Many dog breeds were once used not only for hunting, but also for pulling heavy carts. Here are the 25 strongest dogs in the world:
- #1 Mastiff
- #2 Rottweiler
- #3 Saint Bernard
- #4 Bullmastiff
- #5 Irish Wolfhound
- #6 Do Khyi
- #7 Newfoundland
- #8 Dogue de Bordeaux
- #9 Siberian Husky
- #10 Neapolitan Mastiff
- #11 Boerboel
- #12 Rhodesian Ridgeback
- #13 Caucasian Ovcharka
- #14 Cane Corso Italiano
- #15 Beauceron
- #16 German boxer
- #17 Leonberger
- #18 Tosa Inu
- #19 Great Dane
- #20 Mastín del Pirineo
- #21 Groenendael
- #22 Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog
- #23 American Mastiff
- #24 German Shepherd
- #25 Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
Attention: “Strength” does not mean the bite force, but rather the physical strength. For example, how hard they can pull on the leash.
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#1 Mastiff
The mastiff has its origins in England and holds several world records. On the one hand, it is by far the heaviest breed in the world, weighing up to 156 kg.
In addition, the world's largest shoulder height of a whopping 94 cm was measured on one specimen. He is also considered very muscular, courageous and energetic.
All these factors explain why the Mastiff takes first place among the strongest dog breeds. He also makes a great family and watchdog.
According to statistics, these four-legged friends are also among the 30 most popular breeds. And this despite the fact that they only live around 7 years on average. [1]
Fun fact: With 24 puppies per litter, they are record holders among dogs when it comes to the number of newborns.
#2 Rottweiler
The Rottweiler has its origins in Germany. Due to his adaptability, he has been used as a shepherd, guard and family dog in the past.
Nowadays, the four-legged friends also sometimes serve as rescue and police dogs. When fully grown, these dogs can reach a weight of up to 60 kg.
Combined with her muscular body, this puts her in second place among the strongest dogs in the world. They also have a strong bite force. [2]
Internationally, these dogs are among the 10 most popular breeds. Because they are easy to train, get along well with children and are considered very loyal and friendly.
Fun fact: Because of their short snouts, Rottweilers are particularly prone to snoring.
#3 Saint Bernard
The Saint Bernard comes from Switzerland and was once primarily used as a working and rescue dog in the Swiss Alps.
Because of their excellent sense of smell, they were able to find avalanche victims even through 5 meters of snow. Today, however, they primarily serve as guard and family dogs.
These giants can also reach a body weight of up to 82 kg. Coupled with their determination and muscles, this makes them the third strongest dog breed in the world.
Inside the house, the dogs are considered very calm, sociable and sleepy. This also explains why they are described on Wikipedia as “gentle giants”. [3]
Fun fact: At almost 19 cm, Saint Bernards were measured as having the longest tongue among dogs in the world. For comparison: the world record for humans is around 10 cm.
#4 Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff originally comes from Great Britain and has already been celebrated as a film star. Because, among other things, this breed was also used in “Rocky”.
These four-legged friends also make excellent watchdogs and, with a little socialization, are good family dogs. When fully grown they weigh up to 60 kg.
In addition, they are ranked 4th strongest dogs in the world. Although these giants get along well with children, they rarely tolerate strange dogs.
They are also very protective and loyal towards their family. They also bark and shed relatively little and are considered very courageous, loving and trusting. [4]
Fun fact: This breed naturally struggles with flatulence. So you should open the window regularly when you visit.
#5 Irish Wolfhound
The Irish Wolfhound is one of the fastest dogs in the world with a top speed of up to 40 mph. In the past, they were therefore primarily used as hunting dogs.
Mostly for hunting wolves. This also explains their name. When fully grown, they can reach up to 70 kg and a standing height of over 2 meters.
The large greyhounds are also the 5th strongest dog breed in the world. However, their average life expectancy only varies between 6 and 8 years.
Nowadays, the colossi are also used as guard and family dogs. Because they develop a close bond with their master and are considered very loyal and calm. [5]
Fun fact: At almost 80 cm, this breed holds the world record for the longest tail among dogs in the world.
#6 Do Khyi
To this day, the Do Khyi is primarily used as a guard dog in its Tibetan homeland. And not just from thieves, but also to protect against bears and wolves.
When fully mature, these dogs weigh up to a whopping 130 kg. There are also huge muscles underneath their thick fur. They therefore rank 6th among the strongest dogs in the world.
