Jittery postal workers who tentatively approach homes worried they could be bitten by the resident dog, may be inviting an attack, a new study suggests.

In fact, adopting a unflappable self-confident swagger could be the best way to avoid a nasty nip.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool discovered that people of an anxious disposition are far more likely to be bitten by dogs than people with more relaxed demeanours.

It is the first study to suggest that people’s personalities can influence dog attacks.

For the research, 700 people in England were rated on their emotional stability on a scale of one to seven and then questioned about whether they had been bitten.

Researchers found that every point increase in score between 1 and 7 was associated with a 23 percent decrease in the likelihood of a bite.

Dr Carri Westgarth, of the Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, at Liverpool University, said: “Reporting being less emotionally stable was associated with an increased frequency of dog bites.

“Neuroticism is well known to be linked to public health behaviours and outcomes perhaps then this aspect of personality may be linked to performing behaviours that provoke dog bites.

“Dog bite prevention schemes may need to target particular behaviours around dogs by different personality types.”