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Friday, July 27, 2012
Hypoallergenic Dogs: Are They Really Hypoallergenic?
A new report came out last week that added fuel to the growing argument that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. This is nothing to sneeze at, since some people are dropping thousands for the lure of dogs touted for their allergy-free properties.
In fact, not only did the study conclude that hypoallergenic dogs are pretty much mythical creatures, but it found that these dogs have more allergy-causing proteins in their fur than dogs who aren't thought to be anti-allergy. Poodles and Labradoodles had the highest amount of this allergy-causing protein of all the dogs studied.
The Dutch study involved nearly 400 dogs, about half of whom were of the supposedly hypoallergenic persuasion. Utrecht University's Doris Vredegoor and her colleagues measured the Can f 1 allergen -- a protein that's one of the culprits in dog allergies -- in hair and coat samples, as well as in the air and floor dust of homes of the canine recruits.
The high levels on the hypoallergenic dogs were counterintuitive, until you consider the fact that most hypoallergenic dogs have hair, not fur, and that hair doesn't shed as fur does. That could mean that allergens just hang out on the dog and accumulate until banished by a good bath. That jibes with the finding that floor dust from the Labradoodle homes contained less of the allergen. (It could also mean that allergic owners vacuum more.) There was no difference of allergens in the air of the homes.
You can read more about the study in this Reuters article, or you can read the abstract in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
I know several people who are allergic to dogs, and got Labradoodles, Portuguese Water Dogs, Poodles, or Airedales, only to be plagued by itchy eyes and runny noses. One family we know paid $3,500 for a Labradoodle, and within five minutes, Dad was reaching for his nebulizer. They still have the dog, but the poor man is on a high dose of anti-allergy meds in perpetuity.
We used to have an Airedale ourselves. I've had major allergies to cats, but not to dogs, so the allergy issue is not why we got him. But when Joe came into our lives, I figured that at least I wasn't going to have one of those homes that allergic people can't visit because of a dog.
That was before I lured my extremely dog-allergic friend to my house with promises of my hypoallergenic Airedale. Two Benadryls and 20 minutes later, she could breathe somewhat normally and had stopped sneezing. Oops. It was like learning there really is no Easter Bunny. Could there be no such thing as a dog that doesn't cause terrible allergies without frequent bathing and vacuuming of the premises? (I had vacuumed the day before she came, and bathed Joe then, too, so my normal lack of June Cleaver sensibilities was not the culprit.)I think my friend would agree with the recent report's conclusion that "The term 'hypoallergenic' is a misnomer that is not evidence-based."
How about you? Do you live with a dog purported to be hypoallergenic? What's been your experience? Do you stock the pantry with Kleenex, or is your dog living up to his allergy-free reputation? Let's talk! Your comments could help others live better with both a dog allergy and a dog.
Help your dog have a safer, healthier and calmer 4th of July!
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Could Baby Boomers Change the Face of Dog Ownership?
Not all that long ago in many parts of the country, dogs were just dogs. They slept outside or in the barn or a doghouse, and perhaps only occasionally came indoors. If they lived in the house, it was rare that they had their own bed, much less shared their owners'. Most were loved, but in a different way than they are now; not so much as kids, but as protectors, hunting companions, ratters, and pets who either had a job or could look like they did.
It wasn't a bad life, and you could argue that in some cases, it was a lot more natural than the way some of today's dogs live (stuck in apartments all day, maybe getting out to doggy day care or going to expensive dog hotels when their owners/parents go away). The dogs my daughter and I saw last year in our relatives' small village in Italy lived this life, staying outside their owners' house or in a little shed, eating fresh (and by virtue of the rural life, organic) leftovers from their owners or their neighbors. They weren't coddled, but they co-existed well enough, and generally seemed to enjoy their long days reposing in the grass in the spring sun.
There are still some parts of the U.S. where dogs live like this, but for the most part, there's been a tremendous shift in the way dogs are treated here. A recent survey shows 81 percent of Americans consider their dogs as family members -- a far cry from the backyard dogs of the not-so-distant past.
No one really knows the official dates when dogs started making the transition to being considered real family members, but from my experience in the dog-travel world, I can tell you that it was quickly picking up steam in the late 1980s. I'd gotten my first dog as an adult in 1989, when I was a reporter for USA Today. I was single and had to travel quite a bit. Back then, there were no pet hotels, no doggy daycares, and most of my friends weren't allowed to have dogs. I wouldn't leave Joe in a regular kennel, so I'd usually pack him along.
