dcamarote

Mollie's mom, I had a Westie many years ago. He lived to be 13 and his name was Winter's Little Fellow but we called him TOTO for short. They are great little dogs. I still miss him.

MaggieLou

I agree with Sunnie. Make sure you go to a reliable breeder. Don't, I repeat don't, buy from a pet store. I did that one time and it was the worst mistake I've ever made with a dog. A lot of pet stores buy from puppy mills and you don't know what you're getting. If you can visit the breeder, you can see the conditions there and make a decision if it's one you want to deal with.

jeaninmaine

When you buy from the breeder you can also see the parents of the dog and have a really good idea of what it's going to turn out like. Plus it's more likely to be housebroken. Puppy mills breed the dogs so often that they develop health problems.

Kirie

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/0...ergy-free-dog/

There is no such thing as alergy free dog (I'm a biologist; immunologist to be more precise - and allergies are immunological reactions of your organism). The allergens (a special kind of protein) are in the skin and the saliva. Allergy free species may be produced only in laboratory (I think in Japan there were some allergy free cats breeded once), couse you have to change the DNA of the animal to get rid of this special protein from the organism (I will not go into details).
Humans also very often get used to the allergens around them and it may happened that you will not be allergic on your own dog, but have simptoms with any other dog you will meet.

Allergy free cat/dog breeds are a myth.

BuzzinBumble

My sympathy goes out to you on the loss of your beloved dog and I wish you the best in your search. I know just how you feel about missing that wiggly butt greeting at the door!

We have three dogs of various allergy inducing degrees. I am allergic to dog dander, but cannot do without dogs in my life.
Our Silky Terrier Penny, whom we adopted from a rescue, does not bother my allergies at all. Not even a little. And she does not shed one bit either. Her hair is quite easy to keep trimmed in a puppy cut and I do it with scissors myself (clippers do not work on her)
Our little Schnauzer / Yorkie mix Pip is rescued from a puppy mill that was mass producing designer dogs which the humane society shut down. Pip is my lap limpet and she rarely gets my allergies going. Even though she does shed a little, I think she also might produce more dander than the Silky.
Our Border Terrier Piper however makes me have terrible sinus headaches and sneezing fits if we don't keep her bathed regularly. Borders can get quite pungent, though she is so adorable we don't hold it against her.

You can google allergy "free" dogs and find lists of breeds. But keep in mind that all dogs produce dander, the protein found in saliva and shed skin cells. And it does not neccessarily correlate with how much they shed. Dachshunds, for instance, have one of the higher rates of dander production for their size. Bathing the dog regularly and keeping your home vaccuumed and aired helps too.

I see folks here are giving you good advice about finding reputable breeders. Definitely never buy a dog from a pet store. Even if you get lucky and do end up with a dog with no major genetic problems, it would still be supporting a horrible industry. This is because most pet stores buy from puppy mills: mass producers of dogs who do no health or temperament screening before breeding and who keep their breeders and pups in often horrifying conditions.

But, that being said, we highly recommend getting a dog from a rescue or a shelter. That way you are helping these poor dogs without putting monoey in the puppy mill's pocket. We found our dogs through Petfinder.com, which is a website for rescues and shelters. You can search your area or the whole country by breed, size, gender, housetraining, age, good with children or other pets, etc. Many of the rescues listing there will often state that their dog is low allergy. Out dogs have added so much joy to our lives, we can't thank God enough for them.

Hope this helped and good luck!

carolynjo

A soft-coated wheaten terrier is an allegren-free dog. They do not shed at all. Lovely temperament and are fiercely loyql to their owners.

Silver Shrew

I have a Shih Tzu, love him and he doesn't shed at all. I've heard that Ocherese dogs are as allergy-free as possible also.

Snorky Lvs2Quilt

We don't have animals because of my allergies to them. Went to an acquaintance's home who assured me that she had an "allergy-free" small dog. Well, guess what? I still had problems with itchy, scratchy throat and watery eyes. Have to take Claritan before I go to anyone's home that I know has any kind of pet, or I don't go at all.

Halo

Oh, I so wish you were closer to Washington State. I know a lady that rescued a schnouser that is looking for a good home for him. He is smaller than a mini & is very lovey. She already has 4 dogs of her own & needs to find a good home for him. She would just give him to you. The groomer she took him to said he was a wonderful dog.

Snorky Lvs2Quilt

Thank you for your informative comment. People would look at me like I was nuts when I told them I was still allergic to their "allergy-free" pets.