Mary Allen
It’s not just keeping a dog that can cost a lot, but also the puppy from the breeder. These are the most expensive dog breeds in the world.
Love knows no price. Our kind-hearted, loyal family members on four paws mean everything to us and money is – actually – not an issue here.
But it’s all about the price tag of a dog, so people with weak nerves or tight wallets should sit down: because certain dog breeds can reach an astronomical price from the breeder. A certain breed of dog can cost a five-digit amount.
Find out here which are the ten most expensive dog breeds in the world and how much they cost.
Why Are Some Dog Breeds So Expensive?
Spoiler Alert! One of the most expensive dogs in the world has changed hands for 1.4 million euros. Before we tell you which dog it is, the question should first be clarified: Why do you pay so much for certain dog breeds at all?
The price of a dog is determined by many factors. But it is mainly these that determine what a dog costs:
- offer
- demand
- the desired task of the dog
If the demand is high but the supply is low, this sometimes drives the price up. This is particularly true for certain dog breeds that are trendy due to current “fads” but for which there are hardly any breeders (yet).
The price also plays a role in what the dog is supposed to do. Specially trained working dogs or award-winning show and competition dogs sometimes reach astronomical prices when they are subsequently sold. The same applies to their offspring. The puppy quickly costs as much as the successful mum or the successful dad.
Breeding dogs are also often more expensive than other dogs due to certain characteristics such as a particularly beautiful appearance, a stable character, or a “good” pedigree.
Based on the approximately expected highest prices for a dog from a breeder, we have summarized the ten most expensive dog breeds in the world for you.
These are the ten most expensive dog breeds in the world
Pharaoh Hound
Anyone who already has such a noble name will of course also cost a lot. Pharaoh Hounds are a breed from Malta. Many lovers of the dogs with the slender build, the very short coat in noble rusty brown, and the beautiful big erect ears see the dogs as descendants of an ancient dog breed from Egypt. However, there is no reliable evidence of this today.
The dog probably got its name because of its resemblance to the ancient Egyptian god Anubis. Pharaoh Hounds have been valued rabbit hunting dogs in Malta for centuries, faithfully and wisely assisting their owners in the hunt.
There are only a few breeders of the dog breed, at times no litters are offered in Germany at all. This is also reflected in the price: the royal dogs can cost between 2,000 and 6,500 euros on average.
Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is not only one of the oldest but also one of the most expensive dog breeds in the world. Already in the old Roman Empire, the breed developed into a popular shepherd and butcher dog in the city of Rottweil and its popularity is undiminished to this day.
The large and strong dogs are used as guard dogs, as service or protection dogs in the police and military, and bred as family dogs.
The price for the dog can vary. Rottweilers for families start at €1,500, while dogs that are specifically used in police or military service can range in price from €1,500 to €8,000.
Chow Chow
Chow-chow sounds very fluffy, funny, and cuddly, and so is the dog. The breed originated in ancient China and this dog’s history dates back to the 11th century. At that time, the Chow-Chow was used as a working dog, especially as a sled dog and as a hunting dog. The chow-chow was considered the favorite dog of the British Queen Victoria I and became a real “status symbol” in Europe at times.
Even today, the chow chow is a popular symbol of prosperity, especially in China. The dog is popular as a show dog because of its lion’s mane and bear-like muzzle, which drives its price up for many breeders. The dogs can cost between 2,000 and 8,000 euros. So they are very expensive. However, they are not smart. The chow chow is ranked with some others among the dumbest dogs in the world.
English Bulldog
The English bulldog is also one of the most expensive dog breeds in the world. The dog from England is known for its slightly fierce but lovable appearance, wrinkled face, and friendly and often stubborn character. The dog is particularly popular in English-speaking countries: it is considered the “national dog” of England and is the official mascot of many US universities.
Due to overbreeding of certain traits, such as the particularly wrinkled muzzle, many English bulldogs (similar to the Pug) struggle with respiratory problems and other medical conditions. For this reason, since 2009, e.g. in the British Kennel Club and in the German FCI significantly tightened standards, which are intended to prevent exaggerated characteristics.
Due to these high standards and the strict controls, the breeder’s prices have also skyrocketed and an English bulldog can now reach prices of 1,500 to 9,000 euros.
