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Hypoallergenic Dogs – is it true?

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Hypoallergenic Dogs – is it true or just a myth?

We’re in the hypoallergenic decade, with ample dogs toting the “allergy free” label – many of them mixes containing a parent of poodle in their lineage. (Doodles aren’t a new thing: Labradoodles were the earliest created, referenced in 1955, popularized in 1989, with cockapoos becoming popular in the 50s & goldendoodles arriving in the 60s. As of 2006, there were over 220 poodle mix variations!).

Less allergy creation = less reaction of amplified allergies of the owner. Dog allergy people rejoice!

But are these dogs actually hypoallergenic?

Nope.

Per the Mayo Clinic & the AKC – there are no 100% hypoallergenic dog breeds. Instead there are some dogs that lend to fewer allergy symptoms than others. The oodles of poodle hybrids could still be causes of allergies, though they may be far less than notorious heavy shedders & slobbery droolers. Less shedding means less dander getting released into the air. There will still be dander that occurs, rendering all dogs NOT hypoallergenic. 

Hypoallergenic dogs = myth

Did you know – the source of pet allergies isn’t caused by a dog’s fur, but by a protein that is in their spit & pee along with dander? This lovely protein sticks to the dander from the dog’s skin, which flakes off when shedding occurs and activates the allergies found in sensitive people. Any dog can potentially cause an allergic reaction!

Damn!

Luckily if you do have allergies, there are some dogs you can consider adding to your family that may cause you to have less allergy flare ups. There’s also a whole pack of them that may be best to avoid. We’ll start with the ones to avoid. 

Don’t fall in love with these dogs – they may make your allergies flare up badly!

The worst of the pack:

  • St. Bernards
  • German Shepherds
  • Siberian Huskies
  • Springer Spaniels
  • Great Pyrenees
  • Akitas
  • Labradors
  • Pomeranians
  • Chow Chows
  • Cocker Spaniels
  • Alaskan Malamutes
  • Newfoundlands
These breeds have shorter coats but tend to be drooly and can cause allergies to flare: 
  • Bulldogs
  • Boston Terriers
  • Basset Hounds
  • Dachshunds
  • Boxers
  • Dobermans
  • Bloodhounds

If you are set on having one of these breeds and have dog allergies, be prepared for a bit more active maintenance. No slobbery kisses (spit = allergen), very frequent brushings and nearly as frequent baths, no cuddle buddies in your bedroom. Or on the couch. Rip out all the carpets, invest in HEPA filters and deep clean all the soft surfaces on a regular. You may have to take an allergy medicine as well to avoid being a stuffy mess. (You could get a doodle mix of one of these breeds, just note they won’t carry the look of said breed.)

The most common doodles you’ll find: cockapoo (the oldest breed of the doodles) , labradoodle, goldendoodle, sheepadoodle, yorkipoo, bernedoodle, cavapoo and aussiepoo (or aussiedoodle). Don’t be surprised to find doodles of all breeds – poodle + breed pairings of all sorts are the in thing. 

Kona
Spencer
Maple

A trio of the many doodles I’ve met throughout the years!

Really really set on one of the Worst of the Pack breeds? Check out what they might look like as a doodle:

Toast the St. Bernadoodle
Nacho the Newfypoo
Megan the Huskydoodle
Boston the Huskypoo
Billie the Shepadoodle
Ivy Mae the Shepadoodle
Reggie the Doberdoodle

(*images are not ours, using for illustrative purposes, found on Instagram!:  Toast the St. Berndoodle, Nacho the Newfypoo, Megan the Huskydoodle, Boston the huskypoo,  (I’m not sure if the proper nomenclature is huskydoodle or huskypoo…) Bille the Shepadoodle, Ivy Mae the Shepadoodle, Reggie the Doberdoodle

 Aside from the various doodles – these dog breeds may be a better fit if you have allergies:

  • wirehair dogs
  • Bichons
  • Chinese Crested
  • Miniature Schnauzers
  • Poodles
  • Yorkies
  • Shih Tzus
  • Malteses
  • Portuguese Water Dogs
  • Scottish Terriers
  • Giant Schnauzers
  • Westies
  • Havanese
  • Afghan Hound
  • Basenji
  • Cairn Terrier
  • Bedlington Terrier
  • Irish Water Spaniel
  • Lagotto Romagnolo
  • Lhasa Apso
  • Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

Remember, there is no dog that is truly hypoallergenic dogs – yes there are dogs that shed less and drool less than others & are less prone for causing allergy flareups. As long as a dog has fur, creates spit & drool and makes urine (accidents in the house) there is the possibility of a dog causing allergies to flare. 

