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American Hairless Terriers
Comments from AHT owners These are messages from people who are allergic to dogs and own, or did own, American Hairless Terriers. They are graciously sharing their experiences with allergies and AHTs. Some stories have a happy ending and some don't. A big thank you to all contributors. Based on AHT owners' allergy trials, the American Hairless Terrier is the least allergy causing dog breed of all the "low dander" dog breeds. American Hairless Terrier is often the "last resort" dog for those allergy sufferers who cannot tolerate any other dog breed. However, even the AHT is not non-allergenic. Severe pet allergy sufferers may not tolerate any dogs at all, even with the best environmental controls!
AHT Success Story
Serbrina
AHT Success Story
Hope this helps someone else out there! I have been super allergic to animals all my life, worse than anyone I know. Couldn't go to people's homes, stores, parties - you know the drill. I didn't believe I would ever be OK with an AHT and I was so scared that if I got one I would have to give it back. But I am so glad I didn't listen to the naysayers and now my little [AHT] Gizmo has been with us for 2 weeks! I do get bumps when he licks me and if I really play with him for a while I feel a bit of symptoms. But it is NOTHING compared to other dogs and I am taking all the precautions to keep myself in good health. We have Hepa filters everywhere and bathe him regularly as well as his bedding and we do not let him in our bedroom. He has really been a miracle puppy and I thank all the breeders and AHT promoters out there! On a side note. I did sublingual immunotherapy for a year in preparation for the dog but it had no real results. I have heard that the only doctors who recommend it are the ones who profit from it. So I am going to start with old fashion shots just to keep my health in check and also deal with seasonal allergies. SLIT was a waste of time and money for me. Thank goodness I didn't need it to be OK living with Gizmo. Paige in Philadelphia
Some helpful advice for allergy sufferers
Allergies and number of dogs Yes, all 4 of my dogs are AHTs. I've had as many as 6 of them here at once living (some temporarily for a few months) and once, 11 for a week during hurricane season when some friends were forced north. maria
Allergies and number of dogs
Linda This one [above message] was in response to using baby wipes and what kinds of lotions to use. But it is VERY IMPORTANT for allergy sufferers to take showers during the day. There are pollen showers usually twice a day, usually in the morning and and afternoon. Not all but most of us that are allergic to dogs are allergic to all the wonderful things that are blooming trees, flowers, etc. Well there are showers of pollen twice a day. And if you are like me and are out in it walking, walking your dogs, working in the yard, you can come in covered in it. I have found that just taking a shower, including washing my hair, can reduce allergy symptoms better than than taking additional medication.. So it stands to reason, to wipe down the dogs before bed. If you are concerned about dryness, there are excellent lotions out there, I use Acid Mantle Cream. I just rub a little on my hands and rub them down, works wonders! Linda
Allergies and number of dogs
Before I got my first dog, a Peruvian hairless dog in 2002, I started having asthmatic reactions, which I think were because of stress and fear something goes wrong. Before Roli [PIO] came, I also "borrowed" a Peruvian hairless for a week from Roli's breeder, to see how I tolerated them. I had respiratory symptoms. However, Roli came, and the first 2 weeks I had a terrible cough, I slept my head raised in bed...and it subsided in 2 weeks and I never had anything after that. The following summer, I didn't even react to pollen, which I used to do. When Roli was 6 mo's, Jimmy the AHT came. No reactions, nothing. Before Roli, the Prick test (allergy test where they inject several allergens into your skin in your wrists and seek for a reaction) showed my reaction to dog dander to be 5 (ranges from 0-10, 10 being the worst). After I had had him for a few mo's, the number was 1 (very low reaction). So I had developed a tolerance. I was told that it is possible to have "bad phases" and "good phases" regarding your asthma, and that if I had prolonged symptoms, I just treat them with a course of inhaled steroids. I just had a flu a couple of mo's ago while still in Finland, and my cough was persistent and didn't subside, so I took one month course of inhaled steroids. There's always a possibility, with any allergic and asthmatic, to have severe reactions, but with people without allergies there's always the possibility to develop one. I'm doing okay and tolerate