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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.
Different breeds of dog also tend to have very different personalities – with some more likely to lash out with nips, nibbles and even bites.
While most dogs of any breed are unlikely to do any damage unless seriously provoked, there are certain breeds who have temperaments that make them less likely to lash out.
Here are the 13 breeds of dog that are least likely to bite humans.
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1. Basset Hound
Biting takes energy, and if there is one dog that loves to preserve energy wherever possible it's the chilled Basset Hound. These dogs love to follow a scent trail, but their noses are way more active than their jaws. | AFP via Getty Images
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2. 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
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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. That's one of many reasons why they are the UK's - and the world's - most popular dog breed. A natural soft mouth means even an accidental nip during play will probably not even hurt. | Canva/Getty Images
4. Bichon Frise
A surprising number of the so-called lapdog breeds of small dog have a nipping problem (we're looking at you Pekingese), but not the Bichon Frise. The only damage they threaten to do it to cut off the circulation in your legs from cuddling up on top of you for too long. | AFP via Getty Images