But as it turned out, there were so few places that allowed dogs that on a few occasions, I had to sneak him into motel rooms. There were no guides to dog-friendly lodgings, and certainly no Internet with dog-friendly sites, so it was a blind crapshoot. If you showed up and asked if dogs were allowed and they weren't, you couldn't very well stay. But if you didn't, you took your chances with being kicked out. That happened to me once, and it wasn't anything I cared to repeat.
Those were the Dark Ages of dog-friendly businesses. But little did I know that was all about to change.
Many Baby Boomers were delaying having children, so dogs often played important roles in their lives. On the other end of the generation, some older Boomers who'd started families young were done raising their kids, and longing for something to fill their empty nests. What better than a loyal, loving, non-college-tuition-needing dog?
As this generation grew up and out with their dogs at their sides, more businesses started allowing dogs. Lodgings found that people given the privilege of a nice room with their dog were among their best customers. Ditto for al fresco restaurants and other businesses. And so began the age of Canine Enlightenment.
While I was still grousing about how few places allowed dogs, I wrote a book on great places to take a dog in California. I really had to scrounge around, but it turns out I wasn't the only one who wanted to see a guide like this. It sold very well, and became the basis of the Dog Lover's Companion guidebook series. The book is in its seventh edition, and weighs in at more than 1,000 pages. There are so many dog-friendly venues that I have to be pretty choosy about what makes the grade.
Over the years, other businesses started catering to the people who treated their dogs as family members. Some Boomers will spare no expense for their dogs. Among the results: High-end dog food and treats; state-of-the-art medical diagnostics and treatments; super-swank boarding facilities; loads of boutique pet stores offering the choicest beds, collars, and fancy duds; and even canine massage therapists and doggy "psychologists."
As Boomers age, dogs are becoming more empty-nest fillers than "first kids." The fiscal result is a record $52 billion we'll be spending on our pets (mostly dogs) this year.
"Boomers are different, for the most part," according to Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association (APPA). "What did they call us? Helicopter parents, because we were constantly hovering over the kids. The kids left home and now we're looking to hover over something else. And so we wind up doing it over pets."
But pet ownership tends to drop as people retire -- which includes the leading edge of Boomers. It's causing the pet industry to wonder what this means for its future as this massive generation ages, gets into fixed-income mode, and doesn't have the money to expend on its four-legged family members. Sure, Generation X-ers, behind it, are also mad about their pets (whew), but the Boomer generation is so huge that the effects of its aging could shake up the industry.
The pet industry is trying to prevent a downturn in pet ownership by promoting the benefits of pets for seniors. The APPA is a founding sponsor (with Petco and Pfizer Animal Health) of the Human Animal Bond Research Initiative, a nonprofit that promotes the positive role pets play in our health. And what older person doesn't want to do what it takes to keep their health up? Dogs help blood pressure? Bring on Fido!
Of course, even Boomers are not immortal. The pet association can do only so much, and as Boomers start to die off, there may not be the dollars to keep alive all the businesses that support our love of dogs.
The future of dogs-as-family could go many ways. My hope is that our love of dogs will be so engrained that there's no returning to the Doggy Dark Ages; that even though dog owners will be fewer in number, they'll be just as passionate about their dogs. Maybe there will be fewer businesses to support this relationship, but there will be more than enough of them to nurture it without any jarring changes.
And who knows? A whole new industry of pet services could come from this. Mobile vets are already on the increase, and dog-walkers continue to grow in number. As Boomers age, businesses that make it easier for older people to keep their pets with them could have a heyday.It will be interesting to watch this unfold. As David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts, notes, "Boomers have traditionally been rule-breakers, and pet product marketers are counting on this group to buck the historical trend of sharply lower pet ownership rates among seniors."
Do you think dogs will maintain their beloved status as we grow older? Are you a Baby Boomer? Do you plan to have dogs in your life as long as possible? We'd love to hear from you, so please let us know in the comments. We have something of a dog in this fight ourselves.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Your Airline Pet Carrier Will Fit — Guaranteed
As in-cabin pet policy is not regulated by the FAA and is done so by each airline, it has been tricky for people traveling with their pets to get a clear answer as to whether or not an airline approved carrier would fit beneath the seat on a particular airline.
As a result, a new program called Guaranteed On Board® allows pet parents to get a guarantee that their carrier will be allowed on board when they get to the airport. Go to www.flygob.com, select the airline and complete flight, pet and carrier info. If everything is in compliance, print the form and present it at check-in.