other ppl's dogs well, also different breeds (I still wouldn't wanna take a risk and get myself a lab or any spitzes, for example, I somehow "sense" I don't tolerate them in the long run!) I would say to anyone who's allergic: take care of yourself and your home; keep your home and your dog clean, have air purifiers, don't do like I do: don't sleep with your dogs in your bed! LOL...Maybe everyone's different, and I wouldn't recommend anyone with severe asthma/allergy to have dogs in the bedroom...People are different: I fully tolerate them sleeping next to my face, but I know people who don't let their dogs in certain areas of the home, and that's a wise thing to do. I wish you good luck, if you plan to get another AHT, I'm sure you will be fine! Hanna;)
Family has asthma and allergies to dogs Marcia Severely allergic to all breeds but able to
tolerate the AHT With the AHT's dander isn't really a problem. And we take allergy control measures around the house. We vacuum often. We have a lot of hard floors and that really helps keep allergens down. And we have air purifiers in the bedroom and family room. It's hard to say what your reaction will be immediately and later on because everyone's different. Most days I am fine with my meds. But there are times when I have a little asthma flare up. But I have to say that it is never to the degree that it was when I was in contact with a coated dog. One other thing I have done is I have been taking allergy shots for several years and I think that has really helped me with all my allergies and pet allergies, too. I still can't believe that I can sit in my chair at night and watch TV with 3 dogs on my lap. To me, it's nothing short of a miracle Debbie Daughter has bad dog and cat allergies Wendy Very bad allergies to animals with fur
Townsend Schnabel My experience with the sweet AHT we owned for
three weeks
I was invited to share my experience with the sweet AHT we owned for three weeks, Kandee. We went to TWO allergy trials in our breeder's home. I am the most allergic of the family so I hugged and kissed the adult AHTs there with no problem. Two of the dogs seemed uninterested in me as I was in them, so I didn't really get near them much, but TWO of them sat near me and I was able to cuddle them without a problem. The second time, the puppies had arrived and I picked up a couple that smelled funny to me. I figured they had stepped on pee or something, so I didn't play with them anymore one of those was Kandee. I continued to play with the others that didn't smell odd to me. I sniffed them lovingly and kissed their tummies and held them for HOURS! No reaction! I figured, all puppies in one litter should be the same, right? Wrong! The day I picked up my pup, it was outside and the ragweed and grass pollen was elevated. Immediately upon taking Kandee, I got asthma, but attributed it to the pollen in the air even though I RARELY get asthma. I held our puppy for the first time and she STILL smelled STRONGLY even though our breeder had just bathed her the day before. We came home and gave her a nice bath and applied lotion to prevent dry skin (dander), but within an hour, she smelled again. She was housetrained in about four hours (which was amazing), and she had her OWN section of the house the kitchen all neatly fenced off. We had two HEPA filters in that room, we wiped her feet and her upon entering from the outside each time. I cleaned her crate and bedding and clothes daily, and bathed her and changed her clothes daily, and even tried Allerpet (which made her skin break out), but still my asthma would NOT go away. I even changed her food, because I thought it might be the FISH products that were making me react. But the asthma persisted. I usually have asthma maybe 10 days out of the year, never 10 consecutive days. Toward the second week, my tongue and face began to swell, and my whole body itched in addition to the asthma and itchy throat -- I began taking Singulair and Zyrtek and Advair, but NOTHING helped -- only double doses of Benadryl would do the trick. I still was using my rescue inhaler more than the recommended dosage. On the third week, my daughter developed a rash on her face and her body in addition to the sneezing, and at that point I realized we could no longer keep sweet Kandee. Fortunately, our breeder was a GEM and our contract specified a 30 day return if severely allergic. After crying rivers over this grueling decision, we took Kandee back, and she was really happy to see her family again. That really helped us deal with the situation. Otherwise we felt we were abandoning her and felt as though we failed her when she had put all her trust in us. It was a really painful experience, but how sweet are the memories. Today she is happily living with another loving family and roaming freely around