Do you have dog or cat allergies & own a pet? Do you do anything to help lessen the allergens from your dog?

Hypoallergenic Dogs – is it true? Read More »

Onward in these odd times.

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EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
Monday the 18th – the stay at home order for photographers in Minnesota has been relaxed, meaning we can return to immortalizing our clients through photography. (You didn’t know we couldn’t? Indeed. In fact there were photographers who were granted tickets for being out in public. Egads!)

Additionally the part time gig at St. Cloud Camera was halted. This IS the year that photography was going to be launched into full time. The time away from the part time gig has been a solid feeling of being full time, minus that it basically handed me the reins and said you can’t actually do any photography. Good luck. 

In the downtime:

  • We’ve read: Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett & The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, finished  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success  by Carol Dweck. 
  • We designed, recorded and concocted a course for photographers to get beyond the basics: Beyond the Barking Basics
  • We bought a printer scanner combo (thanks Shaq for the Epson suggestion) & got our taxes done (our milage: 10,200ish miles!)
  • We sewed face masks and pushed Atomic Collars into active again
  • The garden/yard gets worked on – including multiple trips to compost, trees from toothpick to a rather large stump dug up, and half the pergola taken down
  • Bender has spent most of the time snoozing in the sun, not sure he’s aware I’m home all the time haha

 

Moving forward with sessions: 

  • We will keep our social distance – bring masks especially in urban settings
  • If you or us are sick, we will reschedule after the yuck passes
  • Viewing sessions will be via Skype / Google Meetings etc
    ** if you are comfortable having me in your home, we can meet in person
  • You will get to meet all of the products from the back of my vehicle
    – way easier to touch & feel them then trying to imagine what they are via an online meeting

 

Onward into the oddity that is 2020. (Seriously, whoever decided to break out the vintage Jumanji game…).

We’ll get through this together, even though we are apart. 

We love all of you! Stay safe & snuggled in. 

Onward in these odd times. Read More »

Into the next decade!

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The 10 year marker, one decade worth of time. Yes technically any span of 10 years counts, though in the calendar it falls on the even year ending in 0. (This will be the 6th decade to start in a leap year since 1900.)

2010, ten years ago:

  • About A Dog Photography was no more than an idea (it came to fruition two years later)
  • Mick & Icey were my pack. Axle arrived Christmas day 2011, Bender two Januarys afterwards
  • Employment was RCC/Boot Barn & JCPenny Portrait Studio, both in the mall
  • Photography was growing in skill, the Nikon D300s employed in the tool of capturing the world

The dogs and I moved, from St. Cloud to Paynesville (with a trio, minus Bender) to St. Cloud and back to Paynesville (also with a trio, minus Mick), with a move back to St. Cloud in the fall of 2018, sans Icey. It is the first shared space of Kris & I. 

Cameras transitioned, from the workhorse D300s that was well over the recommended shutter count into the D750 and full frame world. Zooms transitioned into primes, with a sweet spot found at 85mm. From the D750 we jumped into Bruin, the bear, the D5 that sports a wicked 12 frames a second in shooting. 

Lenses continued to shift into a prime portrait kit with the new loved go to the 135mm. (For lens nerds & those curious the kit is: 20mm f1.4, 35mm f1.4, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 105mm f1.4 & 135mm f1.8)

Flash was vaguely introduced, and a quad set of strobes were invested in. (Stay tuned to see them more involved with sessions). Massive knowledge gained, just saying flash duration is totally a thing to know!

Out of state travel centered on Colorado a series of times, waned for a few years, then shifted into an unplanned adventure to Maryland, with a more recent jaunt to the Smoky Mountains. 

Mick, my first dog. He was a snuggler, had epic ears and was known to prance when he got the ball (but not bring it back).
Icey, my second dog. Velcro, with an awesome head tilt, and a bark on command. She splashed like a fish when she swam, hogged the couch and farted with the best of them.
Bender, the lughead. He’s an avid chewer, particular about the dogs he likes and snores like an old man. He’s got amazing ears but is the trickiest dog to get them to show.
Axle, aka Puppy. He rocks an underbite, loves to retrieve and swim, and is vocal when he plays. His age shows in his greys (he has grey hairs on his butt too!). He has a bit of RBF when it comes to having his picture taken – he’s been doing this since a puppy and is totally over it.
A young Axle, showing barely any grey. Awww, my sweet Puppy! (He & Bender are going to be 9 years old this year!)

