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, with around one-in-three UK households now including at least one four-legged friend.
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.
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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. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
2. 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. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
3. 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
4. Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is not a breed for a novice dog owner. They are intelligent and playful but can get belligerent, rowdy and destructive - particularly if they don't get the huge amount of exercise they need or if their owner doesn't fully assert their dominance. This problematic behaviour can unfortunately include biting. Photo: Canva/Getty Images