Canine atopy is a seasonal, familial disease usually manifest as rubbing or scratching of the face (particularly the eyes and nostrils). Spontaneous hay fever and urticaria are rare. Reaginic antibody can be demonstrated in canine atopics by passive transfer to normal dogs. Hyposensitization to specific allergens significantly decreases the duration of clinical manifestations. Utilizing a variety of parameters, canine and human reaginic antibody appear to be comparable. The canine atopic is an excellent model for study of human atopy. We are building up a colony of atopic dogs in order to further study reaginic antibody and the genetics of the canine condition.