About A Dog Photography turned 7 this past year! 

  •  We have photographed roughly 65 classic sessions since 2012
  • This year we photographed 16 classic sessions plus 18 sessions for the book Dogs of Minneapolis!
  • We’ve helped countless dogs find their forever homes in working with Tri County Humane Society, Grey Face Rescue and Ruff Start Rescue. 

A huge thank you to everyone who have been part of this adventure. We love and appreciate each of you!  

In the personals: Interests

Vintage lenses to turn into freelenses. 13 of them, rear mounts removed for a “poor man’s” tilt shift. This interest has waned greatly, though a pair of actual tilt shift lenses have been added into the collection. 

The adoration of classic 1964.5 to 1970 Ford Mustangs has stayed, with a love spot on 1970. (Currently I do not own one, yes if I did we’d do sessions with it). 

Collecting Pyrex began with an oomph from Jen (we’ve been friends for nearly a DECADE!). This led to collecting Fry glass, glass kitchen items, a slight deviation into Depression glass (way too easy to find), back to kitchen items to tread into the current days’s questing: cake stands, banana stands and milk glass items.

Sewing kicked up with a Singer heavy duty in time for costume crafting for the Minneapolis ComicCon around holidays of 2014. Atomic Collars was conceived in the frozen early months of 2015, crafting sturdy upcycled unique martingale collars for Bender. 

Sewing waned with bits of Atomic Collars being sewn. 

Cue late 2018 Halloween and the quest for 50s style skirts, a pattern for circle skirts and we were off, finding fabrics and growing the horde to 50ish in the winter span.

Vintage patterns came into the radar, the first in March, a 1960 McCall’s pattern with a gathered skirt and low back. (Yes it was sewed, though I did swap out the gathered skirt for a circle skirt). The collection has grown and continues with 164+ patterns. A handful have been made with plans for at least half of the collection. 

Books & reading has remained, as has the adoration of T. C. Boyle. The color blue will stay the favorite for an infinity. The vintage Schwinn bike with yellow mag wheels has waned, as has riding bike in general. Drawing amped with dragons, cooled over the past year, regained life and is now traipsing into a new medium: gouache!

What interests of yours have stayed the same?

What new ones are you taking with you into the new year?

From one of the early pictures from the website’s library – 2014 – the wee Althea and little Piney! Althea is an awesome young lady, sprouted like a weed and Piney is still just as adorable.
To the very last session of 2019 – Scout & Parka! Cheers to the new year!

Happy new year!

Here’s to the new year and the start of a new decade! May the adventure be bold, fun, playful, full of learning and growth and all the epicness you can handle. 

Thank you for the past decade (ok past 7 years) and we look forward to the next decade to come. 

Into the next decade! Read More »

Our Favorite Things – Bulltug toys

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The Christmas rush has waned, with gifts gleefully unwrapped, cookies and eggnog consumed, waistbands adjusted and matching pjs employed. Bender rather enjoys his new bones and was quite the hilarious ham with the new snow booties on (thank you Axle for the humor and being concerned about your brother’s frozen tootsies).

For me, creative items for sewing and painting were unwrapped, along with a pair of cashmeres in a battle of light and dark with an epic choice (which do “side” do you think was picked first – the dark side or the light side?), a duvet cover in smooth Egyptian cotton (this has been on the list for the past few years… finally!) and new seed and feeders for the birds. Kris received fancy date nights and neckties, portable tool boxes and a pair of matching his and hers undies that infused a royal blush and awkwardness into my sister when the hers bikini style was held aloft first. Merry Christmas sis! Hahahaha!

We hope you had a jolly affair, surrounded by not only presents but love and appreciation of your family and those you call family.

Puppers, if you didn’t get what you wanted, how about tell your mum & dad about a super awesome pair of toys made by Bulltug (they happen to be one of our favorite things, yes they’re featured in THE Holiday Gift Guide)

Bender loves his Chew-N-Tug 7 Pack and has successfully destroyed the ball, one of the rope toys and half of another. His favorite is Racool the racoon, though he’s not allowed to “eat” or chew on him for long. 

