Hypoallergenic dogs?

Hi welcome to the boards!
 
One non-shedding larger sized (although not huge) breed that comes to mind is the Portuguese Water Dog.  Many of my friends have them and it is my understanding that they have hair as opposed to fur.  I am not sure on the temperament you are looking for but they are a fairly active dog as they were bred for retrieving.  The ones I have met are very bouncy and happy but they require exercise and grooming. 
 
If you have family members that are allergic to dogs I would do a "test" on breeds to make sure as sometimes its not the hair people are allergic to, it could be salvia, dander, etc. Maybe go to some breed shows with your family to see if they have a reaction?
 
Good Luck!

Welcome to the board.
I became aquainted with a woman at the dog park who has 2 Standard Poodles b/c her husband has allergies.  He does well w/ these dogs, only draw back is b/c they have hair vs. fur, they need regular grooming, he clips them every 8 weeks.
As for size, they're about as tall as a boxer, they come up to the hip & they're nice, friendly dogs. 
You can l/u some more info at [linkhttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com]www.dogbreedinfo.com[/link], good luck.

Just had to chime in here about hair vs fur.  It's just a question of semantics, hair and fur are the same thing biologically speaking.

Hi!! My little brother is also allergic to dogs so we have a "hypoallergenic" breed. She is a bichon frise. They are bigger than yorkies--mine is 15 pounds (yorkies are about . There are A LOT of dogs you can consider for allergies:
bichon frise
yorkie
poodle
bedlington terrier
shnauzer
westie
shih tzu
basenji
italian greyhound
maltese
soft coated wheaten terrier

There are tons more but those are the ones on the top of my head.

Also, if you go to your shelter you can find mixed breed dogs that do not shed because they are mixed with a hypoallergenic breed.

I don't know about larger dogs, but my Shih Tzu's almost 17 lbs., and he's a wonderful companion dog. He has hair and is considered hypoallergenic. I love the breed.

The only larger size dog that comes to mind would be the poodle..... 

I myself am allergic to many dogs.....  But I am fine with dogs that have hair vs. fur. I think it may have something to do with the undercoat us well. I had a maltese as a child (my allergies were worse back then) and I've never ever had any problems.  That's the reason why I got Toby!~ []

I agree with those who recommend a "test" run. If possible, try to expose yourself to the breed that you are planning on getting before actually getting the dog.  Everyone's allergies are different and some folks may still be allergic to a so-called hypoallergenic dog while others are fine. 

I just wanted to chime in and say that standard poodles are fantastic dogs. They don't need that fluffy clip, either. Just keep it clipped short if you want a big dog with a more butchy look.

Shih Tzu's are a fantastic dog. They have hair. Like ours. It sheds only when you brush it, not on furniture.  

Oh, and -doodle dogs are often marketed as hypoallergenic, but that's sketchy. These dogs are not purebred, so their genetics is a mixed bag. Some -doodle dogs get that poodle coat. Some don't.

I think to some degree it is an individual thing.  I know some allergy sensitive people who do fine with basenjis.  I also know of someone who was very, very allergic.  So, you really need to do some more research, narrow your options to a few breeds and go to homes of people with these breeds.  And I have to say, I really think Standard poodles are one of the most under-rated dogs out there.  Schnauzers also come in 3 sizes too.  The Std Schnz. is 16-18 inches at the soulders.  Giant, even larger.  How big of a dog did you have in mind?

We've been looking at a Weimaraner a lot lately, it seems to be a great compainion and I've emailed a few local clubs about rescue so far.

Right now our top two breeds seem to be the Yorkshire Terrier and the Weimaraner.

Wow. That's about as night and day as you can get! []

Wait....but the Weims shed a lot. Don't you need one that doesn't shed? How about a labradoodle instead?
I agree that poodles can be fanastic dogs-- they are very smart and energetic.

BTW, Soft Coated Wheaten terriers are large breed dogs and they do not shed either.

You might consider a whippet/greyhound/Italian greyhound. Greyhounds are large dogs that are considered hypoallergenic. Of course no animal is actually hypoallergenic. I'm sure everyone here knows that, but thought I would throw it out there. If you are looking for a large dog a greyhound might be an option. they have thin, flat coats and are not oily or smelly. Plus you get the benefit of knowing that you're helping out an animal that otherwise might have been put to sleep when you adopt a retired racing dog.
That is just one option that I didn't see anyone suggesting. You could probably just go to Google and type in "retired greyhounds" and the name of your city if you are interested. I'm sure there are other large dogs that might go easy on their allergies. Doberman maybe or possibly a beagle (thought not very large). I'm not sure if you would want a pit bull, but an old friend I had was allergic and she never had any trouble with a pit she owned.

Christina