How Hypoallergenic are Portuguese Water Dogs?

A sad truth for many near-dog owners is that they are allergic to dogs. True, we're still years away from being able to decisively deal with our allergies so that our dog gets to stay in the house all the time. But these owners need to give a chance to a possible solution, if only the dog hair allergy is the only thing that is getting in the way. The answer is the Portuguese Water Dog.

Portuguese water dogs has a special coat fully adjusted to going under water. This is one dog that sheds hair at very minimal amounts. Shedding is something that is not in the dog's system since if it does so, the hair would thin out, lessening the dog's protection from the cold of the ocean waters that it frequently visits. It loses hair nevertheless when the hair follicle dies, which is the situation of human hair. But the idea is that the PWD has no spontaneous shedding during summer, compared to other dog breeds.

So how many hair layers do Porties have? The PWD is indeed a believer in simplicity, for there is only one layer. This means there is no undercoat to lose in the first place once the warmer period of the year settles in. The single coat also acts as some sort of temperature controller.

However, one thing that potential PWD owners and fans need to be aware of is the dog's need for consistent and regular grooming; the more consistent and orderly, the lesser the chances of problems developing (painful mats, among other concerns). Grooming the Portuguese Water Dog in a specific way significantly reduces the hair much more. PWD owners will need to choose from two hair styles, and it is a matter of preference instead of some benefit to the dog. The lion has long hair on the dog's tail, front legs and most of the head. The retriever cut, on the other hand, is said to be the more efficient for keeping at bay any threat of dog hair allergies; in this case, the length of the dog's coat is an even one inch all over throughout the dog's body. With the cut the Portuguese Water Dog will lose less hair and will be even more human allergy friendly.

To end, it must be clear that while portuguese water dogs sheds to a negligible extent, he is at the same time not really hypoallergenic. A sufficient way of putting it is to simply say that his lack of shedding greatly reduces allergic reactions.