It is true that labradoodles were first bred to accommodate a blind person who required a seeing-eye dog but was allergic to dogs. Due to the fact that labs are considered an excellent choice for this type of work; they were crossed with a standard poodle in an attempt to preserve the temperament of a lab with the non-shedding coat of a poodle. As a result, the labradoodle was born, and became a very popular dog among allergy sufferers.

However, if you suffer from animal allergies or have asthma, you may want to investigate labradoodles before you make any final decisions about brining this dog home. Why? The reason is because a doodle is not a non-allergen dog, it is hypoallergenic, and many people mistaken the two terms as being one in the same. Non-allergen would mean the dog is allergen-free and will not cause an allergic reaction in those sensitive to dogs. Hypoallergenic means that the chances of an allergy occurring is reduced, but is not entirely eliminated.

Therefore, while there is less of a chance that an allergic reaction will result from a labradoodle, this does not mean one cannot happen. However, that said, a hypoallergenic dog is the best chance an allergy sufferer has at comfortably living with a canine, because an allergen-free breed simply does not exist. Hence, if you are interested in doodles, but are allergic to dogs, you need to realize that there is still a risk you may be affected by them.

How can labradoodles still cause allergies when they don't shed? The fact is that dogs that do not shed, are short-haired or hairless, can never truly be allergen-free. There are basically three many reasons for this:

• Dander - When a person has a reaction to a dog, cat or other animal, it is not the fur that causes the problem, but the dander. This is the animal's skin scales, and when they are naturally shed along with proteins, those that can be aggravated by these dander associated proteins have a reaction.

• Saliva - A person may be allergic to the saliva of dogs. Proteins that exist in saliva can be transmitted to you if the animal licks you, or has licked their fur and you pet them or come in contact with infected fur once it has been shed.

• Other substances - Dust, mold, pollen, ragweed, and many other common allergens can easily stick to the hair of labradodles. They can then, in turn, be transferred to you when you come into contact with the dog; sit or lie down on the same furniture he has shed on; or even by being in the same room, as air circulation will eventually carry the allergen to you.

Thus, due to the fact that it is rarely the actual fur or hair of a dog that people are allergic to, if you have a dog allergy, it is imperative you find out what exactly is the cause of your reactions or what makes them worse. You don't want to bring a labradoodle home and end up having to give him up because of your allergy. This would be unfair to both you and the doodle. Thus, be sure you spend plenty of time around labradoodles both inside and outside before you make any final decisions.