The current heatwave has put many of us in a better mood, but it could be having a negative affect on the nation's dogs.
Pooches are more likely to get aggressive and even bite their owners when the weather gets warmer, a new study has found.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that there was a clear relationship between outdoor temperatures, UV rays and sunshine, and the likelihood of your dog biting you.
They found that pups are 4% more likely to bite when the sun is shining and 11% more likely to snap when the UV levels are high, the Sun reports.
And dogs aren't the only animal to get more aggressive in the heat - monkeys, rats and mice were also found to become more irritable when the weather is warm.
Scientists analysed 69,525 dog attacks in eight US cities between 2009 and 2018 to come to this realisation, saying: "We conclude that dogs, or the interactions between humans and dogs, are more hostile on hot, sunny, and smoggy days, indicating that the societal burden of extreme heat and air pollution also includes the costs of animal aggression."
This means it's more important than ever to recognise the signs of aggression in order to prevent a potential dog attack.
Dog behaviourist Debbie Lucken shared some of the key signs that a dog may be in distress, and more likely to pounce.
The founder of Kids Around Dogs said: "Learning the language of dogs is essential.
"Dogs communicate with us all the time. They tell us whether they are happy, sad, angry and more, just like us, but it's vital to remember they don't communicate in the same way we do.
"Everyone, including children, should be able to recognise some canine body language to make sure their dogs are not getting too stressed out and uncomfortable so that dog-related injuries can be prevented."
These signs include lip-licking when they aren't eating, yawning, or shaking, as well as scratching for extended periods of time.
Possibly a surprising sign of potential discomfort is your dog giving 'kisses', repeatedly licking owners and making them move away.
These signals are dog's ways of telling us how they feel or asking us to stop what we're doing and leave them alone.
And if ignored, then dogs can display more severe signs of aggression, such as baring teeth or growling - meaning they're very uncomfortable and are warning us to stay away.
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