[Fanghur]

I was just watching that old movie 'Swiss Family Robinson' and quite frankly, during the scene where the two great danes managed to scare off a fully grown tiger, I actually laughed out loud at first. I'd be absolutely astonished if the dogs could take on a tiger and live to bark the tale, but I'm not a Zoologist so I don't know for sure. The tiger might just decide that it's not worth the trouble and flee, but I'm just curious: is there any realistic chance that were a pair of fully grown great danes to viciously attack a tiger to defend their owners, that they would stand any kind of chance of winning? Or even of scaring the tiger away (which is what happened in the movie).

Personally, I think they'd get ripped to shreds.

[pippo]

Forget 2 great Danes- you need 10 chiuawas (sp??) to take on a tiger...........

[Fanghur]

Are you out of your mind? I doubt even 10 chiuawas could even take on a house cat, never mind a tiger. Get real.

[AT RIder Crow]

Not if they were genetically modified chiwawas, with enchanced speed and reaction time. Also increased muscle density so that maybe they can actually make the tiger feel something...

[pippo]

Fanghur, on 21 March 2011 - 11:07 PM, said:

Are you out of your mind? I doubt even 10 chiuawas could even take on a house cat, never mind a tiger. Get real.

LOL.....first, we BOTH need to get real on spelling chiwawas.

Second, animal behaviorists would vote canines as, except for mustelids, probably the meanest animal,pound for pound animal .

Third, strength in numbers. Ants on an elephant, Russians attacking NAZI's on the eastern front, 10 chiwawas on ONE tiger, OK, 20 of them, etc etc.

[AzurePhoenix]

 Fanghur, on 21 March 2011 - 02:00 PM, said:

I was just watching that old movie 'Swiss Family Robinson' and quite frankly, during the scene where the two great danes managed to scare off a fully grown tiger, I actually laughed out loud at first. I'd be absolutely astonished if the dogs could take on a tiger and live to bark the tale, but I'm not a Zoologist so I don't know for sure. The tiger might just decide that it's not worth the trouble and flee, but I'm just curious: is there any realistic chance that were a pair of fully grown great danes to viciously attack a tiger to defend their owners, that they would stand any kind of chance of winning? Or even of scaring the tiger away (which is what happened in the movie).

Personally, I think they'd get ripped to shreds.

Well, Siberian tigers will sometimes get into trouble sneaking into villages to kill dogs, and there's really no doubt that a healthy one could put them down rather easily if it put itself into the fight. But the thing to remember is that most animals will avoid a fight if they can help it. A meal's not worth the effort if you get hurt going for it. In the wild, even an apparently mild injury could get you killed, so the prize of a human just isn't worth the effort or the risk of getting a few injuries while putting down a couple of over-sized jackals.

Also keep in mind, while Siberian tigers are massive, weighing well over 600 pounds, and Bengals more lion-sized at around 500, the island subspecies are much smaller, the extant Sumatran and extinct Javan about 300 pounds, the extinct Bali a hundred less than those, scarcely larger than a leopard, and weighing about as much or less than a pair of full grown danes, which in that case might pose a very real threat. In a real-life imagining of the story, I would imagine that the tiger would represent one of the three island species. (all weight quotes indicate males. tigresses would be even smaller by comparison)

This post has been edited by AzurePhoenix: 22 March 2011 - 04:14 AM

[John Cuthber]

The overall winners would be the bookkeepers.

[Fanghur]

AzurePhoenix, on 22 March 2011 - 04:12 AM, said:

Well, Siberian tigers will sometimes get into trouble sneaking into villages to kill dogs, and there's really no doubt that a healthy one could put them down rather easily if it put itself into the fight. But the thing to remember is that most animals will avoid a fight if they can help it. A meal's not worth the effort if you get hurt going for it. In the wild, even an apparently mild injury could get you killed, so the prize of a human just isn't worth the effort or the risk of getting a few injuries while putting down a couple of over-sized jackals.

Also keep in mind, while Siberian tigers are massive, weighing well over 600 pounds, and Bengals more lion-sized at around 500, the island subspecies are much smaller, the extant Sumatran and extinct Javan about 300 pounds, the extinct Bali a hundred less than those, scarcely larger than a leopard, and weighing about as much or less than a pair of full grown danes, which in that case might pose a very real threat. In a real-life imagining of the story, I would imagine that the tiger would represent one of the three island species. (all weight quotes indicate males. tigresses would be even smaller by comparison)

I guess you're right, but even the tiger eventually did decide it wasn't worth the effort and ran away, there's no way in hell the dogs would escape absolutely unscathed, as they did in the movie. They would likely have gotten eviscerated by its claws as it was fleeing. Zoology 101; a cornered animal is the most dangerous type of animal.

This post has been edited by Fanghur: 22 March 2011 - 08:57 PM

[AzurePhoenix]

*Shrug* without seeing it I can't comment on that particular "battle." Anyhow, kitties do very little eviscerating.

