I think Sheepadoodles are wonderful dogs, and that they would be a great dog to get. However, I am concerned about allergies, as I have a son who is allergic to dogs. I decided to research if Sheepadoodles are hypoallergenic and what can be done if they aren’t.
So, are Sheepadoodles hypoallergenic? Sheepadoodles are not hypoallergenic. They shed minimally but enough to cause problems for people with allergies. This breed can still be a good option for owners who have less severe allergies.
While they are not hypoallergenic, they could be called allergy-friendly and there are still ways to live with a Sheepadoodle, even if you or any of your family members have allergies.
Why Aren’t Sheepadoodles Hypoallergenic?
No dog can really be called 100% hypoallergenic. Allergies are typically caused by what is known as pet dander, which is the result of loose skin flakes, and they are usually carried by salive, fur, or any other thing that could come from a dog.
There’s not a breed of dog out there that doesn’t shed even a little, and dander will find a way to get loose. But there are some dog breeds that does that less than others.
Dogs that doesn’t shed as much also produce less dander, which is why some dogs can be called hypoallergenic because they do not shed much.
And it’s not just because Sheepadoodles have fairly long fur they can be a contributing factor to allergies, as the dander comes from skin and saliva, and so a Sheepadoodle can still trigger allergic reactions.
If you suffer from symptoms such as stuffy or runny noses, watery or itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, rashes or skin hives when around dogs or Sheepadoodles, then you are most likely allergic to them. You can also get certain tests done to determine what exactly you’re allergic to and how badly you are affected.
Even if you are allergic, it doesn’t necessarily mean that getting a Sheepadoodle is out of the question.
If your allergies are not severe, and you take some appropriate measures we’ll look at in a bit, you will easily be able to live with a dog that isn’t hypoallergenic, and you can have a great life with your fuzzy companion.
Guide for Allergy Sufferers Living With a Sheepadoodle
The first thing you must do is to figure out just how severe your allergies are, and you can do that by contacting a doctor or professional. It could also be helpful to ask a vet. If you’ve then determined or decided that you are able to handle it, look at the following ideas for making life with your Sheepadoodle a lot more manageable.
1. Keep Your SheepadoodleWell-Groomed
If any dog, including a Sheepadoodle, isn’t well-groomed, it is a lot more likely that dander will get loose. You know how gross it can feel if you’ve ever gone more than a couple days without washing or brushing your hair yourself, and it seems like your hair falls out a lot more. Keeping yourself well-groomed always feels much better and reduces hair loss.
This also applies to Doodles. By keeping them well-groomed, you can stay on top of their shedding, making the dander a lot easier to be controlled.
It’s recommended to brush your Sheepadoodle at least once a day. The more often you do it, the better it will be. Always give them a quick round with the brush if they’ve spent any time outside and have gotten dirty.
If you are the one who is allergic, it would be best to have another member of the family, who isn’t allergic, to brush the dog. Consider brushing the dog outside so that all the loose fur that results from brushing won’t get spread all around the house.
When it comes to bathing, it is good to do so at least once a month, if you don’t do it often enough, then you will run into the problems mentioned above.
But be careful because too much bathing can actually dry up your dog’s skin, and that only makes it release even more dander than usual, and it could be unhealthy, so you shouldn’t bathe your Sheepadoodle more than necessary.
Use hypoallergenic shampoos such as Earthbath Hypo-Allergenic when bathing your Sheepadoodle so that your allergic reactions won’t be as bad, or flare-up. Perhaps ask another person who isn’t allergic to bathe the dog could be a good idea as well.
Grooming is the most important step. If you’re not grooming properly, there really isn’t a point in doing anything else on this list.
In an attempt to reduce shedding or perhaps it’s just hot outside, you might be tempted to shave your Sheepadoodle. But while some people do this and it turns out decently, I would strongly recommend that you don’t do this.
A Sheepadoodles coat is meant to insulate it for the winter and summer, allowing it to be warm in the cold and cool when it’s hot. Shaving a Doodle will not only damage this insulation, but it will also make them a lot more susceptible to sunburn and other harm done by the sun.
If your Sheepadoodle is suffering from the heat, shaving the fur will only make it worse, so it’s infinitely better to just brush and groom your dog regularly and leave the scissors in the drawers.
2. Use Air Filters
When it comes to dealing with your Sheepadoodle allergies, air filters and cleaners are extremely helpful. When it comes to pet dander, a HEPA kind is normally recommended. These can not only catch dander, but any dust and dirt in the air also, and then filter it out to keep the air of your home pure and clean.
“Our 5-in-1 air filter system captures particles you can’t see, with a true HEPA filter that filters 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.”
-Amazon
You can also find dome vacuums that come with a HEPA filter, which can be helpful in two different ways, for vacuuming and cleaning the air around it.
When the air is clean a free of any pet dander, it will also be easier for your family to breathe inside, even if your Sheepadoodle spends most of its time in the house.
And while an air filter might not always get 100%, they can at least get really close to that, and will absolutely go a long way in helping you and your family in dealing with allergies and allow you to enjoy your Doodle even more.
3. Keep Some “Pet-Free” Areas in Your Home
This might not be possible, depending on how large your home is. But if you have enough rooms or areas in the home, you can make some of them off-limits to your Sheepadoodle.