their home, as a sweet AHT should. And she lives only 30 minutes from us, so maybe we'll see her again some day. I found out that even if you do a successful allergy test, it does not guarantee that you will NOT be allergic to an AHT. Puppies tend to make people more allergic in general, and then the CAN d1 Protein that is secreted by all dogs sebaceous glands may make you allergic. Each dog (even in the same litter) has their OWN UNIQUE chemical make up. You can see that I didn't react to some of the puppies. My advice: if you want a more true test be sure to test with the dog/puppy that you are buying and then go home and think about it. I thought that by testing with ANY of the puppies it would be the same, but it's not. Fortunately for me, I could smell a difference that NOW will tip me off in the future. Some people don't smell this. On the other hand, I can smell and rub against the FATHER of Kandee (Banner) and I don't smell ANYTHING and I don't react. It's all about YOUR chemistry and the chemistry of your dog. I thought maybe if she grew out of her PUPPY coat, I might have been better, but what if it WASN'T? That would be even worse heartbreak, as well as jeopardy in our health. I'm not an expert. but that's my conclusion from my experience. I hope to someday again try again. I'm getting allergy shots and hope to build my resistance. I love AHTs! What awesome dogs these are. Jackie I have allergies
Allergic person to dogs with fur
Severely allergic to both dogs and cats
I've been severely allergic to both cats and dogs all my life. The year I turned 44 I decided I had to have a dog, and after much research found the AHT. It's been two years since I got Telly and so far I haven't sneezed, wheezed or itched. After the first couple of allergy free months, I even got 2 hairless sphynx cats, and just two months ago we welcomed our second AHT (Buddy) into our home. Even though my allergies were severe, I was able to tolerate hairless pets. However, not everyone can. As a matter of fact I got an emergency phone call from a breeder asking me to foster an AHT who was placed with a family near my home because the husband had to be hospitalized for a bad asthma attack. The only way to tell is to go spend time with an AHT and really play with them and get them licking you all over. There aren't too many around because they are a rare breed. However, if you talk to a breeder and ask them to get the word out they will probably at least find someone in your state who has one. I've given several allergy tests since I got Telly and those families now have AHT's. As far as temperment is concerned my Telly is an angel and my Buddy loves children! I really think it depends on the particular animal, but the breeder can also help pick the right pup. They are great dogs! Even though they are hairless they are not delicate. Telly can hike up and down mountains for hours and after she'll curl up in my lap and be my lap dog. There are only a couple of negative things I can say. First, they are very active dogs, so if your family doesn't want to spend literally hours a day playing squeaky ball or other equally stimulating games, you and the dog will be very disappointed. If I don't give Telly enough attention, she cries and takes her paw and swats me until I do. She never lets me sleep late, and as soon as I get out of bed she grabs her squeaky ball and races up to me. Second, if you live in a cold climate they will probably not be able to go outside in the winter, even to potty. My dogs are paper trained, which can be clumsy if you don't have enough space to lay out a lot of wee wee pads during the day (I buy them cheap by the case from Mylan over the internet). Even if you don't live in a cold climate, you'll still have to buy them clothes. There are a few places on the internet that make them, but the best clothes were made by a lady who went out of the business, so now I make my own. If you can handle all of that, and everyone in your family wants an AHT, you should start talking to breeders. Rat Terrier vs AHT
No reaction whatsoever with AHTs
Extremely allergic to dogs with hair
Take care, Buddy, Annie and Koko Information on obtaining a pup
We like to watch our T.V. our 'Lifetime" and our love movies. I am not allergic to her at all!!!! I do not sneeze, wheeze, cough- or do any of the things that you and I know allergic people do. I am doing extremely well with the AHT! and I highly recommend them to allergic people and all people! This is a wonderful wonderful breed! Sincerely, Jeri Signleton
