The Most Expensive Dog Breeds In The World

As a dog owner, you know that your precious pet can cost you quite a bit. Whether it’s in terms of health care, buying toys, or just pampering your pooch, you’re going to end up spending quite a bit on him or her over his or her lifetime. For some, though, the real spending begins before the dog ever goes home.

Some dogs simply cost more than others. Whether it’s because of the rarity of their breed, a brief burst of popularity among dog owners, or the simple fact that they’re rather hard to keep healthy, these dogs require a little more financial security than those that you’ll adopt from the average shelter. Rising above them all, though, are ten breeds that are simply the most expensive dog breeds in the world. 

The Most Expensive Dog Breeds in the World

10. The Afghan Hound

Afghan hounds are undeniably gorgeous dogs. Their long, flowing hair makes them look like the supermodels of the dog world, while their expressive tails help them to connect with their owners in no time. In need of fairly constant maintenance due to their hair, these are dogs that require an intensive amount of attention. The price tag for these dogs reflects their rarefied status, with the average Afghan going for around seven thousand dollars. 

The dogs live fairly average lifespans, with the older Afghans living to around fourteen years old. Despite the pampering that might include the best dog foods, though, these dogs have a whole host of health conditions that require pricey vet visits. Not only are Afghans an expensive breed to adopt, but they can be even more expensive to keep healthy and happy. 

9. The Pharaoh Hound

These Maltese natives are born rabbit hunters, capable of reaching about fifty-five pounds and impressing their owners not only with their unique looks but their undeniable good natures and curiosity. It’s no wonder, then, that so many of these hounds fetch prices of over seventy-five hundred dollars. 

Like the Afghans, these dogs can live for up to fourteen years. Unfortunately, though, their lives tend to be plagued by stress and neuroses. These issues tend to lead to digestive problems, which can also be very expensive to treat. The good news, though, is that a Pharaoh can be a wonderful family pet when given the right environment. 

8. The Dogo Argentino

The Dogo Argentino is a relatively young breed, first bred in 1928. A breed that draws its ancestry from Great Danes and Cordoba Fighting Dogs, it’s an incredibly muscular hunter that’s capable of going after wild hogs. Big and sometimes frightening, these expensive dogs will run you about eight thousand dollars if you’re even allowed to own them – they’re currently banned in two US states as well as in the UK. 

The Argentino lives for about fourteen years, but a number of expensive health problems do tend to plague them throughout their lives. If you can’t commit to a good diet and enough exercise, you might find that your Argentino’s health problems – and vet bills – will become a dominant part of owning this type of dog. 

7. The Canadian Eskimo Dog

While the dogs above all tend to fetch a high price because they are fashionable, the Canadian Eskimo dog will run you about eight thousand seven hundred fifty dollars simply because it is so rare. First brought to the US over a millennia ago, there are only about three hundred of these endangered dogs left alive. 

Sadly, this breed isn’t dying because it is unpopular. A wild breed, they’ve died out because of a massive culling of the population during the mid-20th century. This, combined with the ease of disrupting their habitats, has led the breed from having a population in the tens of thousands to one that may soon be entirely extinct. 

Unfortunately, this breed also suffers from a number of health and behavioral issues. From eye problems to digestive issues and heart problems, they also tend to be overly territorial. Picking up one of these dogs can be a great way to help keep the breed around a little bit longer, but they’re not usually a good fit for families or for any household that might have small child visitors. 

6. The Rottweiler

Yes, the humble Rottweiler is actually one of the most expensive dog breeds that you can own. Though these dogs actually have a reputation for being cheap, the truth is that their initial price tag of around fifteen hundred dollars is just the tip of the iceberg. The actual cost of keeping one of these dogs alive is actually much closer to nine thousand dollars due to the wide range of health issues from which they can suffer. 

If there’s a health condition that can impact a dog, you’ll see it show up in Rottweilers. It doesn’t matter if it’s a joint problem, a rare disease, or just a propensity for infections – Rottweilers really feel like they excel at getting sick. That’s why they have such incredibly high pet insurance rates and why so many of their owners spend a significant amount of money to keep them alive. 

Perhaps the saddest thing to note is that these dogs don’t live all that long. With most only living about ten years, they are often beloved family pets that probably don’t deserve their fierce reputation. While very loyal and lovely to their owners, it’s hard to deny that these are expensive dogs. 

5. The Azawakh

It’s shouldn’t be surprising if you haven’t heard of this breed, as they’ve only been around for a few years. A hunting breed that hails from western Africa, you can expect to pay around ninety-five hundred dollars for the privilege of owning one of these dogs. 

Amazingly, this scarce breed doesn’t suffer from the same kinds of problems as most of its peers on this list. Most of them are actually remarkably injury-resistant, with no real hereditary problems rearing their heads quite yet because the breed is so young. In fact, you can easily expect one of these dogs to live as long as fifteen years so long as you treat them right. 

