How Strong is a Boxer Bite Force?

A boxer dog has a bite force of about 230 PSI which falls within the average bite force of a dog. Its bite is made all the more dangerous by its imposing physique and strength, which can greatly increase the force.

When it comes to domestic dogs, boxers have one of the strongest bite forces, ranking in the top 5.

One bite from a boxer isn’t enough to break a human’s bone, but it may cause a fracture. While they aren’t often considered the most dangerous of breeds, they have a bite force to rival some notably dangerous ones. To put this in context, a Pitbull has a bite force of 235 PSI, just 5 more than a boxer.

While they may have the physical traits to be aggressive and domineering, they usually aren’t. Most boxers are gentle and prefer to be companions as opposed to attack dogs. However, they still have the genes for it and can attack when needed especially to protect their owners.

Do Boxers’ Jaws Lock?

Boxers are amongst the few dogs that are said to possess the unique trait of locking their jaws. Once they have hold of something or someone, it is difficult to get them to let go.

Ultimately, the victim will only be released from the hold once the boxer chooses to release them. As they aren’t a notably violent breed, a submission may be enough to make them let go.

There is no scientific evidence to support this phenomenon, with many experts simply claiming such dogs have a tight grip. Another possible explanation is that their jaws are equally as powerful, and when coupled with their bite force, the hold is difficult to break.

The more likely explanation 8s that dogs are stubborn, as more powerful breeds don’t show any signs of this trait.

If you are ever caught in a situation where a boxer has you in its grip, you can make it let go by twisting its collar. You’ll essentially be choking the dog, forcing it to let go of whatever body part it has a hold of. Another possible solution is to use a break stick, but unless you happen to have one on you, it may not be feasible despite being the best option.

Can A Boxer Dog Turn On Its Owner?

A boxer can turn on its owner, but such an occurrence is a rarity and only happens in certain circumstances. Boxers are known to be loyal and caring to their owners, but that could all be undone once they turn on them.

While each boxer has varying tendencies towards attacking their owners, it can all be addressed with proper training, starting in infancy.

Any aggression a boxer displays towards its owner is usually transferred, as they tend to be submissive to their owners. Owing to the pack mentality, dogs tend to challenge one another and other animals when such a need arises. If the owner interrupts such a showdown, any aggression the boxer may have will be transferred to the owner.

As boxers have a pack mentality, it makes sense that they would defer to the alpha. Establishing yourself as the alpha early in the dog’s life will make it harder for it to turn on you in the future. Obedience training and firm commands will also go a long way to establishing your dominance.

Do Boxers Bite Too Much?

Boxers tend to bite more than other dogs, a condition often associated with genetics as opposed to being acquired. All dogs tend to bite in their infancy as part of their development but it tends to continue into adulthood with boxers.

However, most times when they bite, they are merely seeking their owner’s attention as they are very affectionate dogs.

Since Boxers have a great bite force, you don’t want to be on the wrong end of one of their bites. To that end, you’ll need to teach yours not to bite to reduce the risk of accidental injury. There are a few tricks you could try to help stop your boxer from biting frequently including:

Training

Training solved most problems when it comes to dogs, and biting is no exception. Part of the training can be to help the dog understand how powerful its bite is, although the dog may still choose to bite. A more effective solution would be training your Boxer to only bite on command.

Only when the command word is issued will the dog bite anyone.

You can also train them to only bite whenever there is danger in the immediate vicinity. Whichever method you choose will see your dog display greater control and rarely bite you, or anyone else.

Acting Hurt

As earlier stated, Boxers are an emotional breed and while they can do much damage, they don’t want to see their owner hurt. Whenever yours bites you, wince in pain and show some level of discomfort to make the dog understand its actions have consequences.

Unless such an attack is intended to hurt you, the Boxer would likely cease such attacks in the future. This technique may teach them not to bite you, but it doesn’t guarantee that they won’t bite others, especially strangers. 

Regular Supervision

As with every other creature existing, dogs are habitual and tend to follow already-established patterns. Once they get older, you can monitor them and stop them should they try to bite other dogs or people.

It may not be feasible to supervise them round the clock, but they are smart enough to observe instructions in your absence.

The most important thing is to ensure that they aren’t alone around children. While they may have the best intentions, they will likely end up hurting the child.

Socialization

Socializing is all about integrating a dog into society and allowing it to interact with other people and dogs. Those raised in isolation tend to be more aggressive and may have problems adjusting to having people around.

It could also make them jumpy, causing them to react to any sudden movements, usually by biting. However, once socialized, they can tell the difference between a friend and a threat, making them better pets.

Are Boxers High-Risk Dogs?

There are a lot of risks associated with owning a Boxer dog making them qualify as high risk. While Boxers are generally calm and affectionate, they pack one of the strongest bite forces for a domestic dog breed.

They also happen to tend to display aggression, causing many dog owners to question them as a domestic dog choice.

Boxers are considered to be one of the most dangerous dogs in the world, and while this may be a misconception, the statistics are clear. They have been involved in cases of gruesome injuries and even killed people in their aggression.

Due to this, they are banned in a few locations but are legal in most parts of the world.

While they are a friendly breed, you don’t want to be caught in a Boxer’s aggression or risk severe damage. If you come across them being aggressive to others, carefully avoid the situation and seek the owner’s attention.

Preventing a Boxer from being aggressive

Aggression isn’t a word often associated with Boxers, they can be aggressive at times, making them a scary dog breed. In their aggression, they may attack their owner if prompted.

Luckily, preventing a Boxer dog’s aggression isn’t too difficult, and will prevent some nasty injuries. A few ways you can prevent one from acting aggressive include:

Regular Exercise

Generally considered to be very strong dogs, Boxers require frequent exercise and will get miserable without it. Once they get miserable, you can expect aggression to follow or they become restless.

The best solution is to have them exercise daily, or as frequently as you can afford.

Additionally, exercise tends to tire them out, causing them to be relaxed. The more exercise one gets, the more likely it is to lie back and relax. Once it is recuperated, it will rather spend time with its owner than bite them.

Play With Them

As earlier stated, dogs are habitual creatures and tend to repeat the same things daily. Once you can establish a playful routine with your Boxer, it will seek it daily as opposed to getting aggressive. You can cultivate the routine from childhood, so the dog doesn’t know anything else.

The only downside here is that once the dog gets too playful, it may not be a very effective guard dog. However, it can be a good companion and even serve as a service animal.

Gently Correct Them

Most dogs don’t take too kindly to scolding and harsh criticisms. In most instances, you’ll end up causing them emotional trauma as opposed to dissuading the habit.

The best way to correct them and fix a bad habit like aggression is by gently correcting them. Each time you see your Boxer displaying aggression, a finger wag is enough to let it know your meaning.

Repetition is key, and some will take longer than others to pick up the hint, but they all will eventually. They are a very intelligent dog breed and are always looking to please their owners.

Conclusion: How Strong is a Boxer Bite Force?

Boxer dogs have a very strong bite force, and while they aren’t rated amongst the top five dog bite forces, they are still pretty powerful. Anyone caught on the wrong end of one of their bites will likely have a few injuries to show, perhaps even a fractured bone.

Thankfully, they are a relatively gentle breed and don’t attack people without a cause.