If you’ve been thinking about welcoming a new dog into your home then you’re not alone – Kennel Club figures show that the number of people looking for puppies has surged to record levels in recent years and around one-in-three UK households now contain at least one pooch.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest four-legged addition – whether you want a large dog, family-friendly dog, or crossbreed.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Different breeds of dog also tend to have very different personalities – with some more likely to lash out with nips, nibbles and even bites.
Of course any dog is capable of delivering a damaging bite, while most dogs of any breed are unlikely to do any damage unless seriously provoked, but there are certain breeds who have temperaments making them more likely to be aggressive than others.
Researchers in the USA carried out a survey of some of the estimated five million canine bites suffered in the country each year, seperating them into types of dog.
Here are the 10 breeds of dog that they found were most likely to bite.
5. Chow Chow
The Chow Chow is a fiercely loyal and protective dog, meaning that there's no danger of their owner getting a bite. Issues can arrive when they think their owner is being threatened, or simply if they take against a stranger, leading to a chance of a bite. It means they should be kept under strict control all the time. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
6. Put Bull
No longer recognised by the UK Kennel Club after they were banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act, the Put Bull is still a popular pet in the USA. The main issue with this type of dog is not only that they are slightly more likely to deliver a bite than other breeds, but that their bite is so powerful that it can do severe damage - leading to several fatalities each year. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
7. Rottweiler
Another dog designed to herd and protect, the Rottweiler sometimes gets a largely undeserved reputation for being aggressive. Most Rottweilers are very gentle dogs, but if they are not trained properly they can have a dangerous habit of lashing out in self defence when the actual threat level is small. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
8. Chihuahua
When you're as tiny as a Chihuahua it's perhaps not surprising that you feel the need to stamp your authority on situations. This can result in the tiny pups being both noisy and nippy - traits that need to be dealt with early in life or they may become permanent. Photo: Canva/Getty Images