First Pup Bo Obama, a Portuguese water dog who joined his new White House family this month, was picked from the litter because his new owners wanted a “hypoallergenic” dog that wouldn’t aggravate 10-year-old Malia Obama’s allergies. But the massive media coverage of the new appointment to the Obama administration has fueled a common public misconception about dog allergies. It’s a common misconception that people are allergic to dog’s hair, but allergies to pets are caused by pet dander (skin flakes) and protein found in the animal’s saliva and skin glands that get deposited on the hair. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America reports that about 15 to 30 percent of people with allergies have allergic reactions to cats and dogs. The size of the dog and the ability of the owner to bathe the dog often are important factors to reduce the amount of allergens. But once they move away to college and live in dorms without dogs, they will lose that tolerance and their allergy symptoms could resurface when they are exposed again to dogs.

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