Week’s Review of Canine Social Media – 10/15/22

By Doggieuk9
/ October 15, 2022
/ Blog, Weekend Updates
/ Tags: allergies to dogs?, Petting a Dog Does Your Brain Some Good, Some wonderful dog situations from Social Media

Welcome to the Week’s Review of Canine Social Media

Welcome to this Special Feature on the DoggieU K9 Blog for an update on this week’s dog-related media and social media from around the world. There are so many stories. Here we will share some of the best stories this week.

Enjoy & share them.

Petting a Dog Does Your Brain Some Good

Science enjoys telling us things we already know.

If you have dogs, you probably already know that petting them can give you a lift.

In a recent study published in PLOS ONE Journal, researchers set out to prove that using technology to show what happens in the brain when stroking or sitting next to a dog. They also compared that to petting a stuffed animal.

The researchers used infrared neuroimaging technology to measure what happened in the brains of 19 adults who viewed a dog, reclined with the same dog against their legs, or petted the dog.
Participants then did the same with a furry stuffed lion called Leo, who was filled with a water bottle to mimic the temperature and weight of the dogs.
The study found that participants’ prefrontal brain activity was greater when they interacted with real dogs. The biggest impact was found with petting. Also, this brain activity increased each time the participants interacted with the real dog, which did not happen with each successive stuffed lion interaction.

The effect continued even after the dogs were no longer present.

“This indicates that interactions with a dog might activate more attentional processes and elicit stronger emotional arousal than comparable nonliving stimuli. The researchers believed that this research may help clinicians design improved systems for animal-assisted therapy.

Future studies are needed to examine whether petting animals can trigger similar brain activity in patients with socioemotional deficits, the authors said.

[Link to study]

Which Dogs Are Best if You Have Allergies

These breeds are great choices if you find that you sneeze and sniffle around dogs.

The AKC considers these breeds to be among the best for allergy sufferers.

Afghan Hound.
American Hairless Terrier.
Bedlington Terrier.
Bichon Frise.
Chinese Crested.
Coton de Tulear.
Giant Schnauzer.
Irish Water Spaniel.
Kerry Blue Terrier.
Lagotto Romagnolo.
Maltese.
Miniature Schnauzer.
Peruvian Inca Orchid.
Poodle.
Portuguese Water Dog
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier.
Spanish Water Dog.
Standard Schnauzer.
Xoloitzcuintli.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as many as three in 10 people with allergies in this country have pet allergies. Pet allergies are also quite common with people who have asthma or other allergies and they can be triggered by proteins in a dog’s saliva, urine or dander. While the sneezing, irritated eyes, congestion and other reactions are annoying, some people still can’t fight the urge to be around or even own a dog. For those who live with pet allergies, is it actually possible to get a dog that is “hypoallergenic?”

Are hypoallergenic dogs even a real thing?

Many people seem to think so. But the American Kennel Club (AKC) says that no dog is 100% hypoallergenic. But don’t give up hope if you’re a dog lover with pet allergies. There are actually dog breeds that are less allergenic. These breeds are considered as such because they have more predictable, non-shedding coats that produce less dander. And less dander could mean that you won’t be a sniffling, sneezing, runny eyed mess on a regular basis.

However, hypoallergenic dogs can still cause problems for allergy sufferers because, there’s still a chance that your allergies could be triggered.

The worst dog breeds for people with allergies

If you struggle with allergies, you might want to steer clear of the following breeds.

Basset Hound.
Boston Terrier.
Bulldog.
Doberman Pinscher.
German Shepherd.
Labrador Retriever.
Pekingese.
Pug.
Saint Bernard.
Siberian Husky.

Some suggestions to minimize dog allergies at home.

There are some steps that you can take to make life with a dog much easier.

Keep your dog out of your bedroom. This will help you breathe easier while you’re resting or getting dressed. You can even use a HEPA air cleaner in your bedroom as an extra precaution.

If you have carpet and aren’t in a position to remove it, steam clean it frequently. If you have hardwood floors and use throw rugs, wash them in hot water regularly. Use a damp cloth on hard floors to pick up pet allergens.

If you’ve been around your dog or other dogs for an extended period of time, change your clothes right after to reduce the occurrence of an allergic reaction.

Cover bedroom vents with a dense filtering material like cheesecloth since air conditioning and heating can spread dander and other allergens throughout your home.