Five hybrid dog types that might be a good choice for allergy sufferers

Hybrid dog types are hugely popular in the UK at the moment, and whether you call them hybrids, cross-breeds, “designer” dogs or simply mongrels, there is no denying the fact that hybrid dogs are very much on the up.

Whilst a hybrid dog type by definition is not a pedigree dog, most dog lovers know exactly what type of dog is being referred to when it comes to the most popular and in-demand hybrids like the Labradoodle and the Cockapoo, and many common hybrid crossings are easier to name for most people than any number of pedigree dog breeds!

There are of course a huge range of different reasons for the popularity of hybrid dog types in general and of specific hybrid crossings individually, and any number of different reasons for why each popular hybrid dog type came into being in the first place.

However, when you go back to the early origins of some of the more popular and long-established hybrid crossings, one trait in particular comes up repeatedly; the ability to produce a dog that combines certain desirable personality traits (like high intelligence and a lovely nature) with certain desirable physical traits, like a low-shedding coat.

A low shedding coat in a dog means that they will of course produce less mess around the home, which is a very good reason for many hybrid dog buyers in and of itself – but additionally, dogs with low-shedding coats will in some instances be less likely to trigger allergies in people who are generally allergic to dogs as a result of this.

Some of the first hybrid crossing breeding programmes were undertaken specifically to produce dogs that had the intelligence and trainability for work as assistance dogs to help people to lead independent lives – because the pedigree breeds we usually associate with aptitude for such tasks like the Golden retriever and Labrador retriever tend to be very heavy-shedding dogs.

This means that anyone who suffers from an allergy to dogs but that still aspires to own one might wish to look to some of the various hybrid dog types for inspiration, as many of these were developed for, or happen to possess, a combination of coat traits that make them less likely to trigger allergies.

With this in mind, this article will share five hybrid dog types that might be a good choice for allergy sufferers. Read on to learn more.

The Shihpoo

The Shihpoo is produced by crossing a Shih Tzu and a miniature or toy poodle, and as is the case for many hybrid dog types it is the poodle input here that results in a dog with a very low-shedding coat. We’ve scored the Shihpoo as 1/5 in terms of how much they shed, making them one of the best potential breeds for an allergy sufferer.

On the flipside, the Shihpoo does need a lot of grooming to keep their coat in good condition as the Shih Tzu side of their heritage results in a high maintenance coat, and this is best undertaken by someone other than the allergy sufferer themselves!

The Jackapoo

The Jackapoo is another hybrid with a poodle parent – this time a poodle and Jack Russell crossing, which produces a small, intelligent and feisty dog that is full of beans, quick witted, and very lively!

Not only is the poodle coat low shedding but the Jack Russell coat too tends to be fairly neat, and when a wirehaired Jack Russell is used in the mix, the shedding of the Jackapoo itself will be minimal. We’ve ranked the Jackapoo as 2/5 in the shedding stakes.

The Maltipoo

The Maltipoo has a Maltese dog parent and a poodle parent respectively, and these are two parent breeds with very similar coat types, both of which are tightly curled and very low shedding. This means that the Maltipoo’s coat traits are much more uniform and predictable than those of most other hybrid dog types, and they are one of the most low-shedding hybrid dog types of all.

We’ve ranked the Maltipoo as 1/5 in the shedding stakes in respect of this.

The Poochon

The Poochon is comprised from the crossing of a Bichon frise and a miniature poodle, and as is the case for the Maltipoo, this represents two parent breeds that both boast very low shedding coats, which is replicated in their offspring.

The Poochon is another hybrid dog type to score a 1/5 in the coat shedding stakes, which means less allergens spread around their home and so, a more comfortable environment for the average dog allergy sufferer as a result.

The Schnoodle

Finally, the Schnoodle is bred by crossing a Schnauzer with a poodle, and as both of these two respective breeds come in three very different size variants, means that prospective buyers more or less have their pick in terms of being able to get a Schnoodle that is small, medium or large depending on their preferences!

The Schnauzer is itself a very low shedding dog and when combined with the poodle side, results in Schnoodles also being ranked 1/5 on the coat shedding scale and so, potentially being a safe pick for allergy sufferers.