During the pandemic the number of people looking for a dog increased by 8% according to figures by the Kennel Club.
But choosing a dog is not a decision to take lightly, particularly if you have young children to consider.
According to the RSPCA all dogs are born with “inherited tendencies that might, if not controlled, make aggressive behaviour more likely”.
If your new dog does begin to nip or bite, there are a number of ways you can discourage this behaviour, including; time-outs, mouthing (loosely taking hold of the lower jaw) or a taste deterrent (coating hands or gloves in something unpleasant to the dog).
Which ever method you adopt, always make sure you praise them when they let go.
However, there are certain breeds who have temperaments making them less likely to be aggressive than others.
Here are the 10 breeds of dog that are least likely to bite.
. Dog bite
Some dog breeds are more likely to give somebody a nip - or worse - than others. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
5. Labrador Retriever
Sticks tend to have the most to fear from the 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 world's most popular dog breed. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
6. Bernese Mountain Dog
Another gentle giant, the Bernese Mountain Dog is an intelligent breed eager to please its owners - meaning it's simple to train them out of any nibbling habit they may have as puppies. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
7. Whippet
Studies into how aggressive certain breeds of dog are regularly find that the Whippet is one of the most passive pups - and one of the laziest. They need to be vigorously exercised once a day but otherwise will be unlikely to bother lifting their head off the couch, never mind attempting to bite somebody. Photo: Canva/Getty Images
8. Bulldog
The Bulldog may look a bit grumpy with that adorable wrinkly face, but a mixture of gentleness and general laziness means that it's a dog whose bark is worse than its bite - and it doesn't even bark very much. Photo: Canva/Getty Images