According to AKC The American Kennel Club, the chihuahua is one of the smallest dog breeds in the world. Also, the dog is so popular in the US. Regardless of their size, these dogs have big personalities. However, one of the cons of this breed is that they tend to be aggressive, especially with strangers and other pets. Chihuahuas are fearless and ready to do everything when they feel insecure. For this reason, you might be asking what is the bite force of a chihuahua?
In this section, we will discuss how powerful this canine’s bite is? and if it is a hazard to humans? And how to avoid your chihuahua’s bite?
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Chihuahua bite Force PSI
The exact answer to this question is difficult. Some owners around the world believe that the chihuahua’s bite force is 3.900 PSI( 268.8955 bar). In regard to the animal’s size, this number is unbelievable. You should put in mind that this number seems to be nothing but rumors that have been vastly spread on the internet. Because there are no official studies from an official organization such as AKC that can claim these rumors about the dog’s bite force.
On the other hand, there are some people who think that the logical chihuahua’s bite force is something between 100-180 PSI(9-12 bar). This number is based on some studies that consider various factors like the size of the skull, and the size of the dog. All those factors were in the form of some complex math to determine that figure. The measurement of the bite force wasn’t done directly. Experts took two essential factors such as the shape of the head and its size to estimate the force of the dog’s bite. with that being said, the dog is too small to give a bite force much more than 100 or 200 PSI.
Why is a 3,900 PSI an astronomically high number for such an animal?
source: pexels
1. First evidence
In order to have a clear idea about the chihuahua’s bite force, and to put this number into perspective we will provide a video of a bite force competition done in 2007 between three larger stronger dogs compared to a chihuahua. In addition, those dogs were trained previously to fight. Let’s watch the video below!
As you can see from the experiment the rottweiler has the strongest bite with a force of 328 pounds, which is considered at that time ( as we don’t have actual data for 2022) the highest bite force ever recorded from a domestic dog. Then the German Shepherd comes in second with a bite force of 238 pounds, and the Pitbull comes in third with a bite force of 235 pounds.
Therefore, the number 3,900 PSI is too much for a small dog like a chihuahua.
2. Second evidence:
In addition, in 2010, Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia said :
“The size of the animal and the shape of its jaw predicted bite strength. The larger the dog and the dog’s head, and the wider the jaw, the higher the bite force turned out to be. The dog breed with the largest head and widest mouth is the Mastiff, so it is perhaps not surprising that it has been recently measured as having a bite strength of 552 pounds-just shy of the bite forces that the lion has. This force exceeds that of all breeds measured to date.”
Then he added: “Two types of research have been carried out to measure the bite forces of dogs. The final results of the research were disclosed in Newtons. This actually made the highest numbers come out at 2,000 Newtons. And from there, a majority of the websites collected the number and wrongly interpreted it as the PSI. However, it is actually 450 pounds PSI.”
You read all his reasons for how people created that huge number in this post on the Psychology Today website.
Is the chihuahua’s bite dangerous for humans?
What you should put in mind is that chihuahuas in general don’t bite down with the extreme force mentioned earlier. However, they could be the cause of big damage. These dogs are so smart and can have unexpected plans when they want to attack. Also, due to their little size, they are so fast.
Furthermore, We should take into consideration that these tiny dogs have teeth that are almost a half-inch. If Combined with 100 pounds of pressure will certainly cause some damage. Next, the chihuahuas’ teeth are sharp. This means that they can tear clothing and furniture.
Yet, chihuahua can be loving, great companions, and far from being aggressive. If they were properly trained and introduced to people and pets when they were young, you will certainly enjoy the companionship of a great chihuahua who is loving and ready to provide unconditional love toward you.
How to avoid aggressiveness in chihuahuas?
Socialization
Socialization of your chihuahua must begin when your chihuahua is still a puppy. Make sure to introduce your chihuahua to strangers and some pets. However, for some security reasons, you should always keep a close eye on your chihuahua while introducing the chihuahua to larger dogs to avoid being attacked by those dogs. Also, make sure to get your chihuahua familiar with your activities such as going outside for walks or for shopping, etc. This way your chihuahua will accept easily the environment.
Spaying and neutering
Having your chihuahua spayed or neutered at a young age has a lot of benefits. Firstly, you should put in mind that dogs display strange behaviors when they go into heat, such as aggression. Because their wild nature will excite them to fight to get the right to mate with a female. Secondly, a spayed or neutered dog will be calm all the time. Thirdly, it also provides various health benefits like a longer lifespan and limits the chances of getting cancer.
THIS ARTICLE CAN HELP chihuahua Spaying/Neutering
Take care of your chihuahua
Chihuahuas crave attention, they always try to be the center of attention. Make sure to keep your dog always busy and with you. Spending time playing with your dog will help the dog to realize his pent-up energy. In addition, try not to let your dog alone for a long period of time. A bored dog will show unwanted behaviors like tearing up the furniture and aggression towards strangers.
THIS ARTICLE MAY HELP: Leaving a chihuahua home and separation anxiety
Last word
If we take into consideration the size of a chihuahua we will understand that the bite force of this tiny dog is incredibly strong. The victims of a chihuahua’s bite will be astonished by the damage they get. And maybe, for this reason, there are rumors about that unimaginable number of 3.900 PSI. However, Based on our research the chihuahua force bit is somewhere between 100 to 180 PSI.
Here is a funny video of an owner trying to measure his chihuahua puppy’s bite force. Enjoy!
Please don’t forget to tell us your thoughts and experiences about chihuahua’s bite force.
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