We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
Of course, if you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
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.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
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, separating them into types of dog.
Here are the 13 breeds of dog that they found were most likely to bite.
1. Jack Russell Terrier
It may surprise some that the Jack Russell Terrier is the dog most likely to bite. These popular small dogs were originally bred to hunt and kill rats and other vermin, so giving chase and biting are very much in their DNA - although can be minimised with training. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Border Collie
The Border Collie is the world's most intelligent dog breed, but they have been bred to herd and protect livestock - using their teeth if necessary. They may well give a nip while playing or exercising with their owner, but a stern word will let them know it's not acceptable. In every other way they are a loving and gentle family dog. | Canva/Getty Images
3. German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is one of the world's most useful dogs - being used as everything from guard dogs to drug detection dogs by police forces and armies around the world. One of the attributes that makes them good at these tasks is that they are willing to bite if required - for instance to stop a criminal. Inevitably a dog will occasionally make a mistake and bite someone in a way that is not acceptable. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Dachshund
Even the most dedicated of Dachshund fans might be prepared to admit that these pups can be fairly 'unpredictable'. Strong-willed and delightfully naughty, the sausage dog is often a culprit when it comes to delivering a nip - it's hardly going to be life-threatening though, and they might at least pretend to be sorry (before doing it again). | Canva/Getty Images