If you’ve been thinking about welcoming a new dog into your home then you’re in good company – Royal Kennel Club (the new name for the UK Kennel Club) stats show that the number of people looking for puppies has surged to record levels.
Dogs come in all shapes, colours and sizes - there are 221 different pedigree dogs recognised by breeders in the UK, from Affenpinscher to Yorkshire Terrier (there are sadly no dog breeds starting with the letter ‘z’!).
So 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 an easy to train dog.
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There is even scientific research to guide you, in particular psychologist Stanley Coren’s groundbreaking book The Intelligence of Dogs.
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.
One thing to take into account is that certain breeds tend to be noisier than others, particularly if you have close neighbours that may a dim view of continual yapping, barking and howling.
While (with one notable exception, which we’ll come to shortly) you can’t be absolutely certain that a dog won’t bark, these are the 15 breeds least likely to, having what the Kennel Club call a ‘quiet’ barking level.
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13. Whippet
Whippets may be super-fast and incredibly loving but they are also surprisingly lazy and make very bad guard dogs - they'd be unlikely to make a peep even if your house was being broken into. | Getty Images
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14. Irish Setters
Irish Setters are energetic outdoors but generally not constant barkers. They prefer interaction and activity over vocalizing, typically barking only when excited or alerting their families. | Canva/Getty Images
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