Jared | June 20, 2025 | Personal Injury
Dogs are man’s best friend. However, they’re also potentially fierce animals that can cause catastrophic injuries with their powerful jaws. If you aren’t careful, a dog can change from a friendly companion to a fearsome threat in moments.
While all dogs bite, they don’t all represent the same threat level. Different breeds have different bite strengths. Understanding these differences in common breeds can go a long way toward keeping you from becoming the victim of a serious dog bite injury.
English Mastiff
While the dog breed with the most powerful bite is the Kangal, you’re unlikely to run into this type of canine unless you visit a sheep farm in Turkey. The breed with the strongest bite you’re likely to run into in the U.S. is the English mastiff, which has an average bite force of 552 psi.
Rottweiler
While you might come across an English mastiff at some point, you’re much more likely to meet a rottweiler. This is an especially popular breed in the United States.
If you’re ever in close proximity to a rottweiler, be wary if it seems aggressive. These dogs have a jaw strength of around 328 psi, which is enough to break the bones of an average adult.
Pit Bull
There are many misconceptions about pit bulls. One of the biggest is that they have some of the most powerful jaws of all canines. On the contrary, the average pit bull has a bite strength of about 235 psi. This bite strength is above average, but not by as much as people might assume.
What most likely gives pit bulls this unearned reputation is that they’re the all-around deadliest dog in the country, causing more bite fatalities than all other breeds combined.
German Shepherd
Comparing the statistics of a pit bull to a German shepherd reveals stark differences in temperament and behavior. While both breeds have almost identical bite strengths, pit bulls are responsible for far more fatal dog bites than German shepherds are.
Shih Tzu
If you’ve ever encountered a tiny dog that seemed to believe it was the largest, most fearsome creature in the room, it was probably a shih tzu. This breed is a common pet in the United States. Their bark, however, is much scarier than their bite—they average slightly less than 100 psi per bite, which is weaker than the average adult human.
Beagle
Ever wonder how hard Snoopy could bite? The average beagle has a bite force of about 200 psi, which puts the breed at the top end of average dogs (roughly 150–200 psi).
Great Dane
As the pit bull demonstrated, bite force isn’t always consistent with animal size. The Great Dane is an excellent example of this phenomenon. As their name suggests, Great Danes are huge dogs, with a high-end weight of 175 pounds.
Despite their size, the Great Dane only has a bite strength of around 240 psi. That’s barely stronger than the pit bull and much weaker than the most powerful dogs on the planet.
Contact a Phoenix Dog Bite Lawyer at Impact Legal Car Accident Attorneys for Help Today
If you ever find yourself around a strange dog, whether outdoors in a public space or on someone else’s property, it pays to be wary. Even the least powerful dog breeds can bite hard enough to cause injury, which can, in turn, open the door to infection and other complications.
Contact our Phoenix dog bite lawyer at Impact Legal Car Accident Attorneys to schedule a free consultation about pursuing compensation if you’ve recently been bitten by a dog.
We serve Maricopa County and Arizona’s surrounding areas.
Impact Legal Car Accident Attorneys
16202 N Cave Creek Rd Suite D, Phoenix, AZ 85032
(602) 345-1818