If you are interested in bringing home a big fluffy white dog, the Great Pyrenees is a great option.
This family-oriented dog is lovable, protective, and the perfect addition to any family. But, what else might you have to consider before you get this type of pet?
The Great Pyrenees have a lot of positive points. But like any pet, there are some downsides to consider.
In particular, this dog breed can shed a lot and it isn’t the best for anyone who has allergies.
You might be wondering whether this dog is hypoallergenic at all. Luckily, I’ll be answering this question fully throughout the rest of this post.
So keep reading to find out are Great Pyrenees hypoallergenic.
You want to do everything you can to minimize your risk of allergic reactions to your pets.
Especially if anyone in your family has dog allergies.
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Are Great Pyrenees Hypoallergenic?
The biggest question people have about the Pyrenees is if they are actually hypoallergenic.
To answer this question shortly, no these dogs are not hypoallergenic.
The Pyrenees shed hair and form dander which means they can flair up your allergies.
And when they shed a lot it makes it difficult for people with severe allergies.
If you are still intent on getting this dog, you can minimize shedding and dander spread to an extent.
This will help people with mild allergies live with Great Pyrenees.
However, I will be talking more about tips that will help you live with your dog even when you have allergies.
The great Pyrenees shed more depending on the time of year, though.
So some parts of the year it might be easier to manage your allergies than other parts of the year.
For instance, in winter, your dog will maintain its coat for winter and shed less.
But during the fall and spring, this breed will shed a lot to renew their coat and prepare for the changing weather.
Is Any Dog 100% Hypoallergenic?
Still, is any dog completely hypoallergenic?
Hypoallergenic dogs are defined as dogs that don’t shed or trigger allergies.
But, the truth is that no dog is 100 percent hypoallergenic.
Yes, it is true that hypoallergenic breeds do shed less and can create less dander as a result.
However, while hypoallergenic dogs don’t generally shed hair, they still have dander.
This can still trigger allergies. And depending on the dog breed, they might have more allergens than others.
Even if they are a breed that is known to minimize allergies this should still be kept in mind.
So, in short, no dog will be 100 percent totally hypoallergenic.
But there are steps you can take to minimize your allergies and keep yourself from sneezing all the time.
And with hypoallergenic dogs, this is a lot easier to manage as you don’t have to deal with shedding hair nearly as much. Grooming your dog is important, as is brushing their fur.
I’ll talk more about how you can live with dogs and your allergies in the next section though.
In particular, I will talk about how you can live with your Great Pyrenees and your allergies in detail for you!
How To Live With A Great Pyrenees When You Have Allergies?
How exactly can you live with the Great Pyrenees when you have allergies.
This might seem like an impossible task, especially when this dog breed sheds so much!
But this is not impossible at all.
Again, these dogs shed more during different times of the year. So your allergies might be better during winter and summer.
In addition, there are preventative steps you can take to keep dander and hair to a minimum.
1. Minimize Carpets And Furniture With Thick Fabric
The first thing you want to do is take stock of your living spaces.
Extra rugs, thick carpets, and drapes, and furniture with a lot of fabric are not going to be the best thing for your allergies.
These types of home decor and furniture will attract and keep fur and dander trapped in.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t have carpet or furniture with a cloth surface. But you do want to be mindful of these surfaces and clean them regularly.
And if you can, choose hardwood floors over carpets, as they are a lot easier to manage and keep hair off of.
2. Always Clean
I talked about this briefly, but cleaning is a big part of allergy management. This is highly important if you want to live with a dog that is not hypoallergenic.
Especially with Great Pyrenees who can shed a lot. You need to create a cleaning schedule and go over any surfaces with fabric.
Having a maid come in weekly can be extremely helpful. But if you don’t have the money for that, then try to clean up yourself.
Vacuum regularly and use things like the swifter to help keep your home in top shape.
3. Use Air Filters
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Air Filters are another great way to manage allergies, especially with your bigger dogs.
[amazon link=”B019J5EHGY” title=”Air filters” link_icon=”amazon” /] will help sanitize your air and get rid of dander this way you aren’t breathing in allergens as much.
You can even get products that are specifically made to combat pet allergens. Do a quick google search to find a product that is the right match for you.
4. Groom Your Dog
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In addition to cleaning your home, you also want to keep your dog in great shape.
Dogs, especially dogs like the Great Pyrenees with a lot of fur need to be groomed regularly.
You can bring your dog to the groomer monthly which will help you a lot. But you can also do some grooming yourself at home.
Don’t give your dog a bath every day, but you can do weekly baths to bring down dander levels and get rid of some excess hair.
You also want to make sure to brush your dog often. If you are allergic to your dog, have someone without allergies do this.
Make sure to dispose of the hair and clean out the brush as well.
