---
title: "pit bull vs spotted hyena — size, speed and bite force"
description: "pit bull and spotted hyena compared on mass, length, speed, bite force and lifespan — every measure side by side, with why the numbers cannot settle an encounter."
url: https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/pit-bull-vs-spotted-hyena/
site: "At One Place"
---

# pit bull vs spotted hyena

**pit bull vs spotted hyena: spotted hyena leads on 4 of 4 measures**

Measured comparison — not a prediction

A group of bull-and-terrier type dogs, medium in size and heavily muscled. A social carnivore whose jaws crack bone; females are larger than males and lead the clan. On the measurements below, spotted hyena leads on more of them — but they do not all point the same way, and the ones that disagree are the interesting part.

## The measurements

|  | pit bull | spotted hyena |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mass | 14–32 kg | 40–86 kg |
| Length | — | 0.95–1.6 m |
| Height | 0.43–0.53 m | 0.7–0.92 m |
| Top speed | — | 60 km/h |
| Bite force | 235 psi | 1,100 psi |
| Lifespan | 12–16 yr | 12–25 yr |

## Where each one leads

- Mass: spotted hyena is 2.4× heavier.
- Height: spotted hyena is 1.7× taller.
- Bite force: spotted hyena is 4.7× a stronger bite.
- Lifespan: spotted hyena is 1.5× a longer life.

## What this does and does not tell you

These are measured averages with real ranges behind them, and every figure links to its own page. What they cannot do is settle an encounter. Outcomes between animals turn on circumstance — who initiates, whether either is hungry, defending young, injured or cornered, and what the terrain favours. Size and bite force are not decisive on their own, and most of these pairs never meet in the wild in any case, because their ranges do not overlap.

> Every figure here is an average with a substantial spread. Individual animals vary enormously — a large individual of the smaller species routinely exceeds a small individual of the larger one.

## Common questions

### Is a pit bull bigger than a spotted hyena?

spotted hyena is heavier — 40–86 kg against 14–32 kg.

### Who would win, a pit bull or a spotted hyena?

That is not something measurements can settle. The comparison above shows which animal leads on each measure, but an actual encounter depends on circumstance, motivation, health and terrain — and most pairs like this never meet in the wild.

## Related pages

- [How much does a pit bull weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/pit-bull/)
- [How much does a spotted hyena weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/spotted-hyena/)
- [lion vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [lion vs pit bull](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/lion-vs-pit-bull/)
- [leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [leopard vs pit bull](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/leopard-vs-pit-bull/)
- [jaguar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [jaguar vs pit bull](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/jaguar-vs-pit-bull/)
- [cheetah vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cheetah vs pit bull](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cheetah-vs-pit-bull/)
- [cougar vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [cougar vs pit bull](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/cougar-vs-pit-bull/)
- [snow leopard vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/snow-leopard-vs-spotted-hyena/)
- [domestic cat vs spotted hyena](https://atoneplace.net/animal-vs/domestic-cat-vs-spotted-hyena/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)