Rottweilers can be the best of best friends. They are wonderful companions, but unfortunately, they aren’t hypoallergenic. By choosing a dog with a short coat, you might think you’re picking a dog less likely to set off your allergies, but less hair does not always mean hypoallergenic.
A dog’s fur isn’t actually the problem when it comes to allergies—the dander and the saliva are. Dander is dead skin cells from the body that cling to the hair. No dog is truly 100% hypoallergenic, but if you pick a dog that is less prone to drooling or shedding, they tend to be less problematic when it comes to allergies.
How To Manage the Allergy to Your Rottweiler
Rottweilers have a short, thick, double coat that is usually kept healthy and shiny with a weekly grooming session. This will ensure all the dead hair is removed, which means it is less likely to fall on your furniture and floors and cause you discomfort.
In terms of shedding, your rottweiler will shed twice a year in the spring and fall. Usually, dogs with single coats shed more than those with double coats. So, while a rottweiler’s shedding is a problem for allergy sufferers, they aren’t as problematic as breeds such as a golden retriever. During shedding season, brush your dog more often: two or three times instead of just once a week to reduce the amount of stray hair in your home.
Rottweilers are also known to be droolers, especially the males that suffer from something called “loose lips,” which means saliva will drip off. This problem is worsened when a rottweiler shakes his head. There isn’t much you can do to rectify this problem, but you can try cleaning the slobber off of furniture and other surfaces to minimize allergy symptoms.
Can You Build an Immunity to Dog Allergies?
You have your heart set on a rottweiler, but someone in the house is an allergy sufferer. Could you brave it out and hope your allergies subside? While it is possible to build up an immunity to dog allergies, the number of people this happens to is low.
This means the opposite could happen. You could make yourself unwell, and the allergy could potentially get worse as your exposure increases. Instead, the best thing to do is to pick a dog that you’re unlikely going to be allergic to.
The Best Bigger Dog Breeds That Are Hypoallergenic
If you’re looking for a medium to large dog breed that you are less likely to be allergic to, the following breeds would be suitable:
- Samoyed
- Giant Schnauzer
- Portuguese water dogs
- Irish water spaniel
- Afghan hound
- Airedale terrier
Some of these examples are particularly furry, and the Samoyed, for example, is like a fluffy cloud with legs. You may wonder if we’ve made a mistake because usually the furrier the dog, the more dander lying on fur around your house. But this is not the case with the Samoyed, and it is a good choice for someone with allergies.
Final Thoughts
Rottweilers aren’t hypoallergenic, and while this doesn’t mean you need to reconsider bringing one into your family, it means you modify your home and lifestyle to minimize allergy symptoms.
The likelihood that you will just get over your allergies is slim, but you can manage them by ensuring you groom your rottweiler frequently, especially in shedding season, and step up your cleaning routine to ensure any drool is mopped up. If you believe your symptoms are too intense to manage, consider a different breed that won’t cause you as many problems.
Featured Image Credit: Ricantimages, Shutterstock