You certainly have my permission to use the article I wrote [see above].! I am so pleased with the American Hairless Terrier Breed! I suffer from all the allergies to everything- I am doing extremely well with the AHT and this is a good breed for allergic people. Some of the club members think it is a good idea to visit an AHT in person in a private breeders home, to be sure and safe. I had an entire allergic family come here to visit us and the lady and her husband and two children were all fine after they were here for two hours. No one coughed, sneezed or itched. I was so pleased. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Have a great day! Jeri Singleton No allergies with American Hairless Terriers
Mira Ward Our allergic reaction to AHTs
We had as many precautions as has been recommended - the vaccume, the air filters, and he [pup] never went in her room. I knew there was a chance that Meg would react, but our hearts were just broken. I felt like a heel for making my kids feel so bad, but, nothing ventured, nothing gained. It didn't work out for us, but I know our puppy will make someone, maybe someone with allergies, a great pet! I wish to express my thanks to all the breeders and owners that have responded so warmly to all my questions. We had a 30 day return on our pup, and our breeder responded as quickly as she could, especially considering our allergy problem. My deepest thanks for making our very sad experience a little easier. I had to board the pup at a vet clinic until our breeder could pick him up. Before he [AHT pup] left, I brought him home to say goodbye, and she started reacting (sneezing, eyes) right away. I know it was him she was reacting to. It took about three days of wet dusting everything for her to stop sneezing. And he was only in the house about three days! I felt so bad for the puppy, and for the breeder, who had to drive three hours one way to the airport three weekends in a row. I hope that our story helps allergic families at least be more realistic about the risks of trying the AHT. I felt Meghan was an excellent candidate, since she's not a sick girl. Even though it broke our hearts, I would try it, with realistic expectations, and all possibilities considered. We knew what we would do in the event we had to send him home. I even researched vet clinics that could board him if we had an emergency (like we did). Anyone who wishes to contact me for more info on our experience, you can email me at epierson@webtv.net. Thank you to everyone who works so hard on this breed. Very Sincerely, Elaine Pierson No problems with AHT
No problems what so ever
Allergies and AHTs
Removing the dog helped, but the dander and hair was long embedded in the carpeting, furniture, etc. So, we wound up moving to IN for my husband to attend Purdue (he has a MS in biology). Once we moved, Corbyn did great! After only 2 months, she didn't need the nebulizer treatments, she started to gain weight and was hardly ever sick! My husband is very much an animal guy...would love lots of dogs, cats, whatever (when we were in IN we had all sorts of salamanders, lizards, frogs, toads)...so I always felt bad about not being able to have a "real" pet. We currently have 3 turtles and a ton of fish. As Corbyn got older, her allergies lessened. So, when I saw an article on hairless dogs in an animal magazine, I started looking into them. The American Hairless Terriers were the cutest (to us) and seemed like they'd fit best into our lives. But we weren't going to leave any breed out if it had potential to become part of our family. We did look into the Chinese Cresteds and the Xolos but Corbyn had reactions to both of those animals within 40 minutes of being with the dogs. Granted the reaction was less severe than her typical reaction. Her typical reaction to coated dogs consists of runny nose, sneezing, coughing, eyes watering, hives, eyes swelling, itching....her reaction to the hairless dogs was much more subtle but she did sneeze, rub her nose, and cough. So, we quickly eliminated those as options. I really didn't think we'd have better luck with the AHTs but figured after 1 month of research and tests...what did we have to lose??? And my son NEEDED a dog. All he talked about was getting a REAL dog. So, we tried it...and they rest is history. Our family is very grateful to have the naked pup [AHT]. She has a heck of a personality and really LOVES all of us. She can't stand to be in a room alone...if we leave the room, she wants to come too. Unless of course, the kids put her on the couch and she's curled up in the corner with the pillows. Then, the queen won't move unless you move her! I had dogs literally of my life (until Corbyn was born) but never a terrier. So, many of the terrier personality traits are new to me. It's fun! Conyr has worked out better than we thought. Originally, we tried to keep her from touching the dog too much...but it doesn't seem to matter. Now, Corbyn can really play with her, lay with her, pet her, whatever and the allergy doesn't worsen. The kids are happy!! Getting an American Hairless Terrier... Let's see... 1. Choose a reputable breeder.... 