mix.

When you bought the dog, you very likely signed a contract saying explicitly you could not return the dog for a refund due to allergies.


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

This is interesting, in my grooming books I read that dogs have hair and cats have fur


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## KaseyT (May 7, 2008)

dakotajo said:


> This is interesting, in my grooming books I read that dogs have hair and cats have fur


You grooming book didn't explain the difference between the hair of poodles, yorkies, wheatens, etc. which grows continuously and can be cut short, much like human hair, and fur which grows to a specific length, sheds seasonally or regularly, sometimes includes an undercoat, normally should not be cut, etc. ?


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

No it didn't and I'm starting to think I'm paying too much money for course I have to take online since the closest grooming school is 3 hours away. I won't mention the name of the place out of respect and to not slander their name. I've gotten more information on here and in other books than I have had in all the modules they have sent me. It is not worth the $900.00 I have paid!!

I should mention I know about undercoat and that but not any specifics about breeds that the hair continually grows or the breeds that don't plus about the hair and fur thing


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## Bones (Sep 11, 2009)

Get a HEPA air-filter unit- I am severely allergic to cats (but I have 2 now) and do great as long I have my air-filter turned on. I'm also on Zyrtec daily which helps too. When I originally moved down I stayed at my grandmothers house for two weeks- I could NOT BREATH. She has like a bajillion cats- I went out and got a Holmes True-Hepa air filter unit and within half a day I noticed the difference and ended up surviving the ordeal


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

GypsyJazmine said:


> They might not come from a puppy mill per say but 100% of pet store pups come from irresponsible breeders.


I know this, I was responding to dakotajo who said "not all pet stores carry puppy mill pups"...if not from a mill, surely from a byb'er or the like. That's why I asked where he/she thinks they come from!


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## spanielorbust (Jan 3, 2009)

Kasey, I've always got a bit lost on the fur/hair sutff. With an asthmatic son and husband we found no dog was better or worse, including a Husky, as dogs weren't part of their allergy difficulties (cats are though).

A Shih Tsu has an undercoat, but as well a continuously growing coat as do the Lhasa Apso and Havanese. Most of the Bichon breeds have an undercoat as well I understand. 

Poodles, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese Dogs and only a few other breeds have that continuously growing coat and as well do not have an undercoat.

Then there are the shedding breeds that do not have an undercoat - Papillon, Cavalier, Brittany Spaniel and some others. 

Is it the continously growing coat that is considered hair - even with the undercoat, or is it the single coated breeds that are considered to have hair - even if their coat does break off (shed)?

SOB


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## Darla Giselle (Feb 19, 2010)

sablegsd said:


> Oh for pete's sake. Why didn't you do some research BEFORE you bought a puppymill mutt?
> What list? Some list at the store that lies about where they get their mutts?


I deff. agree with everybodys post in this thread, but especially this one. WHY didn't you research first???? Of course the pet store is going to lie to you, they don't care about you, they just care about your money hun. If I had a penny for everytime a pet shop told me me they didn't get there puppies from mills but someplace else, I'd be a millionair!!!! Or do you think they'd get any sales if they just flat out told the customers, 'Oh, yea, of course we get these puppies from puppymills!' 
And let's think rationally here, farms have farming dogs(ie. Shepards) to help with the cattle, gaurding, ect. Why would they have/need a small dog? So it can get accidently stepped on or crushed by a tractor?? Little dogs are not outdoor country dogs, most are in the apartments of cities. Most puppymills are FARMS. Most, by law, are registered with the USDA(United States Deparment of Agriculture) 
I doubt they will give you your money back but you should go try. If you still insist on having a dog, let me know and I will help you find a good breeder.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

spanielorbust said:


> Kasey, I've always got a bit lost on the fur/hair sutff. With an asthmatic son and husband we found no dog was better or worse, including a Husky, as dogs weren't part of their allergy difficulties (cats are though).
> 
> A Shih Tsu has an undercoat, but as well a continuously growing coat as do the Lhasa Apso and Havanese. Most of the Bichon breeds have an undercoat as well I understand.
> 
> ...


I am far from an expert on this but I know papillons, cavs and the other single coated spaniel types are considered to be 'fur' breeds. It may be wrong but I've always thought of the hair breeds being the ones that need professional grooming, so therefore continuously growing hair.

I would really like to learn more about what constitutes a good breed for allergy sufferers. From my understanding it really didn't have to do so much with shedding but the amount of dander?

It is very interesting. A friend of mine has very severe allergies and was looking into a lot of the low allergen breeds. Several of them still triggered her allergies very badly and the only breed that really seems to work for her is bichons.


