*sigh* Here goes another one...

1a. There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Non-shedding breeds are somewhat less prone to cause problems, but any dog can trigger allergies.

1b. Anybody marketing dogs as "hypoallergenic" is a scammer. The best they can honestly claim is possibly a reduce level of reaction. No dog is totally allergy-free, unless it's a plush one.

2a. Non-shedding breeds do all kinda "look like poodles"...in so far as they all have coats which do not shed, but grow continuously and need constant attenttive grooming to be maintained. At least one very experienced reg here knows all about that. Plan on going to the groomer monthly for around $30 - $60 a visit. You -can- brush them yourselves, but busy multi-kid households often don't have time for the daily grooming required of long-haired dogs.

2b. Most of the non-shedding breeds are also small, fragile, snippy, and ill-suited for small children.

3a. Do -not-, I repeat do -not- buy a dog from a breeder unless you know what you are doing. This is much like going into a snake forum and dropping several hundred dollars on "hets" from somebody you've never heard of. The animals are almost guaranteed to have health problems, many of which are very expensive to fix. Registered dogs are a huge scam...the ACA is especially bad, as you can get papers for just about anything..all it means is that the "breeder" sent them $10 or $20 bucks for a pretty little certificate.

3b. There are good breeders selling wonderful registered dogs; they're just very rare, have huge waiting lists, and cost a lot. If you want to go this route, find the local breed clubs in your area and ask them for recommended breeders. They can put you in touch with those few folks who are actually doing the health testing, and breeding for soundness instead of a quick profit.

3c. Anybody advertising puppies for sale in the newspaper or online on message boards should be avoided. Good breeders (see 3b) don't need to advertise; they have word-of-mouth working for them, and generally maintain waiting lists for upcoming litters.

4. Maltipoos, cockapoos, schnoodles, and all the other designer dogs are not innately more wonderful than purebreds. There is a chance that mixing up the genes can reduce the number of health problems, but when you consider that you're already starting with poorly-bred dogs (since the good breeders don't do this mixing), it's pretty much like Russian Roulette with one empty chamber. Generally they have all the health problems of their parents, and sometimes a lovely combination of the above (two for one special! Now with heart murmurs -and- dislocating kneecaps! Only $600 for this precious bundle of love and high vet bills!)

In all seriousness, the best option I can suggest is the same one that I suggested for Judy, who was looking at the same situation....talk to local rescue groups about foster-to-adopt. Try different dogs in your house and see what happens. If it doesn't work out, well, the dog is still part of the rescue group and has folks who can take it back in. If you decide that the allergies it triggers are tolerable, request to adopt your foster-baby. Either way, you'll be helping save lives and caring for abandoned and neglected pups. It's a win-win situation. :-)