[Fanghur]

AzurePhoenix, on 22 March 2011 - 11:27 PM, said:

*Shrug* without seeing it I can't comment on that particular "battle." Anyhow, kitties do very little eviscerating.

Around 12 minutes into it.

[AzurePhoenix]

Awww it was an itty bitty killer kitty. At that size range it'd be pretty similar a situation to that, but you're right. In a corner, in seriousness, it would would respond more violently and effectively, even if actually outmatched.

[xxSilverPhinxx]

I don't know, if the tiger is anything like a slightly weaker version of a lion, who can kill a lioness with one swip of their paw, then the Great Danes might run into some problems. However, I know that Brazilian mastiffs, which are roughly the size of a bull mastiff were used to hunt jaguars (and catch run away slaves, but that's besides the point).

One on one I think the tiger would win, though.

[Fanghur]

Actually, Silversphinx, tigers are slightly bigger and stronger than lions, if not quite as experienced in fighting.

[nick1048]

I'd have to say that the Great Danes wouldn't stand a chance if it came down to a fight. I understand that the situation would have to be right for it to happen, but the physical ability of a cat is much greater in terms of movement and strength. In addition, the claws and teeth of the tiger are much more effective, not to mention that the tiger's overall weight is probably similar to and probably greater than both of the dane's combined. But of course, if the dane's could work together to put the cat in a compromised position where they could get ahold of the jugular of the tiger they might have a chance. There are many variables to take into account, but the tiger is much more of a "solid" animal overall. One bite or a strong blow from the tiger could take a great dane down, I'd imagine.

My money is on the tiger!

I'd have to say that the Great Danes wouldn't stand a chance if it came down to a fight. I understand that the situation would have to be right for it to happen, but the physical ability of a cat is much greater in terms of movement and strength. In addition, the claws and teeth of the tiger are much more effective, not to mention that the tiger's overall weight is probably similar to and probably greater than both of the dane's combined. But of course, if the dane's could work together to put the cat in a compromised position where they could get ahold of the jugular of the tiger they might have a chance. There are many variables to take into account, but the tiger is much more of a "solid" animal overall. One bite or a strong blow from the tiger could take a great dane down, I'd imagine.

My money is on the tiger!

[Phi for All]

nick1048, on 14 February 2012 - 02:17 PM, said:

But of course, if the dane's could work together to put the cat in a compromised position where they could get ahold of the jugular of the tiger they might have a chance.

I wouldn't count out the dogs so easily mainly because of this. Wolf-pack mentality tells them to have one of them feint an attack to get the tiger to face one direction, while the other darts in to hamstring from behind. When the tiger turns around to defend, the first dog does the same thing. It's a very effective tactic, wearing down the opponent and bleeding them out.

As others have mentioned, I doubt the tiger would stick around for much of a beating, but if flight isn't an option the dogs are quick and coordinated, I could see them taking down a full-grown tiger. It wouldn't be easy but it wouldn't be impossible. Three smaller dogs (German Shepherds) would probably have a better chance with a wolf-pack type attack.

[Moontanman]

Phi for All, on 14 February 2012 - 04:06 PM, said:

I wouldn't count out the dogs so easily mainly because of this. Wolf-pack mentality tells them to have one of them feint an attack to get the tiger to face one direction, while the other darts in to hamstring from behind. When the tiger turns around to defend, the first dog does the same thing. It's a very effective tactic, wearing down the opponent and bleeding them out.

As others have mentioned, I doubt the tiger would stick around for much of a beating, but if flight isn't an option the dogs are quick and coordinated, I could see them taking down a full-grown tiger. It wouldn't be easy but it wouldn't be impossible. Three smaller dogs (German Shepherds) would probably have a better chance with a wolf-pack type attack.

I agree that a pack of animals would be more effective than a one on one encounter i think it would take more than two to take down a tiger. A tiger is an incredibly powerful predator, it could kill a great dane or any other dog with what would amount to just a light tap compared to his full power. I tiger can kill an ox with one swipe to the head, he would carve a great dane in half. On top of that a tiger is outrageously fast compared to a dog.

Lions, which would have to be the close to the equivalent of a tiger in a one on one fight can and often do kill hyena's which are far more powerful predators than any dog. No hyena would even attempt to take on a lion without many of the pack members present. I think a tiger could easily handle several great danes...

[Hypercube]

Wow, it has been so long since I saw this movie as a kid, this certainly brings back lots of pleasant memories watching this movie with my grandparents. But I digress. I agree with you that if it were a fight to the death, the dogs wouldn't stand a chance; the tiger is bigger, faster, has lethal claws and jaws, and is far more deadly than any canine could hope to claim. However, in the real world I don't think there is any way (unless the tiger was starving) that a tiger that size would dare try to kill 'prey' that large and aggressive, much less two of them. So bottom line, if the tiger were forced into a fight to the death between Duke and Turk, the dogs would almost certainly sustain mortal injuries, although the tiger might as well, but in reality the tiger would almost certainly flee from the dogs.