Who is stronger, a dog or a rat? - briefly
A dog possesses far greater muscle mass and bite force than a rat, making it physically stronger.
Who is stronger, a dog or a rat? - in detail
Dogs possess greater absolute force. Bite force measurements for a medium‑sized canine range from 150 to 300 psi, while a typical rat produces roughly 20 psi. Muscular cross‑sectional area scales with body mass; a dog’s limbs contain several kilograms of muscle, a rat’s only a few grams. Consequently, a dog can exert more raw power in tasks such as pulling, jumping, or holding objects.
Rats excel in strength‑to‑weight ratio. Laboratory studies show that a rat can lift or drag loads up to five times its own mass, a performance unmatched by most dogs. This advantage stems from a higher proportion of fast‑twitch fibers and a compact skeletal structure that maximizes leverage relative to body size.
Key comparative points:
- Absolute bite force: dog ≈ 150–300 psi; rat ≈ 20 psi.
- Muscle mass: dog ≈ 2–5 kg; rat ≈ 0.01–0.03 kg.
- Load‑carrying capacity (relative to body weight): rat ≈ 5 × its weight; dog ≈ 1–2 × its weight.
- Maximum sprint speed: dog ≈ 30–40 km/h; rat ≈ 13 km/h, indicating greater overall power output in larger animals.
In tasks requiring sheer force—gripping, pulling, or delivering a bite—a dog outperforms a rat by a wide margin. In scenarios that depend on how much an animal can lift relative to its size, the rat demonstrates superior efficiency. The distinction hinges on whether absolute or relative strength is the criterion.