Q:I'm shopping for a puppy but I can't seem to find the right breed for my family. Recently I came across some hybrid breeds I thought might work out, but the Labradoodle is too big and the Puggle sheds too much. Can you help us with a smallish breed that doesn't shed much? My son is allergic to dogs, so this is crucial.

A: Maybe you'd like a nice snake. They only shed about once a month and they're real easy keepers. (I'm only partly kidding.)

You should know that when it comes to dogs, even those marketed as low-shedders are not necessarily going to keep your son allergy-free. This is because the dander in the pet's saliva is what most often contributes to the allergy, not the hair itself. Sure, quantities of stray hair can contribute to allergies but that's not what's ultimately responsible.

Shedding, therefore, is not the primary trait I'd select for. I'd recommend you start with a list of dogs whose dander is considered less allergenic than most, the so-called ''hypoallergenic'' breeds. Among these, some are non-shedders. Consider poodles, soft-coated Wheaton terriers, Yorkshire terriers and the popular Havanese.

Though you may be won over by the newfound popularity of hybrid breeds, they're considered unreliable for those who have allergies because of the variability of their genetic makeup. In other words, some may cause more allergies than others.

Yet even then, it's impossible to say for sure that your son will not react negatively to a particular dog or breed. Individual human responses can vary widely when it comes to allergies.

Because getting a dog is such a big decision and the heartbreak of having to return an already-loved dog can be so stressful (especially to children), I recommend that you either wait until your child is mature enough to handle this potential outcome or that you perform a ''quick and dirty'' compatibility test with the dog you plan to purchase.

For this test your son should spend 30 minutes in an enclosed space with the prospective pet (such as a car or a small room). But beware: There are no long-term guarantees on this kind of trial.

Speak to your son's pediatrician for more tips and refer to Wikipedia.com's list of so-called ''hypoallergenic'' dogs for a more complete listing of the breeds you might try. Ultimately, however, finding a nice mutt at the pound might serve you just as well.

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