Finding a dog that doesn’t aggravate allergies is not easy. If you want to bring a beagle into your home but you or someone in the household is allergic to pets, you’ll need to know if beagles are hypoallergenic.
Beagles aren’t considered ‘hypoallergenic’ because they are average shedders. In addition, their saliva and urine can also cause allergies to flare up. However, with regular combing and cleaning, and some basic training, your beagle shouldn’t cause you to have severe allergic reactions to it.
Knowing what causes dog allergies and how to manage your beagle’s shedding and dander can help ensure that you don’t have a severe allergic reaction to your beagle. Overall, beagles are great dogs, and following the tips below can ensure they don’t lead to discomfort or problems at home.
Why Aren’t Beagles Hypoallergenic?
No dog breed is truly hypoallergenic. Proteins found in their saliva, skin, and urine cause dog allergies. Some dog breeds, especially those without hair, shed less dander and are therefore more hypoallergenic, however, they still have the problem-causing protein in their saliva and urine. Therefore, no dog is 100% hypoallergenic.
Beagles shed hair to some extent. Along with this hair, they also shed dander, which can cause allergies. However, beagles shed less hair than other dog breeds, such as labradors. Therefore, beagles are considered more hypoallergenic.
Although you cannot completely ensure that a beagle doesn’t cause an allergic reaction, you can take specific measures to reduce the number of allergens your beagle spreads. Most of these tips will make the beagle much more hypoallergenic. So, how do you reduce the allergens spread by a beagle?
1. Discourage The Beagle From Licking You
Beagles are social dogs and often shower you with licks and kisses. If you have dog allergies, their saliva will cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, to prevent this, discourage the beagle from licking you in the face or on your body.
When their saliva dries, the protein is released into the air and can cause an allergic reaction. Fortunately, you can prevent this by wiping up dog saliva and training them not to lick you. Beagles are easy to train, especially when they are young.
Don’t let the beagle lick you in the face or on your body when it is small, and scold it when it does. This will help to minimize the allergens the beagle spreads. Furthermore, wash your hands after touching the beagle to prevent spreading the dander to your face.
2. Brush You Beagle Often
Beagles have short, straight hair, making it easy to brush them. By often brushing your beagle, you reduce the number of hairs shed in the house. Brush your beagle twice a week to help minimize its shedding. As you comb the beagle, you also remove the allergy-causing dander.
You can give the beagle a quick brush daily to remove any loose hairs and reduce its shedding for the best results. This should help to reduce the allergens caused by the beagle’s dander. If you brush your beagle from the time it is a puppy, it shouldn’t have any problem being brushed, and this can be an excellent way to bond with your pet.
3. Don’t Allow The Beagle To Sleep On The Bed
While many people allow their dogs to sleep on the bed and lie on furniture, this isn’t the best way to reduce the allergens spread by your beagle. Instead, give the beagle a dog bed, and don’t let it on the furniture. If it does lie on your furniture, it will spread dander and saliva, which can cause an allergic reaction.
In addition, if one person in your house is allergic to dogs, don’t allow the beagle into their room. This will help ensure they aren’t exposed to the allergens when they sleep or spend time in their room.
4. Wash The Beagle’s Bed And Toys
If your beagle has soft toys or blankets, wash them often to prevent their saliva from drying and spreading allergens. Also, ensure you wash the beagle’s toys in toxin-free laundry soap so the beagle doesn’t get sick.
Furthermore, wash the beagle’s bed once a month to remove any dander that collects on the bed. This will help reduce your house’s allergens and keep the beagle healthy and free from ticks and other pests.
Although you should wash your beagle’s bed and toys often, don’t wash your beagle more than once every six weeks. Doing so can strip your beagle’s hair and skin of the essential oils it needs to be healthy. As a result, your beagle will develop dry and irritated skin. This will not only lead to more shedding but can harm your beagle’s health.
5. Feed You Beagle High-Quality Food
Your beagle’s diet will significantly influence the amount of hair and dander it sheds. For example, if you feed your beagle high-quality food with meat and essential oils, the beagle will have a healthy pelt and won’t shed as much. You can also add special oil drops to the beagle’s food which assists in healthy skin and fur.
You can find this coat oil at your veterinary or pet shop or buy it on Amazon. First, ensure the beagle isn’t allergic to any ingredients in the coat oil. If they show signs of allergies, discontinue using the oil immediately.
6. Ensure Your Beagle Is House Trained
As mentioned, the allergen-causing protein is also found in dog urine. Therefore, you should house train your beagle as soon as possible to prevent it from urinating in the house and spreading allergens. Fortunately, beagles are easily house-trained, so this shouldn’t be hard to achieve.
If your beagle does have an accident in the house, use an enzyme detergent to clean the spill. The enzymes kill the proteins responsible for an allergic reaction and can help minimize the spread of allergens.
When Shouldn’t You Adopt A Beagle?
The tips mentioned above will significantly help reduce the allergens spread by your beagle and make it possible for someone with dog allergies to adopt a beagle. However, sometimes, a beagle might not be an option if you have severe dog allergies.
You can never entirely remove all allergens from your home if you have a dog. Therefore, if you get eczema from the dog’s dander or saliva or asthma attacks from the allergens, adopting a beagle might not be the best decision.
Overall, you don’t want to adopt a dog if you suspect it will cause damage to your health or that of someone you live with. Unfortunately, you can only do so much to reduce the allergens spread by your beagle, but you can never entirely eliminate them.
Conclusion
Beagles are average shedders and shed hair and dander in moderation. Therefore, beagles aren’t considered hypoallergenic. Fortunately, suppose you have a mild dog allergy. In that case, you can follow some basic steps to reduce the allergens spread by your beagle.
However, suppose you have a severe dog allergy and tend to get asthma attacks or eczema from interacting with dogs. In that case, a beagle is not the best dog to adopt. Keeping your beagle’s coat healthy, washing its bed and toys, and ensuring it doesn’t lick you in the face are ways to reduce the chances of allergic reactions to your beagle.
References
https://kidadl.com/facts/are-beagles-hypoallergenic-facts-to-know-before-buying-a-beagle
https://wildearth.com/blogs/dog-knowledge/are-beagles-hypoallergenic
