Posted by:
matt_fl
at Sat May 13 12:35:37 2006 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by matt_fl ]
This doesn't have much to do with the point of your responce, but I noticed you said "there was a side note that many pitbulls from all breeds were tested"
A pitbull is a dog from a small group of dogs. An example would be an American staffordshire terrier. When you say pitbull like that (to describe a mean dog no matter what breed), it gives it a negative connotaion and only contributes to the myths about pitbulls being mentally unstable or aggressive. It's like if we were to start saying "mean as a montior" or "aggressive as a snake".
Pitbulls can be aggressive for the same reasons as any other dog (inbreeding, mistreatment). And do not necesarrily bite harder.
If the source really said "pitbulls from all breeds", than it is certainly not a reliable resource as they clear have limited knowledge of even basic breed names.
Also, all species bite with different forces for different tasks. It would be hard to measure the exact force they can exert.
You said "When it comes to bite pressure, lizards are designed for just that, hard powerful bites". The thing is, All predators are designed to have hard powerfull bites. And since dogs work in packs to take down large prey that need to lose a lot of blood or have deep penatrating wounds in order to be killed, it is likely that dogs require much more powerfull bites in order to take down their prey.
Monitors usually take small prey that they can swallow whole. This is not to say that they don't bite hard, just that a dog bite is worse.
I have heard from some very well educated people on this forum that monitors also may have venom. It is well known that the Komodo Dragon, one of the few monitors that does take prey much larger than itsself uses bacteria in its mouth and likely has a venom as well. This would mean that they do not require quite as hard a bite in order totake down their prey, but since their venoms are mostly not harmfull to people, does not mean that they have worse bites than dogs.
Lastly, I have been bit by a few dogs and a few monitors. The largest montior I have been bit by was a three and a half foot mangrove. It's not a huge monitor, but anyone who has also been bit by one can tell you it doesn't feel good. In my experiences, dog bites are deeper and a single tooth can lose you plenty of blood. A single tooth from a monitor is like having a needle run through your finger (not fun, but not as bad as a dog).
"Said, actually as far as actual bite force I recently found a REAL test of bite pressure done on dogs, some big and small cats, reptiles, etc. When it comes to bite pressure, lizards are designed for just that, hard powerful bites. Some of what was in it, the aveage human produces I believe 150lbs of bite force, the average larger breed of dog produces 320lbs (there was a side note that many pitbulls from all breeds were tested and actually produced less pressure at 300lbs, there was an explanation telling that jaw size of German shepards, various retrievers, etc gave them the leverage advantage). There were made up tests published years ago saying 650-1500lbs, they were bullcrap lies about dogs and pitbulls mainly. Also mentioned were lions at 600lbs, and bears were at 500-600lbs, crocodiles at 2000-3000lbs plus depending on species and size.
In reality a medium to large sized monitor does bite harder than a dog (some can break bones), but their teeth are smaller, and the jaws are smaller (except komodo dragons and other large species).
Danger from these species comes from a variety of reasons, dogs are protective of territory, and family, although most fatal dog bites are on toddlers and small children under 8 and are off the leash on the owners property, when restrained on a lead or leash those numbers are barely 5% of the total."
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RE: I agree partially with most of what you - matt_fl, Sat May 13 12:35:37 2006