This is a compilation of the anatomy of your dogs’ mouths, their ability to do even more damage by applying extreme pressure, their ability to thrash their heads, and the false sense of security humans have in believing that their dog will never bite their children.
Is his bark really bigger than his bite?
Let’s discuss the anatomy of your dog’s mouth. Dogs have 42 teeth, while humans have 32. That includes wisdom teeth or third molars, which not everyone has. Thus, most of us have 28 teeth or less because some may have been extracted for orthodontic purposes or their wisdom teeth have never fully developed.
Unlike humans, dogs do not have flat occlusal molars. These molars are anatomically designed for the purpose of mashing, which is known as Masticating.
Here’s Merriam-Webster’s definition:
1: to grind, crush, and chew (food) with or as if with the teeth in preparation for swallowing. 2: to soften or reduce to a pulp by crushing or kneading.
I’m sure you have noticed that your dog does not do this.
Dog’s teeth are designed to tear, rip, cut through, and crush. The action of crushing is accomplished by the “PSI” or pounds per square inch of pressure the dog can apply. I emphasize the description so that you have a clear picture of the damage a dog can do when biting. Additionally, by thrashing its head, an act by which a dog would kill prey in the wild, a dog can put excessive body weight and muscle strength behind the bite, immobilizing his victim further.
The average family dog has 230-250 pounds per square inch of jaw pressure. Taking an average from a handful of different sources, these numbers will give you an idea of the PSI of some popular breeds. I have also read on many favored websites that the psi of some breeds can be as much as 2000. This is not true. However, a large breed dog with superior biting strength can break bones or cause comminuted fractures depending on where the bite is.
The following psi information as per breed varies from individual dog to dog, no matter what the breed is. Here are some average psi numbers to give you an idea. Labrador Retriever-230, German Shepherd-235, Pit Bull-235, Rottweiler-325, Akita-300 – 400, Cane Corso-550 – 700?, Bandogge-650 – 730?
Large breed dogs bred as guard dogs are overprotective and show signs of being unpredictable, easily agitated, guard resources, fidgety, high-strung, untrained, previously abused, and not well socialized, are not my choice of pet for a child.
