The 10 Most Expensive Dog Breeds That You Can Own

With their Winston Churchill-like faces and stocky builds, English Bulldogs remain a popular breed with dog-owners. In addition to the cost of a bulldog pup — which can easily exceed $3,000 — owning an English Bulldog will require a lot of cash over the dog’s lifespan. As this breed is prone to far more medical problems than a typical breed, more vet bills are on the horizon to treat such potential maladies as heart conditions, joint problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia, cancer, eye problems, allergies, skin problems and more.

Large dogs with thick, lush coats, Bernese Mountain Dogs require regular grooming and weekly brushing, while their ears need require special treatment to prevent infection if bacteria becomes trapped. Sadly, Bernese Mountain Dogs have the highest incidences of cancer of all canine breeds, and treatment can be very expensive. In addition, Bernese Mountain Dogs are highly prone to musculoskeletal problems — up to three times as much as most other breeds — which can result in mobility issues, shortened lifespans and costly vet bills over the years.

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The Chow breed — also known as the Chow Chow — reportedly dates back to 7th century China. While the upfront price to buy one of these purebred pooches is steep — typically upwards of $1,000 — the breed is prone to an array of health issues that could result in hefty vet bills throughout the pet’s life, including problems, cancer, diabetes, canine pemphigus and even autoimmune diseases. Meanwhile, the dogs’ thick coats make Chows more prone than other breeds to flea infestations, and require regular grooming to ensure coats don’t become matted and to prevent skin infections.

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These small dogs have a big price tag, which increases exponentially over the course of a French Bulldog’s life. Not only are the costs of buying one high — ranging from about $1,500 all the way to $8,500 — this breed, like its larger British cousin, is prone to health problems that will require big veterinary bills that can easily soar to the tens of thousands over the years.

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A highly popular and intelligent breed, Rottweilers are nonetheless expensive to purchase, with a well-bred puppy ranging between $1,500 and $2,000. Rottweilers, however, are prone to a wide range of ailments, many of which can be quite expensive to treat. Among the many health problems common to Rottweilers is cancer, which can result in huge vet bills for those who decide to treat their pets. Other common ailments include hip dysplasia and are prone to contracting parvovirus as puppies.

Basset Hounds are actually a large breed in a small body, which brings with it a whole host of health problems as the dogs become older, as they’re prone to the same ailments found in larger dogs. As a result, this breed requires larger meals and more expensive medication, while their large, floppy ears and droopy eyes become easily infected, requiring additional trips to the vet.

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German Shepherds are one of the most popular breeds throughout the world, yet are also one of the most expensive to own. Along with the initial cost — typically around $2,500 — and a purebred shepherd can be tough to find. German Shepherds are also prone to allergies, gastrointestinal issues, cancer, Degenerative Myelopathy (a disease of the spinal cord found in older dogs) as well as hip and elbow dysplasia, which will result in far more trips to the vet than many other breeds.

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Bred to hunt deer, wild boar and even wolves, the Irish Wolfhound dates from about 500 BC and is recognized as the world’s tallest breed of canine. Measuring up to one metre in height and up to two meters from nose to tail, these are big dogs that cost their owners big bucks (larger dogs will require more food, larger crates, etc., and boarding costs at kennels will typically be more than for smaller dogs). In addition, the breed is known to have genetic heart, stomach and bone problems that will require regular visits to the vet.

While the Irish Wolfhound is the world’s tallest dog, the Great Dane is the world’s largest, but the costs of owning one are similar in terms of food, etc. Purchasing a Great Dane from a breeder can run anywhere from $600 to $3,000, but prepare for verterinary costs as the dogs get older, as Great Danes are prone to such ailments as hip and elbow dysplasia, and heart conditions — veterinarians have nicknamed Great Danes “the heartbreak breed” due to their chronic heart problems. Sadly, these beloved dogs don’t live long compared to other breeds, with an average lifespan ranging from seven to eight years. And careful with this one, as they're one of the dog breeds most likely to run away.

Back in 2014, a purebred Tibetan Mastiff was purchased for an astounding $1.9 million! Native to the Himalayan region of China, that particular dog was bought by a wealthy Chinese businessman who figured he could recoup his investment by renting the dog out for breeding purposes. While Tibetan Mastiff puppies can be found for as little as $2,000, purebred dogs are exceedingly rare; dubbed the world’s most expensive dog, it’s not unusual to see purebred Tibetan Mastiffs fetching prices in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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