But they are also at the forefront of the heaviest dog breeds. However, these animals have difficulty staying alone. But they get along very well with the cold.
Compared to other dogs, they are very calm, relatively difficult to train and sometimes stubborn. This breed is therefore not recommended for beginners. [6]
Fun fact: These animals take up to 5 years to fully mature – around 3 times as long as the average dog.
#7 Newfoundland
The Newfoundland comes from the Canadian island of Newfoundland. These dogs were once bred to serve as working dogs to help local fishermen.
This also explains the excellent swimming skills of these animals. Later they were sometimes used as rescue dogs on the beach and on boats.
With a weight of up to 80 kg, they are also one of the strongest dog breeds in the world. They are also easy to train and make great house dogs.
They also get along well with children and other dogs. And this despite the fact that their hunting instinct is relatively strong. They also bark comparatively a lot. [7]
Fun fact: These animals shed so much that you could fill an entire pillow with it when changing their fur.
#8 Dogue de Bordeaux
The Dogue de Bordeaux has its origins in France and was previously used primarily as a guard and working dog. And that despite the fact that he is relatively difficult to train.
These four-legged friends are very muscular and are among the strongest dogs in the world. A fully grown specimen can also weigh up to 68 kg.
However, these animals are far too large and active for apartment life. This breed is also not recommended for first-time owners. Because they are considered very dominant.
On the other hand, they bark very little and are very sociable and trusting. However, these dogs rarely tolerate strange dogs and other pets. [8]
Fun fact: Most people refer to this as “DDB”. Some people find it difficult to pronounce the French wine-growing region “Bordeaux”.
#9 Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky comes from the USA and was once bred primarily for the purpose of being a sled dog. This also explains their incredible strength and endurance.
Despite a body weight of less than 30 kilograms, they are among the 10 strongest dog breeds in the world. They are also among the 20 most popular breeds.
Because they are easy to train and make excellent family dogs. In general, they are considered very sociable, loving and loyal.
On the other hand, they are also very popular because of their wolf-like appearance. Their fur is also ideal for jogging with, even in the dead of winter. [9]
Fun fact: This Nordic breed has what is known as a “snow nose”. Because it changes color depending on the temperature. It is black in summer, but pink in winter when there is snow.
#10 Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff comes from Italy. In his homeland, these four-legged friends were previously used primarily as guard and hunting dogs. But he also makes a good house dog.
To this day, these animals are very popular guard dogs. Not only are they fearless and territorial, but they also have a natural instinct to protect their home.
They also weigh up to a whopping 70 kg and are the 10th strongest dogs in the world. However, this is not recommended for first-time owners. Because they are difficult to train.
They can also be very stubborn and dominant. They do relatively little barking. Their hunting instinct is also relatively weak. [10]
Fun fact: Most dogs are very athletic and skilled. These dogs, on the other hand, often trip over their own feet or lose their balance.
#11 Boerboel
The Boerboel comes from South Africa, where it used to be used primarily to hunt leopards. To this day, these dogs can be found almost exclusively in their homeland.
Because these four-legged friends are not only among the strongest dogs, but also among the most dangerous breeds in the world. That's why they are sometimes used for dog fighting.
But they also make good guard dogs. Life as a family dog, on the other hand, requires a lot of socialization. Otherwise they are very independent and dominant.
This breed rarely tolerates strange dogs. In addition, they are banned in several countries due to their aggressiveness. [11]
Fun fact: Boerboel means “farmer dog” in German. Paradoxically, this breed was never actually kept by farmers.
#12 Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian Ridgeback comes from South Africa. It gets its name because it has a longer strip of fur (“ridge”) on its back (“back”). [12]
Interestingly, these hairs also grow in the opposite direction of hair compared to normal fur. In addition, these dogs can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h.
Their muscular legs combined with their weight of around 50 kg also make them the 12th strongest dogs in the world. However, they are less easy to train.
But they bark very little and also make great hunting and guard dogs. However, they sometimes react aggressively towards dogs – especially with dogs of the same gender.
Fun fact: For these dogs, digging is like eating – an absolute must. They love to lie around in cold dirt holes, especially in summer.
#13 Caucasian Ovcharka
In the past, the Caucasian Ovcharka has earned a reputation as a watchdog and protection dog. Because they are very protective by nature.
In addition, these giants weigh up to 100 kg and reach a shoulder height of around 75 cm. This makes them one of the strongest dog breeds in…