My best friend from Holland is coming for a 4 week stay and looks forward to go camping with me and dogs, I have a transit van and cabana. But she says the dust of dogs in the van would make her unwell. I am thinking my little house would be full of dog dust as they live inside and sleep in my bedroom on the floor. She is suggesting she would sleep in my studio/ shed, but my dogs are always where I am and have rugs in de shed . So camping in or out is a problem. You might suggest to call it off but she has been looking forward to this trip. Loves WA as she was here 25 years ago, before she got that allergy .
Has anybody any idea what to do? As I always take dogs camping. But my friend I have not seen for years.
I was thinking of clipping dogs short and make light overalls for them.. Please find idea which will make us all happy campers, Cheers!
Friend and I are are both Grey nomads, dogs are black and used to travel and very well behaved.
Can't help with your problem Johanna, but are you coming to the get together in Seabird in just over a weeks time? Meet quite a few Grey Nomads there, and should be fun - details are in the General subforum or in the Get Together subforum - dogs are welcome, I b elieve.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
Dogs should be bathed every two weeks, that should keep the 'doggy dust' problem to a minimum. There are allergy medications she can take, she is the one with the allergy, perhaps you should suggest she look to her own health rather than ask you to do it for her. Your dogs are your constant companions, she is a visitor, whose friendship do you value the most. As the previous poster said, your dogs footprint will be everywhere, no matter where you put the dogs, their doggy footprint will remain in your carpet, bedding, and anywhere else they have been.... Presumably you have your dogs trust, shunning them by putting them somewhere they are not used to will erode some of that trust, you cannot reason with a dog, but you can reason with people - one would hope.
-- Edited by toglhot on Saturday 30th of August 2014 07:27:58 PM
-- Edited by toglhot on Saturday 30th of August 2014 07:32:05 PM
Johanna, I don't have a specific solution to your problem but perhaps understanding the situation may be of some help.
You make reference to clipping the dogs. This will have zero effect on your friends allergy.
People who have an allergic reaction to dogs are actually allergic to their "Dander", which for want of a better description is similar to dandruff in a human.
So, clipping their fur is pointless.
Your description of it as "Dust" is actually pretty close.
Their dander will be throughout their normal environment and cleaning, vacuuming and shampooing has a small effect only.
Medication for your friend to reduce the symptoms seems the only course open to you.
For information only. So called non allergenic breeds such as Poodles earn that title because they have hair like ours more than fur. Apart from producing a different type of dander the main difference is that hair continues to grow. That's why we need haircuts and Poodles need to be regularly clipped.
also, different breeds have different coat growth. They can best be described as layers. Some breeds have 3 layers. A normal main coat which is what we first see, and then if you spread the fur and look at the skin you will find a fine fuzz underneath referred to as a undercoat. On top you may see some longer hairs, often of a slightly different colour up to twice the length of the main coat. these are "Guard Hair" Most arctic or cold climate breeds have all three coats. Most breeds have only two and some only the main coat. Especially in warmer months. The undercoat produces more dander.
Might help to look closely at your dogs fur and see if maybe they have only the one coat and therefore your friend may be slightly less reactive to them.
Hope that helps.
Cheers
Jim
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