By Lisa Peterson 

If you suffer from allergies and have always wanted a dog, Diane Morgan’s new book Sneeze-Free Dog Breeds: Allergy Management & Breed Selection for the Allergic Dog Lover is just what the doctor ordered.

This handy 160-page guide to better living with your canine friend will not only help you find a tolerable breed but offers an abundance of housekeeping tips and treatment options. 

She attacks allergies on many fronts, from the living environment to keeping the dog as dander free as possible. Morgan stresses it’s all about treatment. To control the situation treat your symptoms, treat the house by cleaning it, and treat the dog by keeping it groomed, wiped down and healthy.

Beyond the obvious tips for the house, such as buy an air filter, Morgan offers tips about how to first get the home in a dander-free zone, such as removing carpets, heavy drapes, and upholstered furniture and replacing them with hardwood floors, easy-to-clean blinds and leather sofas as a way to keep allergens at bay.

Chapter three is a stand-out for it describes what causes allergies and why no dog is 100 percent hypoallergenic.

Kudos to Morgan for her buyer beware message of the new trendy designer dogs. She writes, “Do not believe claims that someone has developed a designer or non-allergenic dog. While there have been several attempts to develop a truly allergy-free breed, this effort has not met with notable success. They do not exist, and cannot exist until someone makes a dog without saliva, urine, or dander.” And her sense of humor shines through as well as she states, “And believe me, when someone develops such a urine free-dog, more people than allergy sufferers will be anxious to get one!”

The book also has the ubiquitous section on where to get a dog, and while Morgan places herself firmly in the “rescue a dog” camp she devotes equal time to finding a responsible breeder in addition to how to contact a rescue organization.

The majority of the book is devoted to the Meet the Breeds section which includes her list of 21 hypoallergenic breeds. Included are breed standards from the national breed clubs. Breeds are broken down into four groups: Curly-Coated and Corded; Hairless; Single-Coated and Low-Shedding; and Terrier Type. Morgan also does a great job of not only talking about coat type and allergy status but has handy charts and ratings for each breed which tracks its activity level and trainability.

With all this information at hand, a potential dog owner can certainly do their homework with ease and research a breed to fit their lifestyle before they commit to dog ownership.

Add to this the book’s glossary and resource section and anyone with allergies wanting to bond with man’s best friend will find this book the perfect prescription for success.

Lisa Peterson, a long-time Norwegian Elkhound owner/breeder/handler, is the Director of Club Communications for the American Kennel Club.