Samoyed
They look like little polar bears, but they are really sensitive ones, with a very close bond to their people. The dog breed with the friendly smile on its face was used by the indigenous Samoyedic peoples of Siberia as working dogs for pulling sleds, herding flocks, and also as bed warmers due to their extremely cozy fur. Their white, warm fur made them the perfect companions in cold Siberia – and today one of the most expensive dog breeds in the world.
There are not many Samoyed breeders and most dogs are more cream or gray than white. The whiter the dog’s fur, the higher the price. From 4,000 to 11,000 euros can be due if you want to take a pristine white Samoyed into your family.
Saluki
Greyhounds are generally considered an expensive dog breed and the Saluki outruns them all. The sighthound breed from Persia is said to have existed for 6,000 years and is a valued companion when hunting gazelles and rabbits, especially in Arabic-speaking countries.
To this day, the dog is extremely important in the Middle East. There are some European breeders who offer the dog for as little as 2,500 euros. Special Arabic lines cost from 2,500 to 12,000 euros.
Lowchen
Pardon my French but the Bichon Petit Chien Lion or in German also called Löwchen is a real lapdog from France and has been since the Middle Ages. The Löwchen got its name from the special clipping of the lion, which was already considered its trademark back then. He is simply a lion in mini format.
For centuries it was one of the favorite lap dogs for European nobility before it almost went extinct by the 20th century. In 1965 there were said to be only 40 Löwchen left in the world.
Due to intensive breeding efforts, the stock has recovered again today, but the breed is still considered very rare – and therefore also very expensive: A puppy from a purebred line costs from 1,800 to 14,000 euros.
Tibetan Mastiff
The Tibetan Mastiff comes from high altitudes and its price can vary at high altitudes. The dog breed comes from the Himalayan mountains and is considered one of the oldest in the world. As early as the 13th century, Marco Polo raved about the large shepherd dogs.
Today there aren’t that many in Europe, but there are some breeders who focus on loyal dogs. The “normal” prices for a puppy range between 2,200 and 7,000 euros on average.
In China, on the other hand, a Tibetan mastiff, whose ancestors (like the Tibetan terrier) were kept as guard dogs in Tibetan monasteries, is considered a status symbol par excellence. A Chinese lover is said to have paid a whopping 1.4 million euros for a Tibetan mastiff in 2013, which probably makes the breed the most expensive dog breed in the world, at least in individual cases.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel bears its royal status in its name and its prices are definitely royal. The dog breeds are named after Kings Charles I and Charles II, who ruled Great Britain in the 17th century.
The small dogs with long ears and the flat muzzle were popular status symbols in European royal courts for a very long time. As a “fashion dog”, the breed was unfortunately only bred for its external characteristics – such as the unnaturally flat snout – for years. As a result, many dogs today suffer from health problems and hereditary diseases.
In the meantime, stricter guidelines and standards apply to breeding and the dogs are becoming healthier again. Many puppies of the small spaniels can be purchased for as little as 1,500 euros. But if you value a particularly strict health examination, very high standards, and a particular type of appearance, you can spend up to 20,000 euros for a puppy for a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from the so-called “premium approved breed”.
German Shepherd Dog
“Wait a minute”, you are probably asking yourself now, “one of the most popular and well-known dog breeds in the world should also be the most expensive at the same time? Surely there are a lot of breeders?”
That’s true, but the German Shepherd is a good example of a breed that can become so expensive because of its later uses. German shepherds, which are bred by the breeder as pure family dogs, can be obtained for prices starting at 1,500 euros.
At the same time, the breed is also very popular as a service dog due to its intelligence, skills, and strength, for example in the military, customs, or the police. Dogs specially bred and trained for these areas of use can therefore reach a dizzying price of up to 20,000 euros.
All dogs are priceless
With such high prices for certain dog breeds, one wonders whether these prices for dogs are justified at all.
It is true that high prices for a reputable breeder are also caused by strict controls and measures that are intended to protect the dogs from hereditary diseases and health problems as far as possible. These standards have their purpose and are usually expensive for the breeder, which is then reflected in the price – not only for the most expensive dog breeds, but generally for all breeds from reputable breeders.
On the other hand, it must be said clearly: All dogs are priceless. They are not products that should have a price tag attached. They are vibrant and soulful creatures who, regardless of the price, deserve the best dog living in the world. And that includes representatives of rare and historic breeds as well as the shaggy mongrel with crooked ears and the spot on the nose from the animal shelter.