[nagdu] Owning a guide while allergic to dogs

[L Gwizdak]

Welcome, Noah.

Although I don't have dog allergies - mine are to six-legged critters - I 
can tell you about a friend who had dog allergies and had a guide.

I lived with this woman and she was very allergic to cats and less so to 
dogs. She used a guide dog for many years before allergies and other things 
caused her to stop guide dog use.  This was back in the 1970s and '80s and 
I'm sure, there are better methods of allergy control now.  Anyway, the 
people I know have said that they react more to German shepherds more than 
they react to Labs or Goldens.  Since we both had dogs - both Labs, I 
groomed the dogs and we kept the place vacuumed.

Is this going to be your first guide dog?  My allergic friends have said 
that they found home training better becvause they didn't have all the dogs 
and their dander present in the dorm to contend with.  Also, find an 
allergist who is animal-friendly if you can.  In the past, many doctors told 
allergic patients to just get rid of the animal.  I do know that nowadays, 
allergic people can live with their animal and do fine on medications, 
animal and house care.  I hear that a "vaccine" can be made up from your 
particular dog's dander for you to take shots of to help your body to get 
used to and, hopefully, not react to as much.  I don't know how successful 
this route is but it is worth a try.

I am Lyn and I am on my eighth guide dog.  I have Landon, a red Golden/Lab 
cross from The Seeing Eye.  Landon is seven and a half years old.  We live 
in San Diego, CA and do pet assisted therapy with our local Humane Society's 
program along with a well-rounded life both in and outside the blind 
community.

Good luck and hope you enjoy the list.

Lyn and Landon
"Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is like 
asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Noah Beckman" <beckman.430 at buckeyemail.osu.edu>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 5:05 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Owning a guide while allergic to dogs


> Hello all,
>                I am sure the topic of my thread has been discussed at 
> length before, but since I am a relatively new member to this list, I beg 
> your patience in rehashing it so that I can gain further insight into this 
> issue.
>
>                Let me tell you a little bit about my situation.  I 
> fervently want to ditch the cane in favor of a canine, but, unfortunately, 
> I am allergic to dogs.  I would describe my allergies as relatively 
> moderate, with the worst reactions (runny nose, mild eye irritation, and 
> congestion) surfacing while I am in the prolonged presence of certain 
> breeds.  However, German Shepherds are the only guide-dogesque breed I 
> have (1) been around long enough to make a conclusion about their effects 
> on my allergies and (2) ruled out as the breed for me on the basis of said 
> conclusion.
>
>                I have my sights set on The Seeing Eye.  I found out 
> yesterday that The Seeing Eye discontinued boxers (the breed with whom 
> they traditionally matched allergic students in the past) and, although 
> they are looking to start training with poodles soon, the waiting list of 
> students desiring this breed is extremely long, thus making my prospects 
> of poodle puppy procurement poor for at least a couple of years.  Since I 
> would like to acquire a guide dog as soon as I am able (May of 2014), and 
> The Seeing Eye is my only school of choice, my breed options are limited 
> to labs, golden retrievers, and lab-golden crosses.
>
>                Although any input on this issue would be appreciated, I 
> would especially love to hear from anyone on this list who (1) is allergic 
> to dogs and (2) possesses a lab, golden, or lab-golden cross.  What are 
> the effects of your dog on your allergies?  What do you do, if anything, 
> to limit your dog's effects on your allergies?  What made you decide that 
> the positives of getting a dog transcended the negative impacts such would 
> have on your allergies?  Do you have any additional advice for me?
>
> Thanks a lot,
>
> Noah
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