If my dog’s allergy risk score is above or below average, does that mean they definitely will or won’t develop allergies?

No. A below-average risk score doesn't guarantee that a dog will never develop allergies, nor does an above-average score guarantee that they will. 

Allergies are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Our allergy risk scores account for a portion of risk explained by a dog’s genetics, but not by their environment.

While the exact causes of allergies in dogs (and humans!) are still not completely understood, studies suggest that some of the environmental risk factors include:

• A dog’s home environment (urban or rural)
• Amount of contact with other dogs
• Air quality in and around a dog’s home
• Exposure to certain food allergens in a dog’s diet

Allergies also require that a dog is first exposed to an allergen - the specific substance, like pollen or flea saliva, that triggers an allergic reaction. That means that a dog won’t develop allergies to an allergen they are never exposed to, regardless of their genetic risk for that allergy. For example, if a dog that is at higher risk for flea allergies consistently gets preventive flea medication and is never bitten by fleas, they won’t ever show flea allergy symptoms.