There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog

"Hypoallergenic" appears in thousands of adverts and it is not a real category. It is worth understanding why, because a family that buys a Cockapoo on that basis and then rehomes it six months later has done real harm to a dog.

What people are actually allergic to

Not hair. The main dog allergens are proteins - Can f 1 and others - produced in saliva, sebaceous glands and urine. A dog grooms itself, coats its skin and fur in saliva, that dries, and flakes of skin carrying the protein become airborne. Hair is the vehicle, not the cause.

The same is true of cats, where the dominant allergen, Fel d 1, is produced in saliva and skin.

So what does a low-shedding coat change?

Genuinely something, just not what the marketing says. A curly, continuously growing coat traps dander rather than distributing it around the house, and it is brushed and cut rather than shed. Less allergen circulating in the air means some allergic people cope who otherwise would not.

Studies comparing house-dust allergen levels between "hypoallergenic" and other breeds have generally found no consistent difference. Individual variation between dogs of the same breed is larger than the difference between breeds.

What this means in practice

Some allergic people live perfectly well with a Poodle cross. Others react to one exactly as they would to a Labrador. There is no way to know which you are from the breed.

The only reliable test is exposure. Spend two or three hours in a house with an adult dog of the type you are considering - not a puppy, because puppies produce less allergen than adults, and not a quick visit, because reactions build.

Generation matters if you are set on a cross. An F1 Cockapoo or Labradoodle may inherit either parent's coat and around half will shed. An F1b, crossed back to the Poodle, is far more reliably non-shedding.

If you are allergic and want a dog anyway

• Test yourself against adult dogs of the type, more than once.
• Choose an adult from rescue rather than a puppy: what you experience is what you get.
• Keep the dog out of the bedroom. This makes more difference than the breed does.
• HEPA filtration in the main rooms, hard floors rather than carpet where you can.
• Weekly bathing measurably reduces surface allergen, though the effect wears off in a few days.
• Talk to your GP about whether your allergy is manageable before you commit to fifteen years.

And a word to sellers

Advertising a dog as hypoallergenic is a claim about a health outcome. It is not supportable, and under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations a misleading claim that causes someone to buy is a problem for the seller as well as the buyer. Say "low shedding", which is true and is what people actually want to know.