A study published on July 12, 2011, challenges the effectiveness of breeds labeled "hypoallergenic" in reducing dog allergies. Researchers, including Charlotte Nicholas from Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, found that homes with hypoallergenic dogs did not show lower levels of detectable dog allergens compared to homes with non-hypoallergenic breeds. These findings appear in the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy.
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The researchers analyzed dust samples for Canis familiaris 1, the primary dog allergen, collected from the floors of infants' bedrooms one month after birth. This research stemmed from the Wayne County Health, Environment, Allergy, and Asthma Longitudinal Study (WHEALS), which recruited pregnant women in urban and suburban Detroit.
The study included 173 one-dog households, with 94.2 percent having detectable allergen levels. Despite examining various classifications of hypoallergenic and non-hypoallergenic breeds, there were no significant differences in allergen presence based on the dog's breed. While there was a tendency for lower allergen levels in homes where hypoallergenic dogs were allowed in the baby's bedroom, and higher levels in homes where they were not, these differences were not statistically significant.
The authors note limitations within the study, such as the lack of detailed data on how much time the dog spent in the baby's room, reliance on maternal reports for dog breeds, and a small sample size that limited specific breed analyses. They suggested that collecting samples directly from dogs, rather than from the floor, could yield results more aligned with other studies but emphasized their goal was to assess the prevalence of allergens in homes with various dog breeds.