If you have a large dog like a German Shepherd or a Cane Corso, you might have heard them crunch through sticks and other objects like they were butter. Have you wondered what dog has the strongest bite?
If you’ve seen your pet dog’s teeth, you can see that they have very sharp, pointed teeth in the front of their mouths, with large, wide teeth toward the back. Crossbreeding has changed the teeth structure of smaller dogs. But most larger dogs still have their original teeth from their wolf ancestry.
In this article, we will go over dogs’ teeth structure, how they use them, and what dog has the strongest bite force.
The Teeth Structure of Dogs
Like humans, dogs have temporary and permanent teeth. The temporary teeth (also called deciduous teeth) grow when a dog is about two months old. And they are entirely replaced by their permanent teeth by the time they turn six to seven months old. Also like humans, it is very important that we take an active role maintaining our dogs’ oral health.
Dogs have 28 deciduous teeth, compared to 20 in humans, while the number of permanent teeth is 42, compared to 32 in humans. If you peek into your dog’s mouth, you will see that their teeth are much sharper than ours.
Human teeth are very similar to herbivore teeth structure. If you look at it from an ancestral frame of reference, human teeth and jaws used to be much bigger.
However, as time passed, we began eating cooked food. This food was softer than the raw meat prehistoric humans used to eat, which meant that we did not need the bigger jaws anymore. This caused our jaws to become smaller throughout time.
Interestingly, our jaws are not sized appropriately for the number of teeth we have. Dental crowding is one of the most common orthodontic problems we face. You can read up more on this topic in this Smithsonian article about human jaw size.
This is not the same with dogs, especially larger dogs. Dogs were domesticated and bred to conform to the lives of humans. Some for pets, while others for workers. The dogs used for guard duty kept their original teeth.
When it comes to permanent teeth, dogs have the classic four types of teeth.
Incisors: These are the teeth in front of the jaw. They are used to bite and nip.
Canines: These are the sharp teeth just next to the incisors. These are used to tear and shred meat. Interestingly, dogs are classified under the Canine family named after these teeth.
Premolars: They sit just behind the canines. These teeth are used for shearing meat.
Molars: These are the teeth that sit at the back of the jaw and are used for crushing meat for proper digestion.
Herbivores have broad teeth that help them grind grass and plants. However, canine teeth are pointed and high crowned to help them tear through flesh and bone.
You can learn more about this topic in this Britannica article about canine teeth. Not all dogs have the bite strength associated with bigger dogs. A medium to a large-sized dog will have a powerful bite.
What Dog Has the Strongest Bite?
While almost every dog has a strong bite compared to its size, some dogs are stronger than others. For example, German Shepherds and Mastiffs will have a higher bite force strength than smaller breeds.
The force with which you can bite is measured in PSI, which stands for Pounds per Square Inch. This means that regardless of the size of a dog’s jaw, the bite’s strength would be based on the pounds of pressure exerted per unit area.
To give you some perspective, the average strength of a human bite is 162 PSI. As mentioned earlier in this article, humans do not have powerful jaws, and even animals like turtles and piranhas have a higher PSI than us.
Starting from the strongest jaw bites, here is a list of the dogs with the highest bite strength or force:
Kangal – 743 PSI
A Kangal is a dog that originates from Turkey. As you can see from the staggering number on the PSI scale, this is one of the strongest dogs in the world. Its jaws are more potent than even jaguars and wolves. Kangals have the strongest dog bite among all dogs.
However, this does not mean that Kangals cannot be good family pets. With the proper training, Kangals can be domesticated. They are fiercely protective of their owners and will not take kindly to strangers.
Kangals were originally used as guard dogs for this reason. Even today, they are used extensively with police work because of their strength, agility, and loyalty.
American Bandog – 730 PSI
Not too far behind the Kangal is the American bandog. These dogs are extremely intimidating just by looking at them. The shear strengths of their jaws could break your arm. They are naturally large, muscular, and agile.
A bandog is a cross-bred dog. It is a mix between a mastiff and a bulldog. It is one of the largest dog breeds, which does not make it unfit for families. You have to ensure that the training provided makes them more docile and friendlier.
Cane Corso – 700 PSI
The Cane Corso is an Italian dog often used as a catch dog for hunting and entertainment in rural areas. Because of its strength and size, it was also a popular guard dog and was used to look over homes and communities.
Cane Corsos are easy to train and are quite friendly, making them a popular guard dog breed. Their bite force and ferocity make this dog legendary in dog protection sports.
