What kind of a pet should we get?

Birds are smarter than hamsters, similar to cats/dogs in intelligence and can even be trained to talk. They bond tightly typically with one family member much the way dogs do. They cannot be potty trained, however, so you have to deal with that. They take awhile to adjust and can be very fearful and withdrawn at first. You have to make the effort to bring out their personality.

I'd recommend a cockatiel as they typically are very friendly and not so skittish. With time you should be able to cuddle them like any other pet. They will respond verbally and will nip at you lovingly. If they bite, then they aren't happy.

I'd prefer a dog, but birds definitely are a better choice than a hamster. Hamsters are nocturnal and tend to escape. Fair warning.

We have a small dog we got at the animal shelter, when little Jane was about 4 years old. Max is playful, yet not intimidating and his disposition is gentle and friendly. Now, 5 years later,
child and dog have bonded like glue. It's nice to see them play
together and since little Jane doesn't have any siblings, she considers Max as her "brother".

I've heard and read that both poodles and wire-haired terriers are non-allergenic dogs because they don't shed.

They do tangle, so they need a lot of brushing.

My last few dogs have been mixed-breeds from the Animal Shelter--very satisfactory.

A potential problem with a popular breed--I understand Goldens are trendy right now--is that they can be overbred and inbred and may have little personality quirks. Nothing with teeth should have built in personality quirks.

Check your local phone book for AKA breeders in your area. Many will sell puppies below show quality at a discount providing you neuter.

Ideally you'll find someone who "hand rears" puppies for the first six weeks. "Hand reared" means lots of handling, lots of petting, lots of praise.

Spring is good housebreaking weather.

I'm allergic to dogs but more to some than others. I am not particularly allergic to Pacco, but he is a hair factory and thus not particularly advisable for the tidy. I hear poodles are favored as not being allergy afflicting, so a poodle mix might be good. I can tell I am allergic right away if dog saliva causes an almost immediate itch/rash...

Or you could get one of these and teach him how to hunt/retrieve, and have more than just a pal.



Pretty cute, eh? A friend's new puppy.

Has E.G been formally allergy tested? I'd recommend it, especially around the whole cat/dog/feathers/fur question.

I have severe cat dander allergies, am even more allergic to feathers, allergic to some small furry critters, not allergic to dogs (cuz they don't do the self-cleaning thing that cats do that lead to the production of the allergen most of us react to), and mildly allergic to horses.

Can E.G. use a down/feather pillow safely?

Type of pet? I always prefer something trainable, but that's an extremely personal preference.

I'm also a fan of rescue/shelter dogs (and you've certainly got lots of options in your area - I found a few pupsters at the shelter 'tween you and Setanta that I wanted to beg him to go pick up).

Couldn't your husband get an idea if he is allergic to dogs by spending a short amount of time with one that is owned by someone who doesn't have cats, too?

I've heard as Noddy has, that poodles are less likely to cause allergic reactions. Since they don't shed, they won't be so messy as, for example, my two chows are. (Need to vacuum daily -- it becomes a chore!) Also, the tangling isn't much of a problem because you groom them with electrc trimmers -- kind of fun. A small to medium poodle-mix might be perfect for you (assuming E.G. can handle being around dogs at all).

E.G. uses feather pillows and down comforters with no problem.

He's been formally allergy tested but it's been quite a while. You're right, that's probably a good first step.

I seem to remember something about, and Osso gets at this too, testing not necessarily being conclusive because there are variations among dogs. (Especially, but I think cats too.) Like, a test could indicate that he's allergic in some general way, but in fact he would be fine with some dogs.

This is another area I'm looking for more information on, though, my understanding is rough.

cjhsa, interesting about birds, thanks. Cockatiels are pretty expensive, no?

That lab puppy is too sweet.

I agree, Noddy, would want a mix pretty much no matter what. I know likely personalities of some types of mixes -- lab/ retriever, for example -- and not others.

Especially, I have a major big-dog bias and am trying to find out more about small dog breeds that might fit the bill. What kind of dog do you have, CJ? (I see that Eva revived her thread right after I posted this, had forgotten about that, lots of good info there.)

Crate training, anyone?

Oh, I love chows. Love love love 'em.

E.G. is definitely not virulently allergic to dogs -- that is, he often spends short amounts of time with them with no problem. He can spend short amounts of time with cats, too, though, and he's pretty definitely allergic to cats (though less so than in his youth.) Every person we have spent a longer chunk of time with who has a dog also has a cat. So he has problems, but it's hard to know why.

Cockatiels are not expensive - typically $75-$150. You're thinking of Cockatoos, which are much larger and cost around $2K.

Our dog was already house broken and somewhat trained,
no crate training was needed. He has the whole house at his
disposal.

This is our Max, part Shi Tsu, part Heinz 57

Ah, I probably was. $75-$150 isn't that cheap to me, though.

My preference would be more the "free to a good home!" route. But then you still have shots, and food, and...

The expense is definitely something else for me to consider.

Aw, cutie! :-)

Well, birds don't need shots, etc. Plus, a well kept cockatiel will live to be 20 or 30 years old. If you can sex them and get a male, you don't have to worry about egg laying and impaction, plus males are more likely to talk.