Brand new to the Bulltug collection as of this past fall is Trash-N-Seek, a plush trashbag with rope toy handles and a trio of very plump we ate too much roly poly raccoons! 

This toy is tons of fun, as it encourages not only chewing and tugging, but searching for the fat raccoons hidden inside, two with squeakers and one with a spiky ball inside. Plus there is a massive squeaker on the bottom of the trash bag. 

Don’t believe me on the fun?

Pop over to Bulltug’s website to snag your own Trash-N-Seek.

You can also follow them on Facebook & Instagram.

Merry Friday after Christmas and may the new year that’s coming be full of fun, play and epic awesomeness. 

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Our Favorite Things – Atomic Collars Interview

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December is lurking, just behind the turkeys, with attempts at S**W to add a little extra chaos to traveling for the holidays. (Be safe with this week!)

November started the flood of the merry holidays, trimmed in tinsel & gift giving. Inspired, THE Holiday Gift Guide was launched. Aligned with the Holiday Gift Guide is a series of interviews with the businesses behind our favorite things.

CuddleMutt, Val’s Brew Treats & the book Dogs of Minneapolis have all been featured.

Time for another! Atomic Collars!

Our favorite things: Atomic Collars!

Hello Cahlean!

Cahlean is epically amazing, with not only the talent you love and know as About A Dog Photography, but she sews BOMB accessories for dogs as Atomic Collars.
(Yes giving yourself an interview about your own business is a bit unique, it works out in the end haha!)

How did you get started?

It was a bloody cold day, Jan or Feb if recall is correct. Bender (at the time a foster) needed a stylish martingale collar. Locally, the options were super limited to black, blue & red inch wide. A trip to the thrift store, a bold red necktie partnered with a tan men’s belt, sewn together with vibrant red thread and the first collar (Atom) was conceived. 

Where did you get the idea for Atomic Collars?

With the collars being upcycled especially from vintage (sometimes fugly) neckties, it seemed fitting to have a “retro” name. Atomic always carries the feeling of pinups, bowling shirts, and just enough sass. There wasn’t a ton of wide (1.5 to 2 inch) collar options, especially for girls. We wanted to offer collars that were durable and wide enough to be stylish

What’s unique about Atomic Collars? What sets you apart from others in your industry?

The material for the collars is upcycled found fabrics – everything from neckties, skirts, suit jackets, leggings, even dishcloths. Its a process of giving new life to a garment or fabric source. Plus the amount of collars or scarves from an item is limited so it makes each one unique.

* The metal bits & most of the webbing is usually new, so as to ensure durability. 

What is something that surprised you about owning a business?

How different it was running a retail business vs a photography business (About A Dog Photography). Inventory is a THING! The ideal is a new pattern launch (on the website), give it a lovely picture and call it good, when actually there needs to be a count of how many bits of the new pattern there is!

Did you have any early challenges? If so how did you overcome them? If not, what is something you’ve accomplished with Atomic Collars that makes you the proudest?

Early challenges was with the sewing machine (bobbin tension oh vey!) and finding strong d rings. Rings from men’s belts were fairly easy to quest for, most of them aren’t designed to take the full force of a 65+ dog hitting the end of the leash in a chase after a squirrel. We’ve found welded ones that should handle everything a dog can get them into. 

What is some advice you’d give someone just starting out? 

It can be a ton of work, but its also super rewarding to have people excited about the collars and scarves and seeing dogs rocking things you crafted!

What is you most popular product?

Martingale collars. A close second would be the newest addition – scarves!

Do you have any pets?

Indeed – the foster fail who inspired the start of Atomic Collars, the pittie Bender. And a boxer mix named Axel (he’s the inspiration behind About A Dog Photography).

Tell us about the humans behind Atomic Collars:

Cahlean (waves). I’m the creative gusto behind all the ideas at Atomic Collars, the lover of dogs and milk glass cake stands, everything cider and the warmth of summer, photography, sewing and collecting a horde of vintage patterns.

Where can we find Atomic Collars?

atomiccollars.com as well as the socials IG @ atomiccollars Facebook @ atomiccollars

We’ll also be at Inbound Brewco on Dec 1st (THIS SUNDAY!) for the “Maker & Baker” event as the Maker! Swing out from 12-4 and pick up a bomb collar and a smart scarf!

Our Favorite Things – Atomic Collars Interview Read More »

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