Dogs are by quite some distance the UK’s most popular pet - around one-in-three households contains a pup, equating to around 13 million four-legged friends.
If you are considering adding a dog to your family there’s plenty of research to do - according to the UK Kennel Club there are 21 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds.
You might also think about adopting a pet from a charity like the Dogs Trust.
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 less likely to be aggressive than other.
So, here are the 15 breeds of dog that are least likely to bite.
1. Bulldog
The Bulldog may look a bit grumpy with that adorable wrinkly face, but a mixture of gentleness and extreme laziness means that it's a dog whose bark is worse than its bite - and it doesn't even bark very much. Licking and drooling though? Guilty as charged. | Canva/Getty Images
2. Newfoundland
There's a good reason that the enormous Newfoundland breed is known as a 'nanny dog'. They may look intimidating due to their size but they are incredibly gentle, particularly with children. The only problem you should have is stopping them from affectionately licking strangers. | Canva/Getty Images
3. Labrador Retriever
Sticks tend to have the most to fear from the shiny white teeth of the Labrador Retriever. Renowned for their friendly and loving nature, it's massively unusual for a Lab to bite - one of many reasons why they are the UK's - and the world's - most popular dog breed. A natural soft muth means even an accidental nip during play will probably not even hurt. | Canva/Getty Images
4. French Bulldog
The Bulldog's smaller continental cousin is just as easygoing, if not quite as extraordinarily lazy. The French Bulldog generally doesn't have an aggressive bone in its body and, even if they can occasionally be somewhat stubbon, they are highly unlikely to snap or nip. | Canva/Getty Images