The idjits at the animal shelters these days put you through more hoops to adopt a kitten or puppy than they do to adopt a child. Don't believe me? Farmers who want barn cats can't get them from the pound, they have to rely on neighbors and feral populations, or find a stray (which isn't that hard, seeing as how many people simply drop off their unwanted cats in rural areas).

The way I got my cat is my preference -- went on a round of home visits based on classified ads in the local paper. That way you can see the home itself, the people, and especially the mom. The mom of what ended up being my cat was incredibly sweet and wonderful, a really good indicator of how my cat would turn out. If I can see the mom, dad, or both I'm happiest -- this happens at breeders, but since I don't want a purebred, more likely to be a home/ classified situation.

I love the idea of a rescue dog but think that things are too precarious to go that route. I admire people who do, and that's the kind of thing I might do down the line, AFTER I've already convinced E.G. how wonderful it is to have a dog. ;-)

Soz
Soz, my Bichon Fries is easier to live with because he doesn't shed and people with dog allergies can be comfortable with him---which may also be OK for people with asthma.

I found the following information:

Hypoallergenic Cats & Dogs

There is a myth among those who want pets, but who are also allergic to them, that there are several breeds of dogs and cats that are hypoallergenic. Is this true?

The answer is an emphatic no!

There are no breeds of cats or dogs that are hypoallergenic; however, having said that, I would like to qualify the answer. While there are no hypoallergenic breeds, there are some animals that may be reasonably close to being hypoallergenic.

Within any given litter of dogs or cats of any breed, you may, on occasion find an animal that you do not have a reaction to or, conversely, one that you are especially sensitive to.

As a generalization, the animals that you will probably be least sensitive to will be the females.

This condition is not breed specific. It can happen in any breed. It is litter specific. . .and it does not mean that all litters contain an animal that is relatively allergen free.

Unfortunately, if you are looking to buy a kitten or puppy, this doesn't help you very much. All puppies and kittens have soft, supple skins. At this early age, an allergic person can probably handle any one of them and not have much, if any, of a reaction. It is as the skin ages and becomes less supple and the sebaceous glands begin to produce more oils (sebum) that allergy problems begin to appear.

Virtually every article that I have read and every person that I have spoken to about animal allergies talks only about dander. This is may be because dander can be easily seen and understood. Dander is important as a problem causing allergen, but it is not the KEY one. Dander is usually the simplistic explanation of the cause of animal allergies.

Dander may be part of the cause of reactions to cats, but the real culprit and cause of the major reactions is from the secretion of the sebaceous glands. All skin, human or animal, contains these glands which produce an oily lubricant that keep the skin supple and the hair shiny. It is from this secretion that Fel d1, the cat allergen, surfaces. (It also surfaces from the persistent self-cleaning of cats). The protein composition of dander can, and does cause reactions, but probably 80% of the serious reactions stem from the Fel d1 allergen.

Lots of hair, little hair or no hair. All cats produce oils from the sebaceous glands which cause problems. The amount of hair that a cat has or does not have plays no significant part in its allergenicity. Cats, by the way, are probably responsible for two-thirds of all pet related allergies.

Because dogs are not self-cleaners to the extent that cats are, dogs tend to have more dander, however, it is still the production of the sebaceous glands that greatly adds to the causal effect of allergic reactions to dogs. Like cats, the amount of hair a dog has or does not have, or whether the hair sheds or does not shed, plays no particular part in its ability to cause allergic reactions. Articles have appeared recommending low-shedding or non-shedding breeds, i.e. Poodles, Maltese, Bedlington Terriers, Kerry Blue Terriers and others, as being hypoallergenic. Another common misconception is that the fur of some breeds is like human hair, and thus these breeds do not cause reactions. These statements are definitely not so.

All is not necessarily lost for someone who is set on buying a pet or needs help in keeping one. There are many things that can be done around the house and products to use that will frequently ease the problem. . . there are no guarantees, but the odds are better than 50/50 and certainly worth a try.

Well, my opinions are all over the place, but here goes. We have two cats (no allergies). We got them for all the reasons you mentioned about kids and pets. I love dogs but we have a very small yard and we both work so any dog of ours would spend a lot of time alone.

Quick aside on the allergies, my sister is allergic to shorthairs but not longhairs. So breed could matter.

But if you have the desire and the patience for a dog, go for it. My neice got an adorable mix from the pound -- can't remember the dominant breed, but it likes to herd the kids -- and they keep a crate in the house for him during the winter months. I'm not sure how the training works, but he goes in whenever they tell him. He is amazingly good with kids. He came over once as a puppy when my daughter was not quite 2. I just remember her chasing him and grabbing and "hugging" him. He would give her a little nip when she hurt him but she was fearless and just kept grabbing him. Eventually he succumbed and he's loved her ever since. She now tries to ride him like a horse and he, very patiently, lets her.

If we had enough yard to keep a dog and still have some room for the kids to play sans dog ****, I would get one in a heartbeat. I also have a big dog bias and know nothing about good little dog breeds.

If you are looking for which breed is right for you (or mix of breeds) you might want to get this book. It is a great beginnning resource as it lists many breeds and their temperment, good with children, special needs...etc....

ASPCA Book

Tarantula?