Inside the Minds of Cats and Dogs
National Geographic

By Virginia Morell

On a recent hike with our long-legged collie, Buck, my husband and I rounded a bend and nearly bumped into a diminutive Chihuahua and its owner. Despite the differences in their heights, the tow dos managed to sniff each other and began wagging their tails with such exuberance that we all had to laugh. The other owner voiced the thought every dog lover has surely pondered at least once: “I wonder what they are thinking.” I wonder the same thing about my calico cat, Nini, who seems to enjoy nothing more than sitting on my desk and studying my face while I write. Is she looking at me or through me?

Buck and Nini have a somewhere wary, arm’s length relationship, which of course is not unusual between these two very different species. About the only thing they have in common is — us. Like most pet cats and dogs, they tend to ignore each other. And until fairly recently, science has tended to ignore them.

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15 Dog Breeds Which Reduces Allergic Reactions in Human

There are more than 15 breeds of dog which can reduce allergic reactions in humans. This is good news for potential dog owners.

In this case, although there is no such thing as a true non-allergic dog, selecting a breed which can reduce the spread of allergens is essential.

The number of people allergic to dogs are far fewer than those who are allergic to cats. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, approximately 10% of Americans are allergic to animals.

An allergy to dogs usually manifests itself through rashes, or sneezing and itchy, watery eyes. This is brought about an allergic reaction to proteins in dog saliva and skin dander, or the spreading of allergens (such as pollen and dust) from dog hair. This irritation can prove fatal in a few cases, especially in asthma suffers.

15 Hypo-allergenic Dog Breeds

According to the aforementioned sources, dogs considered good for allergy sufferes include:

• Poodle
• Labradoodle
• Maltese Terrier
• Bichon Frise/ Bischon Havanaise
• Yorkshire Terrier
• West Highland White Terrier
• Shih-Tzu
• Chihuahua
• Whippet
• Italian Greyhound
• Basenji
• Irish Water Spaniel
• Portuguese Water Dog
• Schnauzer
• Chinese Crested /Mexican Hairless

This is by no means an exclusive list.

One person’s allergies will vary from another in discomfort and intensity so the best advice is to expose the sufferer/potential dog owner to his preferred breed before actually commiting to ownership.