Key Points:
- Dogs do not usually try and take on lions, and solo, a dog may not be able to kill a full-grown lion. A pack of dogs is another story.
- However, there is a breed that is often called a ‘lion killer’. The breed is the Rhodesian Ridgeback.
- While the breed raises questions if it could take down a lion or not, logic tells us a dog would not be able to take down a lion.
On paper, a dog of this size would be highly unlikely to be able to take on an adult lion. This pooch doesn’t care about what’s on paper!
Watch the Brave Dog Put His Foot Down!
You have to marvel at its bravery and persistence in defending its family or territory from this large feline intruder.
It’s not unusual for dogs to risk their lives serving their human families – we can read about service dogs doing this all the time. However, this appears to be a particularly placid lion who seems puzzled rather than irritated by the dog.
This may be because the lion was raised by or close to humans and it is accustomed to them and their pets.
Could a Dog Kill a Lion?
Only young, sick, or weak lions could be overcome by a domestic breed of dog
©iStock.com/johan63
This is an age-old question and it has so many variables it is impossible to answer with a simple yes or no. Could an average family pet dog kill a fit adult male lion?
No, it could not. Could a group of dogs from a large and aggressive dog breed kill a young, sick, or old lion?
Yes, probably. Some dogs like the Kangal and the Rhodesian Ridgeback were bred to protect farmland and livestock from human intruders and predators and to accompany hunters. They would have come into contact with lions.
When a direct comparison is made between the Kangal and a lion, it is likely that the lion would win the fight. The big cat is simply too large and muscular and its claws and teeth are too sharp for a dog to cope with in a sustained attack.
The Impressive Rhodesian Ridgeback
A large male lion can weigh up to 550 pounds!
©Jrossphoto/Shutterstock.com
The other breed that is often cited as a ‘lion killer’ is the magnificent Rhodesian Ridgeback.
These dogs can trace their history back to the continental breeds brought to South Africa by the Boer colonists which were then crossbred with native dogs. They were eventually bred to accompany professional hunters when they were on big game hunting expeditions.
These ‘lion hunting’ dogs needed to be strong enough to physically keep up with the hunt but also agile enough to get out of the way of a swinging lion paw and grasping teeth. They were not bred to fight a lion at all – that is a misconception.
The dogs were not meant to actually make contact with a lion, they were meant to tease and disorientate the big cat whilst the human hunter positioned themselves for a good shot. This required courage, agility, and intelligence. It did not mean that they could take on a lion in a one-on-one contest!
The photo featured at the top of this post is © Maryke Scheun/Shutterstock.com
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