This program was created in part by Quaker Pet Group to assure that pet owners who purchase their Sherpa pet carriers are not turned away at boarding. In fact, if you’re refused entry due to their Sherpa® carrier, they will reimburse you for your ticket and your pet fee.
Photographer Tou Chih-Kang Captures Dogs on Death Row
Taiwan, springtime. Outside, the world bursts into new life, but within the confines of a dark animal shelter, life pads quietly to its final destination.
En route to the euthanasia room, there's a visit with a man and a makeshift photo studio. With a classic portrait lighting setup, photographer Tou Chih-kang -- who works professionally as Tou Yun-fei -- works with a small dog. The dog has no home and will never have a home. The dog is just another statistic in a distressing pet overpopulation problem, and is scheduled to be destroyed. Though he has no name, he is allowed a final, immortalizing moment of dignity in front of Tou's camera.
Photographing the dog from various angles, Tou captures a hint of his soul -- a glance, a gaze, a certain tilt of the head -- and that's it. The dog is taken away for a final stroll around a grassy courtyard and is then put down, his last living moments caught like a ghost on the memory card in Tou's camera. Some of the dogs are young and clean -- obviously freshly abandoned -- while others are older and wilder, more accustomed to life on the streets than life in a home.
The photo is one of a series of thousands of images of death row dogs in Taiwan, which Tou hopes will bring awareness to the responsibility of pet ownership on the island. Every year thousands of pets are abandoned by naive pet owners who never realized the immense undertaking of bringing an animal home. With so many homeless dogs competing for resources, about 70 percent of all shelter strays are euthanized. Believing that the Taiwanese media does not give the issue enough attention, Tou set out to photograph the animals in their final, bleak moments. The results are images that are brutally honest and haunting, forcing us to contemplate our own mortality as we stare into the eyes of a creature who is one of very few species to form such a close and profound connection with us.
Beginning in August, a selection of Tou's work will be on display at the Fine Arts Museum in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung.
You know that feeling you've got rolling in your stomach right now? That eerie unease? That bit of anger? That sickness? These dogs' lives won't be in vain if you take that feeling and let it act as an impetus for change. Hug your dog extra tight, volunteer at a local shelter, and lead by example. Let the compassion flow toward your fellow humans, who are suffering as well. Make the world a better place for animals and people alike. That's how we all win.
Story via Yahoo! News, header image via Yun-Fei Tou's Facebook
In France, Locals Abandon Their Dogs When They Go on Vacation
This could be the worst sentence you'll read all day: Before they head off on summer vacations, many French people dump their dogs at shelters before they leave. It's a despicable practice, but before you get outraged, think a moment: How many abandoned dogs do you think there are? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?
How about more than 100,000? Every summer. Now you can get outraged.
An NPR article reports that the practice of abandoning pets before summer vacations is common across Europe, though France is among the worst offenders, with Italy and Spain close by.
It seems to be part of the culture, despite campaigns by animal rights groups. Every year, the French SPCA runs a program to educate and inform the public through posters and social media. One poster features a dog and the line, "Animals can't cry, they just suffer in silence. Don't leave your pet this year."
It seems that some people in France -- many people in France, actually -- just don't care about dogs. According to Claire Brissard, who runs Society for the Prevention of Cruelty in Chamarande, many people don't even think they are doing anything wrong.
"So we make them come with us to put the dogs in the cages themselves," Brissard told NPR. "And when they see the stress of the animal they're leaving behind, at least they're not proud of what they're doing. And we hope that keeps them from doing it again."
Anne-Claire Chauvancy, of the Foundation for the Assistance of Animals, says that the education campaign has been so widespread that it has lost its impact.
"Everyone knows abandoning your dog is cruel, and he'll probably starve or get hit by a car," she told NPR. "This campaign has become almost banal and just seems to mark the beginning of summer."
Clearly, a new campaign is needed. The idea that more 100,000 dogs are handed off to shelters so their owners can relax is nearly impossible to for us to understand, especially because France is perceived as dog-friendly country (at least in the restaurants and cafes). France, with 61 million domestic animals, has the most pet ownership in Europe, and nearly half of all household have a pet, reports NPR.
David Chauvet of Animal Rights, a group that wants sales in retail pet stores halted until the shelters are empty, tries to explain: "The large majority of French are horrified by the thought of abandoning their pet," he told NPR. "But there are people with no scruples, much like child abusers."
More than 100,000 dogs, every year. That's a lot of people with no scruples.
Via NPR.
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