Dogue De Bordeaux – 556 PSI
This French dog has a considerably weaker jaw than the initial three entries to this list, but at 556 PSI, it still packs quite a punch. These dogs not only have a powerful jaw but are also strong overall.
For this reason, they were widely used to haul heavy objects and as guard dogs in the past. Another exciting thing about the Dogue De Bordeaux is that it has the largest skull in the canine world. This might be an excellent explanation of the force behind its bite.
The Dogue De Bordeaux is a Mastiff breed. Despite the insane strength that these dogs have, they are pretty friendly. They are great around kids, making them a good choice for family pets despite them being a powerful breed.
Tosa Inu – 556 PSI
Coming at the same strength as the Dogue De Bordeaux, the Tosa Inu is a fierce dog fighting breed.
The Tosa Inu is banned for ownership in several countries like Denmark, Germany, and Australia because of its history.
Despite its history, it can be a loyal dog provided with the right training. With the proper amount of obedience training and plenty of exercises, this breed can fit well into the family.
English Mastiff – 552 PSI
The English Mastiff is one of the largest and strongest dogs globally and is known for its strength. With its drooping face and large frame, it is one of the most easily recognizable dogs globally.
Despite their large size, these dogs are naturally calm and do not need a lot of social training to fit into families. They have a considerable bite force that can cause a lot of damage. They can be aggressive to strangers, but Mastiffs are composed and great around children. It’s a natural protector.
Dogo Canario – 540 PSI
With its signature streaky fur, the Dogo Canario is not a family dog. It is considered one of the most dangerous members of the canine family. Several deaths have been attributed to its attacks.
The Dogo Canario was a favorite among dog fights. In terms of bite, the Canario has a massive 541 PSI bite strength and is one of the strongest dog breeds on the list.
The Canario is not a family-friendly dog. Even if you have active families, it can be a dangerous dog breed and is not too familiar in the world it is in the Canary Islands.
Dogo Argentino – 500 PSI
The Dogo Argentino was originally made to be used as a hunting dog. It is a descendant of fighting dogs, which explains its strength and high bite force.
An interesting thing to note is that these dogs are quite large and can take on animals larger than them, like buffaloes. Their muscular frame, large size, and giant skull also make them quite intimidating.
Dogo Argentinos can be tamed under pack leader training and proper grooming. They require lots of exercises, but their steer strength and pounds of bite power do not make them ill-mannered. They also make excellent guard dogs because of their loyalty.
Wolfdog – 406 PSI
As is apparent from its name, a wolf dog is a mix between an ordinary dog and a wolf, making it extremely strong, agile, and fierce. This also means that it is not entirely safe to keep these as domesticated pets, especially if you have children or frequent visitors at home.
The reason why they are not popular family pets is that wolves aren’t domesticated. Just by looking at them, you’ll think it’s a wolf, especially in the woods. And no amount of training or daily exercises can tame them completely. If you need a wolf to shoot a film for your next movie, this is your dog.
Besides these, these dogs are not known for their friendly nature. A wolfdog is not a standardized breed, which means that you might want to go for a more gentle breed if you’re looking for a family dog.
Leonberger – 399 PSI
This dog is named after the city it originates from, Leonberg, Germany. Leonbergers are enormous in size with massive faces and high bite forces. Despite their large size, they fit right into the average family life because of their cuddly frame.
These dogs are a family favorite because they are incredibly gentle and playful and are safe around children. Their delicate nature ensures that these are not wild animals and can be easily domesticated, making them a popular breed for home.
Rottweiler – 328 PSI
Rottweilers are famous for their toughness and ferocity and their work in police forces and guard duties. They are also known for their agility and endurance despite their medium size.
Rottweilers are well-behaved and brilliant creatures. That’s why they are used as law enforcement K9s across the world. This strong breed of dogs makes for a great addition to the family because of their protective nature.
This athletic breed of dogs has a forceful bite of 328 PSI, making it a dangerous creature to get into a fight with. They can take down larger animals because of their agility and strength.
Final Word
A dog’s bite force is important for those searching for a good guard dog or watch dog. Centuries of experimentation with breeding dogs have given us many options to choose from. In this article, we discussed what dog has the strongest bite force, as well as ten other dog breeds with powerful bites.
Many of these dogs can be domesticated and can fit nicely into a human family as long as they get regular exercise, training, and care. However, some dogs on this list of breeds are not meant to be family dogs because of their wild and dangerous nature.
If you’re interested in similar topics, please feel free to check out our other articles as well!
