Imagine walking into a room filled with excitable, squirming little puppies just begging to be picked up, loved, and cherished. Now, imagine not being able to hold their warm, snuggly, lovable bodies.

Being severely allergic to dogs is ruining my life.

For me, sleeping in a “pet house” (as my mom likes to call it) is an adventure. Before even leaving my own fur-free home, I take an antihistamine. Extra strength. This pill supposedly blocks my immune system from releasing histamine, a substance that causes enlarged blood vessels and many allergy symptoms. Unfortunately, this pill merely prevents my asthmatic airways from being blocked to the point of suffocation.

Next, I make sure to pack my inhaler. Firetruck red and small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, it becomes my lifeline. My friends might think they are being good hosts by letting their guest sleep in a bed instead of on the couch, but if that bed is shared with a dog, it’s the equivalent of a person with a nut allergy sleeping in a giant peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Let me tell you a story. It’s three o’clock in the morning and I wake up, unable to breathe or see clearly through my watery, red eyes. Wondering where my kryptonite lies, I look to the foot of the bed and see my friend’s German Shepard puppy sleeping peacefully. Although the dog means well, I have to say a sleepy goodbye to my non-allergic friend and make the sad, chilly trek to my car to drive home for a treatment of albuterol.

This stylish treatment consists of a plastic mask that covers my mouth and nose, and sounds like a jackhammer combined with the sound of a motor boat. Many a time I have fallen asleep on my kitchen floor with my breathing mask strapped to my face, all because a seemingly harmless, innocent, and fluffy puppy assassin tried to kill me.

Some may ask why I don’t just get a hypoallergenic dog, because obviously, that would solve all of my problems! The reason is this- hypoallergenic dogs are like unicorns. They are cute, lovable, friendly… and they don’t exist. Throughout my life, my family members have gotten “hypoallergenic dogs”, in the hopes that I would finally be able to visit their houses more often.

For example, my little brother has no issue cuddling with Teddy Bear the Goldendoodle, a half-and-half mix between a Golden Retriever (fur) and a Poodle (hair). The logic behind this makes sense- my allergies would only half kill me. However, my grandma’s Shih Tzu has 100% hair, and my allergies are still prominent to the point that I can’t stay there for more than a few hours. 

Every time I cross paths with a dog, I am forced to choose between my passion for puppies and my will to survive. Although it takes an extreme amount of willpower, I have to hold myself back and simply say, “I love you, but I can’t touch you.”