With the threat of property crime on our minds, many are choosing to up their security with a four-legged friend, instead of modern technology. Yet if the sight of animal hair, fluff, or fur sends you into a sneezing frenzy, hypoallergenic guard dogs may be of interest to you.
When you think of a watchdog, what breeds instantly spring to mind?
That’s right — German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Boxer, to name a few. However, these tail-waggers will have you itching and sneezing faster than they can chase down an intruder.
This is why, if you’re allergic to dogs, you’ll need to stray away from the stereotypical guardians, and that’s what I want to share with you today.
Hypoallergenic Guard Dogs — Contents
Many experts in home safety agree that a vocal dog is a perfect way to deter a thief or burglar from attempting to enter your home. Terriers are known as loud, active, and tough dogs with bags of energy that fuel their strong watchdog instinct.
There are many breeds of terrier you could choose from, but the Airedale is non-shedding and one of the largest, meaning they fit the bill to be a hypoallergenic guard dog. Some other examples include Border Terrier, Irish Terrier, and Wire-haired Fox Terrier.
A controversial choice, Poodles are not often chosen as your typical guard dog. However, they possess remarkable hearing — making them very sensitive to any unusual sounds around them.
Poodles are amazing family dogs that love as much attention and fuss as they can get. They also make perfect hypoallergenic watch dogs. These pooches are recognized as a breed for their complete lack of shedding and drooling, which are top triggers for allergies. Naturally calm, Poodles also excel as assistance dogs, making them the best friend you could find.
This breed will thrive in a busy family setting due to its people-oriented and friendly nature. Porties are mindful of strangers and very active pets. However, their size may be a slight disadvantage as they aren’t the largest. Known for alertness, they’re such an affectionate breed that families often fall in love with them for their versatility.
This breed has slight coat variations from dog to dog. Both types have no undercoat and don’t shed, meaning they’re a fitting choice if you’re wanting a family-friendly hypoallergenic guard dog. This pooch has either compact curls or a slight sheen & wavy coat, but both are medium to long in length.
While Schnauzers have a double coat, luckily they don’t tend to shed much at all. They are a German dog breed and make for excellent guard and show dogs alike. They regularly feature in competitions due to their size and intelligence. They easily pick up new commands through training and are versatile, friendly dogs, showing little aggression toward other humans and fellow fuzzy friends.
The one possible downside, they do require regular grooming, also known as stripping. That said, with many grooming parlors offering these services, this shouldn’t be a major issue that prevents them from being the perfect hypoallergenic guard dog.
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a rather scruffy and unkempt-looking dog. Although it’s double-coated it does shed far less than the vast majority of other dogs.
As a breed, they’re considered excellent gun dogs but also make dog-tastic family pets. They create an astonishing bond with their family, and this allows them to instinctively want to protect. The Pointing Griffin is super easy to train and learns at an amazing speed.
They’re the kind of dog that requires a great deal of exercise both mentally and physically. With this in mind, they make the perfect guard dog, providing you can dedicate the time to them.
The phrase is widely used without much knowledge of what it means. Unfortunately, no dog breed will be completely allergen-free regardless of its breeding. But you need to figure out what aspect of our furry friends triggers your allergies the most. For example, while one dog may not bring out a reaction in you, it may cause another dog allergy sufferer great discomfort.
Each dog breed produces proteins, these secrete through the skin and end up in their dead skin, urine and saliva. A person who suffers from allergies will have a sensitive immune system that reacts to these ‘harmless’ proteins differently than another person — causing an allergic reaction.
In theory, you could be allergic to a certain handful of breeds, but not others. It can be hard to avoid these triggers with nonallergenic dogs as they shed their fur more often and in greater quantities than hypoallergenic dog breeds. The most common and widely considered hypoallergenic dog breeds possess the following traits:
- Non-shedding coat.
- Single-layered coats.
- A coat resembling human hair more than fur.
While you may be thinking this applies to smaller breeds only, don’t despair, some incredible pooches are not only hypoallergenic but also make amazing guard dogs.
This question does tend to vary depending on your reasoning for wanting a hypoallergenic guard dog. But here are some general tips to follow for finding a watchdog that’s allergy-friendly.
Dog Size
Usually, guard dogs tend to be on the larger side — an intruder or possibly a burglar in your home is not going to be scared of a pocket-friendly pooch.
Even though smaller breeds are loud and often very feisty, you may also want to consider what dog size will fit in with your family. In that, if you have small children, grandchildren, or a home with limited space, a pooch resembling a small horse could negatively affect your family. Hence, find the right balance in size to suit you.
Intelligence
If a dog is to be a successful guard dog, they have to have a certain level of intelligence. Some larger dog breeds certainly look the part of the guard dog but sadly lack the brainpower to be successfully trained in this field. A smart dog will also make a pawsome watchdog, as they crave a purpose and love to be kept busy.
Playful
When you choose your pup, look for one that’s playful and loves to play fetch, flying disc, or tug of war. These types of natured dogs make excellent guard dogs as they’re easier to train when they have something to drive them.
Good Concentration Level
Have you ever tried to train a dog that gets distracted by the tiniest thing — it’s a nightmare. The ideal guard dog should have a solid level of concentration — to remain alert for long periods of time. They will also need to be able to respond to your commands quickly.
Obedience training and proper socialization are key to having a friendly, but effective guard dog that will sense when someone isn’t trustworthy.
Responsive
A guard dog, whether a family pet or a professional security dog, must respond well to its owners or handlers. If during training they pay attention to you and can carry out commands effectively they may well have a great temperament to be both a family dog and a guard dog.
Conclusion
Protecting your home and your family is important, and letting a furry friend into your life can help you accomplish this. Besides, inmates and former home burglars have often admitted they would skip over a home with a dog present to avoid hassle, noise, and unpredictability of a pooch’s reaction.
As we’ve seen from the best hypoallergenic guard dogs — allergies don’t need to get in the way.
Before you make your decision, don’t forget size is a factor to consider, as is how smart they are. Other points to think about are whether the breed is quick to listen and obey, plus regardless of whether they have a duty to uphold, you want them to fit in with your family.
And, while my chosen hypoallergenic guard dogs may not appear to be your conventional canines for the job — they all possess pawsome natural protecting traits.
“What Is the Most Calm Hypoallergenic Dog?”
You will get calm dogs in almost every breed of dog, and it often comes down to their individual personality. But both Poodles and Schnauzers are typically calm and, of course, hypoallergenic.
“What Is the Cheapest Hypoallergenic Dog Breed?”
Dog prices vary from area to area, but a Standard Poodle is the most popular hypoallergenic breed.
“Do Doberman Pinschers Shed?”
Doberman Pinschers are moderate shedders and shed the same amount all year round. They are also a single-coated breed, so they have no undercoat. They may be a good option for those that have a mild allergy to dogs.
“What Is the Best Family Friendly Guard Dog?”
Who says guard dogs don’t make great family pets? If allergies aren’t an issue, here are some of the best typical guard dog breeds if you have young children:
- Great Danes.
- Doberman Pinschers.
- Akitas.
- Rottweilers.
- German Shepherd.
“Are There Any Hypoallergenic Guard Dogs?”
Yes, there are some amazing dogs that not only make great guard dogs but are also hypoallergenic. One of these would be the Schnauzer as they are protective of their territory, very intelligent, easily trainable, and wary of strangers.