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## meghf (Jul 12, 2009)

Laurelin- 

I think it really is a case by case basis on what breeds are best but in my experiences (I can't even begin to explain how awful my allergies are) I tend to do best with poodles and bichons. i wonder if it has to do with the curly coat. I don't know. The straight hair "hypoallergenic" breeds still cause a reaction for me. My friend's yorkie was an issue, a shih tzu was an issue, maltese was an issue. The reaction isn't nearly as bad as with a lab or golden (or cat) but it's still there. In talking to other allergy sufferers they have experienced the same (bichons and poodles were best).


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## GypsyJazmine (Nov 27, 2009)

InkedMarie said:


> I know this, I was responding to dakotajo who said "not all pet stores carry puppy mill pups"...if not from a mill, surely from a byb'er or the like. That's why I asked where he/she thinks they come from!


I was agreeing with you.


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## misty073 (Mar 31, 2009)

And here is a perfect example of how a new member can post a question and be jumped all over  The post is two pages long and the OP hasnt posted since the begining of the first page. Not everyone out in the real world is a dog expert and its sad that some get chased away before they get a chance to learn more (Hopefully the OP will stick around)


Edited to add* There is some great info here about fur and allergies, but some people can be kinda rude to a new member


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## Dog-Training-Outlet (Feb 24, 2010)

The pet dander is likely the culprit, not much you can do about that. You could try allergy meds but I'm not a fan of taking meds you can otherwise do without. Find a new loving home for your pup.


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## dakotajo (Jan 29, 2009)

dakotajo said:


> I do agree with this and I'm assuming these people will not breed the dogs again. I don't think they looked into the breeding aspect of it all but considering people who have have bought the pups from the pet store after can contact the original owners of the pups is a little better peace of mind.
> We all make mistakes at times and can only learn from them



obviously some people never bothered reading this


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## sablegsd (Jan 24, 2010)

misty073 said:


> And here is a perfect example of how a new member can post a question and be jumped all over  The post is two pages long and the OP hasnt posted since the begining of the first page. Not everyone out in the real world is a dog expert and its sad that some get chased away before they get a chance to learn more (Hopefully the OP will stick around)
> 
> 
> Edited to add* There is some great info here about fur and allergies, but some people can be kinda rude to a new member


pshaw

They found this site, didn't they? I think some people post to get a reaction, they don't care what you have to say. Even a tiny bit of research would have given reams of info about puppymills, designer breeds, etc. But yet they found this site, after the fact. If someone is that thin skinned, they should not be asking for advice from strangers on the internet.


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## misty073 (Mar 31, 2009)

sablegsd said:


> pshaw
> 
> They found this site, didn't they? I think some people post to get a reaction, they don't care what you have to say. Even a tiny bit of research would have given reams of info about puppymills, designer breeds, etc. But yet they found this site, after the fact. If someone is that thin skinned, they should not be asking for advice from strangers on the internet.



So why respond then if you think someone is posting to get a reaction? The op was asking about other peoples experiences and some advice...not to be attacked for assuming their petstore was different. I spend alot of time on the internet researching things and I didnt know how bad (or where they came from) pet store puppies and kittens were until I came here or about designer breeds...even though we had one . Alot of times people end up here in their research of things, I know I did and I am glad I wasnt treated bad for asking something I "should have known about" before getting our puppy. I was looking to see how many sets of shots my new (at the time) puppy needed.

There were (IMO) alot of helpful posts and people explained the whole puppy mill thing nice. But some I felt were jumping all over the OP.


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## crzy_brunette77 (May 19, 2009)

I'm allergic to dogs but I do fine with my Yorkie. He was a rescue, but the woman who rescued him was a friend. I spent a lot of time hanging out at her place with Sam's parents and his siblings before I commited to taking him home to make sure my allergies would be okay. I only get an issue when he licks my inner arms or neck (hives) or if he hasn't had a bath in a long time. I would suggest the air filter and allergy pills like Allegra. Bathing weekly with allergen reducing gentle shampoos may help. Brushing should be done outside the house or in the basement or an area where you don't spend much time so the dander doesn't get everywhere. Also, don't let the dog onto any furniture that absorbs dander, since it'll make you allergic to your furniture.

However, if your allergies are severe, then rehoming the dog may be best. You will be miserable with allergies and I don't think you can really give your dog all he needs if you're always sniffling and sneezing and horribly uncomfortable when there around.


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## rsherid (Feb 23, 2010)

Thanks all for your advice. We're gonna keep him. After all, I don't think there's any way we could ever give him up. It absolutely is his dander. We may try a different kind of food.

He has his first vet visit this Friday.


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## upendi'smommy (Nov 12, 2008)

I'm too lazy to read all the pages at the moment, but if you're sure it's the dander one thing that might help is vacuum, vacuum, vacuum, and vacuum some more.


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