St Bernard Bite Force: The Detailed Guide

Every dog can bite but some dogs bite harder than others. Depending on a dog’s jaws, teeth and character, it’s bite can be more powerful than another dog’s. In this article, we will look to understand what bite force is, discuss the St Bernard bite force measure, and what it looks like in comparison to common animals.

What does bite force mean?

Bite force is defined as the force that masticatory muscles exert upon occlusal surfaces of teeth. Sounds gibberish? It does actually. In simple terms, bite force usually refers to the strength or force of a bite – this is the most elementary I can explain it. It is measured in PSI which stands for “pounds per square inch”. It represents the pound of force per square inch.

Every animal has some form of bite force. When the animal bites on food or prey, the force exerted during this bite is what bite force is.

How much is a St Bernard bite force?

A St Bernard’s bite force has been measured to be 400 PSI. St Bernards measure about 2528 inches in height, with weight ranging between 110190 pounds (lbs).

Want to see how the st bernard bite force compares to other common animals? Here you go:

  • Human bite force: 162 PSI
  • Crocodile bite force: 3700 PSI
  • Rattlesnake bite force: 150 PSI
  • Kangal bite force: 743 PSI

Compare the St Bernard’s bite force to the bite force of a human being, a crocodile, rattle snake and a Kangal to get the idea of what you are dealing with in terms of strength and power of the bite. What interesting view did you pick from this comparison? Would you rather a snake bite or the St Bernard? Let us know in the comments.

What are the chances of a St Bernard biting you?

With a bite force of 400 PSI, a St Bernard’s bite can be relatively powerful. While there is no correlation between a dog’s bite force and it’s intelligence or obedience, there is a lot of correlation between how people use dogs versus what their bite force is measured to be.

According to a study by renowned dog expert Stanley Coren PhD., a St Bernard is classified among the Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence. Comparatively, it has an obedience rating of 30%. If a St Bernard is charging at you, the owner of the dog might need between 41-80 shouts at it to stop it from biting you.

The lower the obedience rating of a dog, and the higher the number of prompts it needs to hear before deciding to stop a potential bite; and therefore the higher the chance that it will actually bite you with it’s bite force if it is aggravated or triggered.

How does this compare to other dogs?

A Chihuahua is classified as a fair working/obedience intelligence. It has an obedience rating of 30%. If a Chihuahua was charging at you, the owner of the dog might need between 41-80 shouts at it to stop if from biting you.

An Akita is classified as Average Working/Obedience Intelligence. It has an obedience rating of 50%. If an Akita was charging at you, the owner of the dog might need between 26-40 shouts at it to stop if from biting you.

The two examples above apply when a dog has not been well trained.

Conclusion

We have seen what the St Bernard’s bite force of 400 PSI can mean in dangerous situations.  In addition, we have compared that bite force with other animals to gauge it’s power. Hopefully this helps you to get the right understanding around the bite force of a St Bernard and what it means for you as a dog parent.

Discover the Bite Force of Other Dog Breeds

German Shepherd Bite Force Giant Schnauzer Bite Force Airedale Terrier Bite Force
Rottweiler Bite Force French Bulldog Bite Force Scottish Terrier Bite Force
Chihuahua Bite Force St Bernard Bite Force Cocker Spaniel Bite Force
Belgian Malinois Bite Force Pug Bite Force Belgian Shepherd Bite Force
Great Dane Bite Force Dachshund Bite Force Pyrenees Bite Force
Great Pyrenees Bite Force Pomeranian Bite Force Samoyed Bite Force
Poodle Bite Force Shiba Inu Bite Force Yorkshire Terrier Bite Force
Boxers Bite Force American Akita Bite Force Standard Schnauzer Bite Force
Bullmastiff Bite Force American Staffordshire Terrier Bite Force Vizsla Bite Force
Golden Retriever Bite Force Boston Terrier Bite Force American Staffordshire Bite Force
Akita Bite Force Irish Wolfhound Bite Force Schnauzer Bite Force
Rhodesian Ridgeback Bite Force Newfoundland Dog Bite Force Border Collie Bite Force
Labrador Bite Force Australian Cattle Dog Bite Force Dalmatian Dog Bite Force
Bull Terrier Bite Force Bernese Mountain Dog Bite Force Belgian Tervuren Bite Force
Siberian Husky Bite Force Staffordshire Bull Terrier Bite Force Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Bite Force
Doberman Pinscher Bite Force Greyhound Bite Force Bichon Frise Bite Force
Australian Shepherd Bite Force Weimaraner Bite Force Springer Spaniel Bite Force
Standard Poodle Bite Force Maltese Bite Force Saluki Bite Force
German Shorthaired Pointer Bite Force Dalmatian Bite Force West Highland Terrier Bite Force
Wolfhound Bite Force Cattle Dog Bite Force White German Shepherd Bite Force
French Bulldogs Bite Force

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