Allergies
What we can honestly say.
Some breeds tend to shed less than others, and people with allergies sometimes find them easier to live with. But no dog is completely allergy-free. The proteins people react to are in saliva and skin as well as hair, and reactions vary enormously from person to person.
If someone in your home has allergies, spend real time with the individual dog before you commit — several visits, not one — and talk to your doctor. That tells you far more than any breed list, including ours.
Time alone
How long is too long?
Most adult dogs manage three or four hours alone comfortably once they've learned how. A puppy can't do that at first — they need someone there most of the day for the first months, and building up to being alone is a skill you teach slowly.
- ✓Practise short absences from the very first week, before there's any need
- ✓A midday walker or a neighbour turns a difficult day into an easy one
- ✓Daycare a couple of days a week suits some dogs and overwhelms others
- ✓A dog who panics when left needs help early — it rarely improves on its own