Typically, people will choose rooms such as a bedroom or bathroom as such a zone. This will help in keeping the dander and fur away from these rooms in particular so that when anyone from your family enters one of them, they will be in a place to be free of their allergy symptoms.
If your Doodle can reign wherever he wants’ to, so will his dander. So having a sort of refuge from the dander can be a really good idea. This can also mean you end up sniffling and suffering all through the night because your bed is full of fur and dander.
Sheepadoodles are very intelligent, so it shouldn’t take all that long to teach one to stay away from certain rooms. A closed door and a bit of patience can go a long way. And the reward, in the end, will be so worth it when you have the possibility of escaping if the allergies ever get overwhelming.
4. Have “Pet-Specific” Clothing
Another thing you can do is to have a few outfits that you only wear when you’re around your dog.
If you’re suffering from allergies you most likely don’t want to have allergy-inducing pet dander on your clothes when going to work, this point can be a great idea. You should store your regular clothes in a location your dog can’t possibly reach and then store your “dog” clothes in a different location.
When you are home and playing with your Doodle, you can wear these clothes so that it’s only those and not everything else you own that has to get stuffed with dander.
A cheap and easy fix could also be to have a lint roller nearby, but this isn’t really a permanent solution.
Also, be careful not to wash your doggie-clothes together with your regular clothes, as by doing that you will only end up with fur everything. Always wash these clothes separately, or even better, bring them to a dry cleaner.
This method should stop you from constantly sneezing at work, and when you’re out doing anything else than being stuck at home, and that will obviously make your life go a lot easier!
5. Discard Your Carpets
This probably isn’t something that everybody has the chance to do, but if it is, it’s a highly recommended method.
A carpet is fantastic for getting pet dander stuck in it, and it could end up staying there forever as a simple vacuuming won’t be enough to pick up everything, you’d have to get a seriously powerful one to get just half of it. But if you have tile, wood, or some other type of non-carpet flooring it will make cleaning up the fur from your dog a lot easier.
My parents had cats when I was growing up, and my mother was allergic to them. When we changed our carpets to wooden floors, it made living in our house a lot more manageable for her.
We were finally able to sweep up the fur, and we could also vacuum it, and we got a lot more up than what we could when we had the carpet. It was also much easier to spot if we had missed any hairs.
When you have a harder and solid floor, the dander can’t get stuck in your house and end up looking like a highway full of tumbleweed.
If any of your furniture has a fuzzy surface, the same rule applies. Couch-covers and plastic wrappings are quick and cheap ways of making the fur, and also your allergies, much easier to deal with.
6. Use Medicine
For some people, having a clean house and clothes, and a well-groomed dog as well won’t suffice for them. Fortunately, we live in a world with very advanced modern medicine, some of which are able to help manage the allergy-symptoms.
Some of these medicines are able to treat symptoms such as a runny nose and itchy eyes, and for some people taking even a few pills can be enough.
As always before taking any medicine, you should consult with your doctor as a precaution. But medicine can in some cases be a great way to fight any symptoms and give some relief if it becomes unbearable. Just remember that it shouldn’t be a substitute for having a clean home and a well-groomed Doodle.
You could also consider getting some allergy shots, also known as immunotherapy, and these shots work by giving you a small dose of the allergy through a shot, beginning with once a week.
Eventually, this will spread as your body starts to build up an immunity to allergies. My mother tried this method to help with her cat allergy, and it allowed her to spend a lot more time with them and pet them more as a result.
Just remember that allergy shots might not work for everyone, but they are an option, so if you want to go that route, go ask a doctor to get started so that you can enjoy being with your Sheepadoodle even more.
7. Frequently Wash Your Hands
While this is probably the easiest thing to do, a lot of people don’t always take the needed time to do. You should know that after playing with a dog, a simple hand sanitizer might not always be enough.
Fully cleaning your hands with soap and warm water will go a long way to prevent any allergic reactions.
A Sheepadoodles’ fur and dander can quickly get everywhere so you should definitely wash your hands after petting or playing around with one, but you should also do it after vacuuming, sitting on the couch if there’s fur there, and basically, after any time you’ve done anything where there’s a risk that dander was present.
When you shower, you should also thoroughly rinse and scrub down as well. Some people take a quick shower after every time they interact with a pet, but that isn’t really necessary. Just be sure you’re up to date on your own grooming and you should be fine.
What Dogs’ Are Hypoallergenic Then?
If you are a person who is extremely sensitive to dog allergens and dander, then a Sheepadoodle might not be the best dog for you.
Instead, consider getting one of the following breeds as they are some of those that are referred to as hypoallergenic by The American Kennel Club:
- Afghan Hound
- American Hairless Terrier
- Bedlington Terrier
- Bichon Frise
- Chinese Crested
- Irish Water Spaniel
- Kerry Blue Terrier
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Maltese
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Peruvian Inca Orchid (Hairless)
- Poodles (Toy, Miniature, and Standard)
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Schnauzers (Miniature, Standard, and Giant)
- Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
- Spanish Water Dog
- Xoloitzcuintli.
But if your reaction is only pretty mild and you are willing to put in just a bit of extra effort to minimize the allergens, then a Sheepadoodle could very likely end up being your best friend.
Try to search on Facebook or something similar and see if you can find somebody in your area who owns a Sheepadoodle, and try to spend some time with it, if your symptoms don’t flare up then a Doodle will most likely work just fine for you.
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