5. Keep Your Pyrenees Away From The Bed
This might seem like an obvious tip, but you should keep your Great Pyrenees out of your bed.
You can even keep your dog out of your room.
If your dog sheds in your bed or your room, this will make your allergies worse.
So, just keep this in mind. It’s fun sleeping with pets but this isn’t the best if you have allergies.
6. Wash Your Hands
This might seem odd to your, but make sure to wash your hands after you interact with your pet.
A lot of pet owners won’t want to do this. But if you have allergies it’s important.
Especially if you want to minimize your contact with dander and hair as much as possible.
Washing your hands will help with this and keep allergens off your hands.
How Much Do Great Pyrenees Shed?
Again, these dogs shed a ton. In fact, these dogs shed a lot at specific times of the year as I have mentioned throughout the post.
So be on the lookout and make sure to groom and clean up in spring and autumn.
But you should know that these dogs will shed year-round. The shedding is milder during other parts of the year.
Still, it can be a lot to clean up.
These dogs have a very thick coat, and during spring and autumn, the shedding will happen almost constantly.
It isn’t too difficult to groom and brush your dog as they are friendly and amenable. You will just have to do this often.
How Can You Stop Great Pyrenees Shedding?
In truth, you can’t really stop any dog from shedding. But there are ways to minimize shedding and keep fur and dander out of your home.
First off you want to be brushing your dog as much as you can.
At a minimum brush your Pyrenees at least twice a week to keep fur and dander from getting everywhere.
I also recommend using a slicker type of brush which will help remove more layers of dead skin and hair from your pet.
Giving your dog baths regularly will also minimize the amount of dander and hair that is floating around.
If your dog is still shedding a lot, you can also give them dietary supplements. These will help minimize shedding a little more.
But, again nothing will completely stop shedding, especially with a dog that is so big and furry.
5 Large Dog Breeds That Are More Hypoallergenic Than Great Pyrenees:
In this final section, I’ll talk about dogs that are more hypoallergenic than the Great Pyrenees.
If you want a big dog but can’t handle a ton of shedding and dander then these might be better pets for you.
This doesn’t mean that you have to give up on being a Great Pyrenees owner. But if you need some different options I have researched some other breeds for you.
Samoyed
The Samoyed is the first dog I would like to talk about.
These energetic white dogs are not as massive as the Great Pyrenees, but they have a ton of energy and heart.
If you like dogs that are smiley and fun then I definitely suggest getting this breed.
They are not hard to train at all and while they do like to nap a lot, these are active dogs that love nature.
You will have a great time with this dog breed, and they shed a lot less in comparison to Great Pyrenees.
Sheepadoodle
Sheepadoodle is another popular option that you can go with.
These dogs are friendly and highly intelligent. Best of all they don’t shed a ton and are ideal for people with allergies.
The Sheepadoodle loves to interact with people and other types of animals. These dogs are also highly active and like to be played with a lot.
These dogs are especially great with families and kids as they are not known to be aggressive.
Overall, this easygoing breed is perfect for any home. Especially if you don’t want to worry about cleaning up fur and dander.
Portuguese Water Dog
These fluffy dogs look like they will shed a lot, but they shed infrequently and are quite easy to care for.
The Portuguese Water Dog is a family pet, but it can also be a great companion to any type of household.
This is another breed that is super outgoing and friendly to all types of people and animals.
Their thick black coat is beautiful and full of volume but this dog rarely sheds.
Water Dogs can be a little on the hyper side. But if you play with your dog often and train it well, they are great pets.
Lagotto Romagnolo
The Lagotto Romagnolo shares some characteristics with the Portuguese Water Dog.
Both breeds are a type of water dog, and both breeds also have minimal amounts of shedding.
However, the Lagotto Romagnolo happens to be one of the oldest breeds of water dog out there. These dependable dogs come in a range of colors.
They need a lot of physical activity, as they use to be hunting dogs and they like to bark a lot.
But with the right kind of training, these can be amazing pets!
Bergamasco Shepherd
The last dog I will talk about in this section is the Bergamasco Shepherd.
The Bergamasco is a large dog with plenty of fur and a great personality. But like other dogs on this list, they won’t be shedding too much.
This is a low-shedding dog overall.
But you still want to regularly bathe and comb your dog to keep hair and dander away.
Bergamasco has been around for thousands of years. They used to be herding dogs, but nowadays they make great energetic family pets.
Conclusion
You might have wondered, are Great Pyrenees hypoallergenic.
This dog breed is not hypoallergenic and they are not the best for people with allergies.
But if you groom your dog regularly and take other measures to keep your Pyrenees and your home clean you can live with this dog.
Even if you have allergies it is possible.
Just make sure to read through the post again so you can implement all my tips and info about this amazing breed.
