What Is the Strongest Dog Breed?
Written and verified by the biologist Cesar Paul Gonzalez Gonzalez
When trying to find the strongest dog breed, it’s very difficult to choose just one, because each dog has certain abilities and skills. For example, the dog with the strongest bite isn’t the same as the dog with the greatest physical endurance. Strength can be measured in different ways, so it depends a lot on the criteria you have to choose the strongest dog breed.
Many people think that dogs like the pit bull should stand out for their strength, as they boast a muscular body that sometimes looks very imposing. However, other dogs could surpass them in several ways. Keep reading to find out which dog breed could be considered the strongest.
How can we identify the strongest dog breed?
If you want to measure a dog’s strength, we need to first establish the criteria that could determine this characteristic. In dogs, at least three traits can be detected that could be used to classify them: the strength of their bite, their endurance, and their physical strength.
What’s the dog with the most powerful bite?
To estimate how powerful a dog’s bite is, you need to take into account the following: the shape of the skull, the size of its head, and the number of muscles in the jaw. In general, the larger a dog’s jaw is, the more strength it’s capable of producing. However, it also depends a lot on how the dog uses its strength.
The bite force of the dogs can reach up to 743 PSI. By comparison, an average human is capable of applying a bite force of around 77 PSI. As you can tell, some breeds could bite almost 10 times harder than a human.
With this in mind, the dogs that have the strongest bite are presented below:
- Kangal: 743 PSI bite
- Cane Corso or Italian Mastiff: 700 PSI bite
- Dogue de Bordeaux or French Mastiff: 556 PSI bite
- English Mastiff: 552 PSI bite.
What’s the dog with the greatest endurance and physical strength?
Both physical strength and endurance are highly dependent on the dogs‘ physique and breeding, so they’re often grouped together to describe canines. Generally, as the amount of muscle mass rises, the dog’s physical ability increases. This means that size is an important determinant for these dogs.
For the most part, dogs that are characterized as having great endurance and physical strength are also those that are often used for different jobs and tasks. This may be obvious, as without this strength and endurance, the dogs would be unable to carry out all of their trainer’s tasks.
The only problem is that, to date, no research has been done to classify dogs according to their physical capabilities. While there’s no consensus on which breed of dog has the greatest endurance and strength, we’ll share with you some of the most famous ones. Check them out below.
- Rottweilers: The beautiful specimen that was bred to herd and protect livestock.
- Great Dane: A giant dog with a gentle personality that was bred for hunting, so its endurance and strength are quite high.
- Tibetan Mastiff: Originally from Tibet, it’s a dog with a huge body and great physical endurance, so it’s used as a guard dog. It has been seen reaching speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour. Many people believe this dog is the biggest and strongest of all, but there’s no way to corroborate it.
- Bullmastiff: This is an imposing breed from England. It’s used as a guard dog, although it’s characterized by using its body to immobilize without causing injuries (bites).
- Caucasian Shepherd: This breed has a large body and a beautiful coat. It’s widely used as a livestock guardian, but its imposing size has also helped it to face wolves and even bears.
Are the strongest dogs more aggressive?
It’s important to emphasize that the strongest dog breeds aren’t necessarily the most aggressive. Remember that behavioral disorders are the product of different deficiencies in the dog’s development. This means that both training and upbringing determine aggressive behavior.
As you can see, there isn’t only one breed of dog that can be named as the strongest, as several could hold this position. Although there’s no consensus on this aspect, it’s clear that all dogs are fabulous and have a lot of affection to give.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Kim, S. E., Arzi, B., Garcia, T. C., & Verstraete, F. J. (2018). Bite forces and their measurement in dogs and cats. Frontiers in veterinary science, 5, 76.
- Ellis, J. L., Thomason, J., Kebreab, E., Zubair, K., & France, J. (2009). Cranial dimensions and forces of biting in the domestic dog. Journal of Anatomy, 214(3), 362-373.
- Lindner, D. L., Marretta, S. M., Pijanowski, G. J., Johnson, A. L., & Smith, C. W. (1995). Measurement of bite force in dogs: a pilot study. Journal of veterinary dentistry, 12(2), 49-52.
- Robbins, P. J., Ramos, M. T., Zanghi, B. M., & Otto, C. M. (2017). Environmental and physiological factors associated with stamina in dogs exercising in high ambient temperatures. Frontiers in veterinary science, 4, 144.
This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.