Under the heading of “you learn something new every day,” it has come to my attention that some dogs have fur, while others sport hair.

This becomes important if you are under the heading of “folks allergic to pet dander,” because an “en-furred” dog will make you sneeze, while an “in-hair-ent” dog will not.

Note the fun I must be having under the heading of “cheap entertainment,” as I turn the words, “inferred” and “inherent,” that are normally spelled waaayyyy differently, into humor.

We took over the care of a Cocker Spaniel about two months ago because, now that my kids are growing (grown) up, it looked as though I was going to get a full night's sleep and enjoy some independence.

We couldn't have that, so we adopted a dog for whom we are her third set of adoptive parents. This may provide you with an idea as to her state of mind upon arrival. I mean, talk about your abandonment issues.

So, I thought this little cutie was a hairy creature, but it turns out she has fur, as I discovered when I launched into one of my UNnecessary Google searches when I should have been completing any number of necessary tasks.

In case you need some sort of cocktail party conversational fodder, here is a list of hairy, non-furry canines that are also considered “hypoallergenic,” which you can add to your checklist along with “no barking, good with kids, eats cheap food.”

By way of a disclaimer, the following list is, by no means, all-inclusive, all-correct, AKC-approved, KFC-approved, or even a list approving of the animals.

A good rule of thumb that will help you remember the hair versus fur thing seems to be that if you can't pronounce or spell the dog's name easily or its name rhymes with “Schnoodle,” then it can probably share your shampoo with you:

Airedale

Basenji

Bearded Collie

Bedlington Terrier

Bergamasco

Bichon Frisé

Bolognese

Brussels Griffon

Chinese Crested

Coton de Tulear

Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Havanese

Irish Water Spaniel

Kerry Blue Terrier

Lagotto Romagnolo

Lhasa Apso

Lowchen

Maltese

Peruvian Inca Orchid

Polish Lowland Sheepdog

Poodle

Portuguese Water Dog

Puli

Schnauzer

Shih-Tzu

Soft Coated Wheaton

Terrier

Tibetan Terrier

Wirehaired Fox Terrier

Yorkshire Terrier

Diane Dean-Epps is a comedienne and writer. Contact her at www.dianedeanepps.com.䀀;