Interesting Observation on Allergies

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I have been on Doodle Kisses almost as long as DK has been around.  My Lucy came home to us just about the same day DK launched.  In these 8 years I've read so many stories about allergies and sadly too many stories about Doodles being re-homed because of them.  We have heard that it is the hair, the dander, or the saliva that you can be allergic too.  We have heard that you might not be allergic to the puppy, but may be allergic to the adult doodle after the coat change.  We have heard they are hypoallergenic ... you name it we have heard it.  Well, here is my story to add to the pile.  As I said Lucy will be 8 this week.  I have an adult Niece Natalie (Emma's Mom since you have heard many Emma stories over the years).  Natalie has always had allergy problems going all the way back to Jr/Sr High School.  She got allergy shots as a teen though they have been somewhat controlled as an adult. Natalie while she isn't at our house all the time has been here many times in the last 8 years that Lucy has been here and the last 3 since we added AnnaBelle.  She has never had a single problem.  This past Saturday she came over and all of a sudden her eyes were running and itching and then she started sneezing and basically had to leave because it wouldn't stop.   About the time she started sneezing it occurred to me that the girls had been bringing her toys to throw and she had been playing fetch with both dogs bringing her toys.  I told her there is a possibility it is the saliva so maybe go wash her hands.  Then the sneezing started.  Long story short they have never bothered her before.  She has always petted them as they don't really give you the option not to, lol!  But never before have we encountered this problem.  So, I think what I'm taking away from this is if you have any sort of allergy problems there are absolutely no guarantees, none, zip, zilch, nada that you will be able to have a doodle. And even if it is ok for a few days, weeks, or years, there is a possibility it might become a problem.   This was a true eye opener for me.

[UggaMugga]

I lived with a lab for 13 years. She slept in my bed. I never thought I had a dog allergy. Low and behold I'm allergic to almost all dogs including mildly to my new doodle. Seems to be localized to some eye irritation. I need to be better about hand washing. Zyrtec works.
My toddler lived with the same dog for 2 years and 3 months. She would go to bed covered in dog hair. I'm not the best housekeeper and those dogs shed. She also is mildly allergic to dogs. She gets hives with saliva.
What I have discovered is the allergens differ within even dogs of the same breed.
We took a huge roll of the dice getting a new pet. We rationalized the 100s of benefit dogs bring to our lives were worth it. Allergies can get better or worse with more exposure.