Which Dog Can Kill a Lion? (Breeds)

It’s instantly funny to think that any land-dwelling animal, domestic or wild, can kill a lion. To your utter astonishment, you’ll learn that apart from elephants, various dog breeds are indeed threatening to lions. Lions are more predatory and much more robust than dogs. 

There are minimal chances that a single dog can attack, let alone kill a lion. However, dogs that travel in packs and with the ability to withstand a vicious fight often find it possible to attack and kill a single lion. Here, we’ll point out which dogs can kill a lion.

Tibetan Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff is a large guardian canine native to Tibet. It’s relatively popular in China while considerably rare in the United States. This breed of dog has a life expectancy of 10 to 14 years. 

Tibetan Mastiffs are very loyal family guardians who are generally aloof to strangers. They can easily survive in undesirable environments thanks to their natural instinctive behaviors, such as the canine pact attitude. 

Tibetan Mastiffs weigh between 100 and 160 pounds and can grow up to 26 inches tall. These mighty dogs can kill a lion with a bite force of 556 PSI. Tibetan Mastiffs are strong-willed, tenacious, protective, and intelligent. 

They’re overprotective of their families and can be dangerous if not appropriately trained. Whereas a single Tibetan Mastiff can kill a lone lion, it requires a companion to slaughter the lion effortlessly.  

Fila Brasileiro

The Fila Brasileiro is a Mastiff type of large working dog native to Brazil. Many use it as a guard dog for big game hunting and cattle herding. 

Fila Brasileiros have an unusual topline profile along their back. They have powerful jaws, distinctive loose and thick skin, and a muscular stature.  

Fila Brasileiros tend to be devoted and docile. However, they’re usually self-assured, determined, and courageous; hence they can quickly confront and kill a lion in packs. 

They have a high energy level and an extremely protective temperament toward their people. Given their tenacious nature, they find it overly easy to attack and kill a wounded lion.  

Kangals

The Kangals, also known as wolf killers, are racing dogs with ideal femininity. They often get so angry that it makes them look as confused as wolves. These excellent diggers are best loved for their cattle herding skills. 

Kangals are perfect angels that protect and guard other animals against lions and cheetahs. They have a relatively strong bite, with their bite recorded to have a striking force of 743 PSI. 

A Kangal’s biting strength is three times more impactful than a Doberman dog. These dogs weigh between 90 and 145 pounds and grow to 28 to 32 inches. 

They are tough, muscular dog breeds that are always aggressive and alert. They’re overly protective of their owners and will always ensure their utmost safety when faced with danger. 

Rottweiler

The Rottweiler is a self-confident, brilliant dog with a lot of energy. It’s highly active and can single-handedly kill a lion. 

When fighting a lion, these guard dogs tend to be more courageous. A lone Rottweiler can quickly overtake and kill a lion by avoiding the lion’s claws. 

A typical Rottweiler weighs between 80 and 120 pounds. Male Rottweiler dogs stand anywhere from 24 to 27 muscular inches at the shoulder. However, their female counterparts tend to be a bit lighter and smaller. 

If you’re a novice pet parent, you should beware that this dog breed is intense and robust and requires experienced care and training.  

Bloodhounds

The Bloodhound is a large hound dog native to France. It has a compelling nose, extra-long ears, wrinkly skin, short fur, and a sturdy build. 

Bloodhounds have the most robust sense of smell in the canine world. They can smell a lion from far away and wrestle down a lion in a pack of two. 

Their scenting abilities are highly accurate, and they’re exceptionally skilled trackers whose findings are even admissible in courts of law. 

Bloodhounds have a long lifespan of between 10 and 12 years. Their coat color can be red, liver and tan, or black and tan. These non-hypoallergenic dog breeds tend to be gentle, stubborn, even-tempered, loving, and highly active. 

They possess loose, dense, short fur with many folds around the ears, neck, and face. Female Bloodhounds weigh between 80 and 100 pounds, while male counterparts weigh between 90 and 110 pounds.  

Dogo Argentino

Dogo Argentinos are a large, muscular breed of dogs native to Argentina. They were developed for hunting puma, boars, and other wild animals. 

These hunting dogs walk in packs and always display excellent protection and bravery for their family and owner. These loyal, lovable, and highly protective dogs have found favor among many families that feel safe in their company. 

An ideal Dogo Argentino dog is large, powerful, and athletic. It has a strong head supported by a thick, elegant neck connecting to a balanced body. Its hindquarters are medium-angulated and generally very muscular. 

These dogs give the impression of explosive energy and power. A lone Dogo Argentino can attack, wrestle down, and kill a lion. Dogo Argentinos are best known for their agile yet powerful muscular build.

They also have a great lung capacity. 

Wolf Dogs

Wolf dogs aren’t an easygoing dog breed. They’re generally quite aggressive, and you’ll meet a great challenge handling them, especially in a home setup. 

Wolf dogs are more assertive and intelligent compared to other dog breeds. They are pretty advantaged at attacking, thanks to their sharp canine teeth. 

Wolf dogs work best in packs to guard their territory and protect their food. These pack hunters are widely known to regularly prey on large animals. They can quickly attack and kill a lion in a group. 

Wolf dogs are a little controversial. They are quite unpredictable and aggressive. Sometimes, these loving and loyal animals can become a little wild.  

Caucasian Shepherd Dog

The Caucasian Shepherd dog is among the most prominent and robust dog breeds. When placed side by side with a lion, a fully grown Caucasian Shepherd may stand in similar stature to a lion. 

These natives of the Caucasus Mountains were bred as working dogs and are, until now, used for protection and guarding. Due to their strength and size, many refer to them as the Russian Bear dogs. 

Despite being huge, these dogs are surprisingly agile. They can run 30 miles in a single hour. Caucasian Shepherd dogs have a strong bite force of up to 500 PSI. 

These gentle and loving animals can defend their owners and other animals against intruders and predators. They have an intimidating appearance and are capable of wrestling down and killing a lion.  

English Mastiff

The English Mastiff, alternatively known as the Mastiff, is a gigantic British dog breed belonging to the canine clan as ancient as civilization. Despite being a dignified and docile dog breed, English Mastiff is equally a formidable protector of their owners and other pests they hold dear.  

These massive, heavy-boned canines are highly courageous. They have prodigious strength, making it easy to attack and kill a lion effortlessly. 

You would be startled to have an uninitiated face-to-face encounter with these black-masked giants. A mature English Mastiff stands anything between 24 and 27 inches tall. It also weighs between 100 and 130 pounds. 

Wrap Up

There isn’t an outright way to determine which dog can kill a lion single-handedly or in a pack. The outcome for each scenario would vary based on the prevailing circumstances surrounding the fight and the condition of each animal. 

While a lone dog can attack and kill a wounded lion, it’s much easier for dogs in a pack to kill a lion, wounded or not. It all comes down to the lion or the dog having something to fight for.