2. Ask to see a dog that is friendly to strangers....the first dog the breeder brought to us was very skittish and didn't want to be touched. The second dog was much friendlier and did not mind being handled by strangers. If you can't touch the dog, you'll have a hard time seeing if you're going to have a reaction! 3. Make sure you see the dog in 2 places: I do want to add, that IF you have a reaction in the home, and they have many dogs, that too may not be a true test of what would happen in your house, but it might help you see the 2 extremes. In other words, a) dog in isolation, limited exposure time (least likely to react) and b) home with LOTS of dander and dogs (most likely to react). Having one dog at your house where you can clean your home, bathe the dog, and use an air filter. 3. Above all, don't kid yourself... Karyn Mom to Corbyn 11yo allergic kiddo and Aaron 6yo dog lovin boy and Conyr whose name stands for.... Co = Corbyn's n = not y = yet and r = reacting! Hmmmm...I wonder if we need to change her name...LOL maybe just add middle initial....B. for badly. Below is an update on Karyn's family and their AHTs... Information on obtaining a pup
My daughter is very allergic to dogs (including other hairless breeds (e.g., Mexican Hairless)) and we thought we'd never be able to have a dog...much less THREE of them. Yes, we have 3 AHTs and love every one of them. I have to say that my daughter DOES have a slight reaction to the AHTs. BUT...it is very slight and nothing like the reaction to other dogs. She gets a slightly stuffy nose and will sneeze occasionally. She takes Claritin daily (she's allergic to lots of other things too) and this eliminates the mild dog reaction as well. I have to say that the Claritin alone DID NOT take care of the symptoms (e.g., running/itchy eyes, swollen eyes and face, skin redness/itchiness, sneezing, coughing, etc.) with the other breeds. Are you on any medication? Are you willing to take something daily? You may want to consider this before you go to see a dog. I'd also like to suggest that you go alone (if the kids aren't allergic). It will be heartbreaking for them if you go and DO have an allergic reaction. This happened with a gentleman who came to our house (when we only had 1 dog) to do an allergy trial. He brought his whole family. They loved the dog and were really looking forward to being able to have one. Unfortunately, he was allergic to the dog [AHT] (if he touched it) and wasn't sure if he wanted to have one in the house. He did not have any problems being in our house though, so he could have arranged it so the kids/his wife took care of the dog and he avoided direct skin to skin contact. The children were devastated and cried the rest of the time they were at our house. So, it all depends on the number of modifications you/your family are willing to make..IF there is an mild allergic reaction. We have special air filters in the dog's room as well as in our A/C unit to help control the dander. We wash the dogs and their bedding regularly. We keep the dogs out of my daughter's room and off of the couch that she sits on. With these modifications, we've been fortunate enough to have dogs in our life for the last year and a half! Karyn Mom to Corbyn 12yo allergy sufferer and Aaron 7 yo dog lover extraordinaire AND Conyr 1 1/2 yo AHT and devious creature, Camryn 1 yo AHT and obedient, agile, loving girl, and Taylor 10 mo old AHT and gorgeous, strong, brilliant spoiled girl (can you tell which dog is mine? lol) American Hairless Terrier
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Hi, Our AHT's name is Nico. He is really a wonderful boy. We love him so much!! We had been without a dog for so long because everyone we tried with our daughter just didn't work out for her.....until Nico :o). I was at one of my daughters doctor visits and was reading a book to her that just so happen to be about dogs. And of course the first thing that came out of her mouth was.. "mommy I want a puppy". And like the hundreds of other times told her.. we cant. Well there was another mom sitting beside me with her son who spoke up and said.. maybe we could. She went on to tell us about her dog, which was an AHT also. So as soon as we went back I spoke with her doc. and he said sure it might work. So me and the other mom got to together and did a t-shirt testing.. nothing happened... so we went alittle further and she let her little guy come over and spend the weekend with us and Cheyenne was fine with him... no problems breathing at night, not attacks at all, not swelling of the face ..nothing. So I started looking to find one for her. The breeder had 2 boys left....I picked the larger of the two because we have a younger daughter who is now 15 months. So he is really a very special dog to us.