Some dogs are popular the world over after being touted as hypoallergenic dog breeds. But when advertising and marketing funds enter the picture, nothing is what it may seem. For example, scientists insist there is really no hard scientific data that can assure us that a house pet is allergen-free, regardless of who they meet. In any case, people with allergies talk a good deal about being able to live well with a hypoallergenic dog's low-shedding coat.

As far as I can recall, our family could not do without at least one dog as a pet. In particular we had one small American Cocker Spaniel that stayed at home for up to a year. Things changed when my mother, then pregnant with my youngest brother, sent the dog away to stay with an aunt. What I could remember about that pet is the amount of hair he was capable of producing. What my dad could remember was, unfortunately, his allergies! Since then, I've come to learn that when it comes to allergens, some dogs can carry something that can pack a wallop; others, not even the subtlest ill-feeling.

So back to that controversial term, "hypoallergenic." It's really a misnomer, I think. All dogs simply emit dander and thus, the protein too, that is the root of those pesky and annoying allergic reactions. A breed with nil to zero hair (like the head-turning Xolo) cannot automatically lay claim to being less allergenic. Remember that the main culprit behind allergic reactions is the skin cells and saliva containing the allergen, and the hair is far from being the suspect. Check it out: examples of less allergic dogs are the Poodle, Schnauzer, and Shih Tzu; examples of hypoallergenic breeds are the Greyhound, Spanish Water Dog, and many of the terrier breeds. Notable breeds that have skyrocketed to fame in recent years are the Portuguese Water Dog and the Labradoodle, two dogs that seem to be visually interchangeable, but actually have a lot of stark differences from each other.

The Portuguese Water Dog, or Portie, is of course the First Dog; the Doodle, as it is also called, is a designer dog. The first traces its roots to busy fishing harbors; the second, to some high-tech breeding lab. Nevertheless, both are highly intelligent, magnetic in personality, and hate boredom.

When adopting or purchasing a new pet, potential dog owners with pet allergies may need to spend some hours interacting with their choices in order to select well. Owners can take action too, in order to control allergens. The solution is sometimes just some regular bathing and brushing, coupled with the use of air purifiers to bring down the level of pet allergens in the house. A little research and reading does a lot of wonders when it comes to getting the right pet, and may even put off any premature parting with it.