4. The Tibetan Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff is a massive Asian dog, bred to take on bears and wolves in the protection of sheep. Literally one of the biggest dog breeds on the planet, the Tibetan Mastiff can easily weigh over one-hundred-fifty pounds and has a price tag to match. This dog can easily fetch five figures, with even the cheapest running around ten thousand dollars. 

As with many of the more expensive – and larger – breeds, Tibetan Mastiffs are prone to all kinds of health problems. From the common hip dysplasia to less common eye problems, you’ll almost certainly get to know your vet quite well if you own one of these dogs. 

Note that it can actually be hard to get a Tibetan Mastiff even if you do have the money, as the breed is another one that is slowly dying out. They have big appetites and need plenty of space, so they’re definitely not the right fit for every dog owner. 

3. The Chow Chow

At eleven thousand dollars, the Chow Chow is the third-most-expensive purebred dog on the market. It’s also one of the oldest extant breeds of dog, bred in Northern China are rarely seen outside of the country for quite a long time. An incredibly hard dog to adopt, it’s also very expensive to keep alive – you should expect to pay somewhere in the region of eleven thousand dollars for this type of dog over their lifetime, thanks to the cost of keeping them fed, clean, and healthy.

Chow Chows are prone to a number of health conditions, many of which are similar to those seen in other large breeds. They tend to live for around twelve years but can live longer if you’re willing to treat them correctly. This means walking them up to four times per day – a process that’s a lot harder than you might think both due to the dog’s size and due to the fact that Chow Chows are notoriously stubborn. 

2. The Löwchen

If you want to get the ‘It’ dog among the European upper classes, you’ll want to take a look at this little lion dog. Hailing from France with a five-hundred-year pedigree, it’s also one of the rarest dogs in the world. The population had actually dwindled into the double digits during the 1970s, but it’s reached a recent peak of about three hundred today.

The Löwchen, unlike most of the dogs on this list, gets most of its twelve-thousand dollar price tag from the cost of adopting the animal. Despite being an older breed, these dogs are actually really healthy and have very few hereditary issues. Even better, they’re long-lived and tend to stick around for about fifteen years. 

The even better news is those fifteen years are likely to be a lot of fun. Playful and friendly, they absolutely love humans. These are dogs that are perfect for those homes that can provide them with plenty of attention. 

1. The Samoyed

The Samoyed is really the perfect storm of costs. The most expensive dogs in the world at the moment, they’re rare, they’re in high demand, and they have enough health bills that they’ll wind up costing you around fourteen thousand dollars to care for over the course of their lives. 

One of the big reasons that Samoyeds are in such high demand is that they are honestly great dogs. While they may have a bit of a tendency to roam if you don’t keep them on a leash, they’re incredibly social animals that love being a part of families. Curious and intelligent, they make great pets for virtually anyone. 

As tends to be common among bigger breeds, though, you’re going to end up spending a lot of time at the vet. They are prone to heart and immune conditions, some of which can end up running you around five thousand dollars for treatment over their lifetimes. At that price tag, you’d best get a DNA test to make sure your pup is legit! It’s a shame that these dogs tend to get so sick, as they can quickly become invaluable parts of your family. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the world’s most expensive dog?

As of 2021, the most expensive breed of dog in the world is the Samoyed. A combination of rarity, high demand, and big vet bills mean that this dog can easily end up costing an owner around fourteen thousand dollars over the course of his or her life. Samoyeds tend to suffer from expensive, debilitating health conditions that account for nearly half the cost of keeping the dog alive, an issue that not only increases the overall cost of the dog but can also lead to the dog having a shorter-than-average life expectancy.

What is the #1 dog breed?

The Labrador Retriever has taken the top spot as the most popular dog in America for at least the last eight years. Also, high up on that list are German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, and multiple types of bulldogs. With that said, these are simply the most-owned dogs in the country, not necessarily the most expensive. The most expensive dog you can adopt in the United States is currently the Samoyed, followed closely by the Lowchen and the Chow Chow. Whether you’re looking at price or popularity, though, the number one dog breed really has more to do with the needs of the owner than the breed of the dog. 

What is the rarest breed of dog?

The rarest breeds of dog in the world are likely the Canadian Eskimo Dog and the Lowchen, both of which only have about three hundred registered animals to their name. There are dozens of other dogs that are relatively low in number either because the breeds are dying out or because they are relatively new breeds, but these two have the lowest overall numbers from established bloodlines. 

What are the top 10 dangerous dogs?

Though any dog can be dangerous or safe given the right circumstances, ten breeds tend to be tied to higher numbers of attacks. These breeds are Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Bullmastiffs, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, Wolf-Dog Hybrids, Boxers, and Great Danes. Note that these are the most dangerous dogs; the list of most aggressive dogs is a bit different and tends to favor smaller dogs.