Are Bernedoodle Puppies Hypoallergenic?

For a person with dog allergies, living in a dog-loving country or personally being a dog lover isn’t easy. Approximately 37%- 47% of American households have a dog.

Dog dander gets everywhere, including places where dogs have never set a paw. According to the National Institute of Health, detectable levels of pet dander are in almost every home in the U.S. Dog allergy is extremely annoying when you are a dog lover yourself.

The symptoms of dog allergy are usually like those of any other nasal allergy. They include coughing and wheezing, red, itchy eyes, runny and stuffy nose, and sneezing. Some people with dog allergies also have skin reactions.

For instance, their skin might break out where a dog licks them. Others with severe allergies might also develop hives on their faces or chest. People with asthma as well as pet allergies can have some serious symptoms.

Causes of dog allergies:

You may have heard that some dog breeds trigger allergy symptoms while others don’t or that short-haired dogs are safe while long-haired dogs prone to shedding are not.

In short, some dog breeds are hypoallergenic including the Bernedoodle puppies. It’s not the dog’s hair or fur that’s the real problem. Instead, people are usually allergic to the dander, flakes of dead skin, as well as the saliva and urine.

So no matter how long or short the hair, any dog can potentially cause allergic reactions if your body is prone to them. Dog danders have such an effect on people with oversensitive immune systems.

Their bodies overreact to a harmless substance like dog dander and attack it as they would bacteria or viruses. The sneezing and watery eyes are just the side effects of the body’s attempts to destroy or flush out the allergen.

Treating dog allergies:

Dog allergies are treatable and can be treated with standard drugs. Your doctor might recommend:

• Antihistamines: it blocks the effects of a chemical that triggers dog allergy symptoms. Some are sold over the counter like Zyrtec, Benadryl, Allegra, Claritin and some are sold as nasal sprays like Astelin
• Decongestants: reduce swelling in the nose and relieve congestion, examples are over the counter Sudafed and Allegra- D
• Nasal steroids which are sprays that relieve allergy symptoms by calming inflammation are the first-line treatment for allergies
• Allergy shots are another option for people with dog allergies. They don’t work for everyone and a full course of treatment can take years. But they can really help some people with pet allergies

There isn’t a single dog breed that is 100% hypoallergenic, even the breeds with short hair. However, the breed Bernedoodles, tend to be more hypoallergenic than other dog breeds.

To understand more about Bernedoodles and why they are somewhat hypoallergenic, let’s look at the history of Bernedoodles to get a better idea about them.

What is a Bernedoodle?

Bernedoodles are a designer breed and they are definitely not an old breed as they were bred recently. They are a mix of a Bernese Mountain dog and poodles.

Bernese mountain dogs are strong, good in nature, friendly, and calm. This breed requires a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day. They love to do outdoor activities and certainly do well with positive, early training and socialization.

They are also considered heavy shedders. Meanwhile, Poodles are very active, proud, and smart. They are a high-energy breed and require daily walks, jogs, and play sessions. Poodles shed very little and are considered hypoallergenic.

So as a result, Bernedoodles are active dogs with strong and calm nature, friendly and hypoallergenic. Depending on the generation of your Bernedoodle  (F1, F1B, F2, F2B, etc), some Bernedoodles will be more hypoallergenic than others. It highly depends on the amount of Poodle genetics that your Bernedoodles inherit.

When you cross a Poodle and a Bernese mountain dog, you get a first-generation F1 Bernedoodle. This would mean that the Bernedoodle 50% Poodle and 50% Bernese mountain dog.

An F1 Bernedoodle has a high likelihood of not being hypoallergenic since they are 50% Bernese mountain dog. When you cross an F1 Bernedoodle with a Poodle, you get an F1B Bernedoodle which is 75% Poodle and 25% Bernese mountain dogs.

F1B Bernedoodle sare also called backcrossed dogs since they have one purebred and one hybrid parent. Since an F1B Bernedoodle is 75% poodle, this increases its likelihood of being hypoallergenic.

Thus, if you are looking for a Bernedoodle that is mostly hypoallergenic, you would want an F1B vs an F1.

Do Bernedoodle s shed a lot?

Bernedoodle s are a mixed breed and since they have traits from both their Bernese mountain dog and Poodle parents. Being hypoallergenic will totally depend on the genes the Bernedoodle will be getting.

Since Bernese mountain dogs are a heavy shedder, if the Bernedoodle has high genes of Bernese mountain dog, it likely is not hypoallergenic.

Meanwhile, if the Bernedooddle has high genes of a Poodle, which is hypoallergenic, then the Bernedoodle is more likely hypoallergenic.

Most Bernedoodles will be low shedding dogs but as with all mixed breeds, each member of this hybrid breed can go through different levels of shedding.

Bernedoodle puppies are small in size than the adult Bernedoodle they do shed less dander which makes them less likely to trigger dog allergies.

Conclusion:

Bernedoodles being hypoallergenic is an important question that most people who are going to adopt a dog and looking for a hypoallergenic breed ask.

So, yes Berneedoodles are hypoallergenic, to some extent. This hybrid breed is a mix of Bernese mountain dog and Poodle so it consists of traits and genes of both the parents.

Poodles are considered hypoallergenic so a Bernedoodle having higher Poodle genes will be hypoallergenic. Bernedoodle s tend to be hypoallergenic but there is no guarantee that they won’t shed a little bit.

They also have lots of grooming requirements and will need to be brushed most days to maintain the health and quality of their coat. So if you are willing to buy a hypoallergenic puppy, then Bernedoodle is the best choice.