Tips to Reduce Dog Allergies

Love your pup but hate all the sniffles they come with? While some people have severe dog allergies that leaves them unable to leave with dogs, others simply have those annoying sniffles or scratchy throat to deal with. While your dog is your whole world, you shouldn't have to deal with allergies, too! Here are some tips on how to reduce your dog allergies to make living with your furry best friend a little bit easier.

Allergy Medicine

This may seem obvious, but even the obvious might help! Taking regular allergy medication, like a daily pill or nasal spray, might help to reduce your pet-related allergy symptoms. Be sure to take it consistently, as it's most likely to work more effectively this way.

Regular Brushing

Brushing your dog regularly can help limit your allergy symptoms. When you suffer from pet allergies, it's typically representative of an allergy to your pet's skin dander. This dander can get caught in their fur or hair and be an irritant to your allergies. Brushing your pup regularly, however, can help remove dander so that it doesn't get caught in their fur and be released into the air or on your clothes when they snuggle with you. 

Make the Bedroom a "Pet-Free" Zone

Allergens can sneak into places like your bedroom, including on your sheets and pillowcases. This makes for a very unpleasant and sniffly wake-up call in the morning! To make sleeping much more pleasant, consider making your bedroom a "pet-free" zone. Of course, if you love to snuggle with your pup at night, then this might not seem like a good option for you. However, if your dog is okay sleeping in another room, this might help ease your symptoms overnight.  

Avoid Rugs and Carpets

Rugs and carpets can cling onto your dog's dander, either through the dander itself or through dander on their loose fur. If you have hardwood floors, however, it's much easier to sweep up hair and dander thoroughly, and typically none gets left behind. If you have carpets, vacuum often with a shop-vac type vacuum that can deep clean and be able to collect all the dander and fur.

HEPA Filters

HEPA filters are used by many pet owners or those with allergies to help clean the circulated air. These can be inserted into central air units as well as select furnaces in order to help filter the air. These help by removing particles from the air that irritate your allergies.

Allergy Shots

If you allergies are severe enough to impact your everyday life, but you don't want to have to give up your furry best friend, you might want to consider allergy shots. This is something that must be discussed and arranged with your doctor, since you must undergo testing first to identify the sources and severity of your allergies.

Fingers crossed that some of these tips can help subside your allergies and that you can snuggle your pup without sneezing!