Many people say they feel guilty about getting a dog because everyone in the household works all day. The fact is, most of today's dog- owners also work all day. The secret is that dogs need about 16-18 hours of sleep per day. If someone in the house does have allergies, their allergist should always be consulted. If the allergist approves, then breeds like West Highland Terriers, Poodles, and Bichon Frise should be considered because of the low overall amount of dander in the breed.
Many people mistakenly think that longer fur means more shedding.
The truth is that many dogs with short hair can actually shed more than dogs with long fur. Dogs with a heavy undercoat like the herding and nordic breeds will shed a lot of soft fuzzy furballs at least twice per year, in the spring and fall. Some shorter coated breeds like the Labrador Retriever and the German Shepherd tend to shed year-round. Poodles and Bichon Frise do not shed at all and many terriers shed very little. Good grooming practices, a good air-filtration system and a good vacuum cleaner, though, can help you manage the hair.