One of the frequently asked question about the Chinese Crested is whether they are an allergy free dog. Or, if a person with dog allergies can safely have a Crested as a pet without all the annoying side effects that a person with dog allergies suffers. I sometimes cringe when I read or hear other people talk about dog allergies and the Crested to prospective buyers. Buyers who are looking for a pet for their child or themselves because they have heard they are an allergy free dog so a safe dog to have as many people heard it from others who have heard it and so forth. And like free medical advice, be wary, you get what you pay for. The only person who can truly tell you if you will have an allergy problem with any dog is yourself, period. Barring that, take the advice from someone else that has dog allergies and has a Chinese Crested or two and ask them. I do have severe dog allergies and a son with asthma and I have had Cresteds for a number of years and this is my experience and advice on the topic of dog allergies and the Chinese Crested.

What makes a dog allergy free?
How much time do you have to ensure your dog remains allergy trigger free?
In a nutshell, these are the two basic questions you need to understand and be honest with yourself about before you consider bringing a dog into your house and family.
So......................

Question 1 : What makes a dog allergy free?
A lack of allergy triggers. Or an ability to reduce or eliminate triggers.
What triggers dog allergies? Dog saliva, body oil, dander and hair that contain saliva and oil on them.
This is why non shedding dogs are recommended for people with dog allergies, because they are not leaving their hair, with your triggers on them, laying all over your house for you to come in contact with at any time.  It is contained on the dog to be washed down the drain with every bath. And how often you have to bath your dog depends on how long it takes for your body to react the the build up on your dog.

Hairless Chinese Cresteds go one further by having minimal, non shedding, hair to deal with. Less hair to trap airborne allergens ,like pollen, in whenever they are out and about on walks or just romping in the yard. But do not be mislead. The hairless still produces body oil. It just lays there on the surface of the skin, or in the pores. Which is why it is very important to bath your hairless crested frequently. To wash that trigger off and maintain a healthy skin. But, beware, no two dogs are the same. Just because you have had a great allergy free experience with one crested does not mean another will be the same.  There are differences , differences in skin types, one may be more oily, another dry and flakey. Difference in the smell of the dog, and differences in the saliva. All of which may have differing effects on you.  

Which leads into the second question.
Question 2: How much time do you have to ensure your dog remains allergy trigger free?