Top 10 Most Expensive Large Puppies in the US

This article is for you if you are looking for a puppy or just curious about puppy prices. I have reviewed over 19,000 ads (for 58 breeds) from the American Kennel Club, PuppyFind, NextDayPets, and breeders websites to establish this ranking of the Top 10 most expensive large puppies.

We consider a puppy to be large for this research if the dog’s average adult weight is over 55lb. The popularity factor for each breed is based on the American Kennel Club’s most popular breeds list. Finally, the price range represents 80% of the ads found (it excludes the cheapest and most expensive 10%).

At the end of this article, we have also added a few tips to find cheaper puppies without buying from unreliable sellers and backyard breeders. Remember that the puppy’s price is a small portion of the expenses when raising a dog. If you want to buy or adopt one, I would advise you to read the related cost article to find all the information about how much owning your furry friend will be (training, food, supplies, grooming, etc.).

Finally, I cannot start without recommending adoption to anyone looking for a dog. It is much cheaper ($50 to $500), usually faster, and easier than buying a breeder’s puppy.

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10 – Irish Wolfhound

Average Price: $2,000
Price Range: $1,400 – $2,500
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 76
Weight: 105 to 120 lb.
Life Expectancy: 6 to 8 years
Breed Personality: Courageous, Dignified, Calm

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own an Irish Wolfhound or learn How to Find an Irish Wolfhound Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

9 – Flat-Coated Retriever

Average Price: $2,000
Price Range: $1,500 – $2,500
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 104
Weight: 60 to 70 lb.
Life Expectancy: 8 to 10 years
Breed Personality: Cheerful, Optimistic, Good-Humored

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Flat-Coated Retriever or learn How to Find a Flat-Coated Retriever Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

8 – Goldendoodle

Average Price: $2,000
Price Range: $1,200 – $3,200
It is very easy to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: NA
Weight: 50 to 90 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years
Breed Personality: Affectionate, Intelligent, Loving

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Goldendoodle or learn How to Find a Goldendoodle Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

7 – Briard

Average Price: $2,150
Price Range: $2,000 – $2,300
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 135
Weight: 55 to 100 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Breed Personality: Confident, Smart, Faithful

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Briard or learn How to Find a Briard Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

6 – Chow Chow

Average Price: $2,250
Price Range: $850 – $3,800
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 77
Weight: 45 to 70 lb.
Life Expectancy: 8 to 12 years
Breed Personality: Dignified, Bright, Serious-Minded

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Chow Chow or learn How to Find a Chow Chow Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

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5 – Leonberger

Average Price: $2,400
Price Range: $1,700 – $3,250
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 95
Weight: 90 to 170 lb.
Life Expectancy: 9 to 12 years
Breed Personality: Friendly, Gentle, Playful

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Leonberger or learn How to Find a Leonberger Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

4 – Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Average Price: $2,500
Price Range: $1,000 – $3,000
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 73
Weight: 85 to 140 lb.
Life Expectancy: 8 to 11 years
Breed Personality: Faithful, Family-Oriented, Dependable

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog or learn How to Find a Greater Swiss Mountain Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

3 – Giant Schnauzer

Average Price: $2,500
Price Range: $1,200 – $3,500
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 71
Weight: 55 to 85 lb.
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Breed Personality: Loyal, Alert, Trainable

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Giant Schnauzer or learn How to Find a Giant Schnauzer Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

2 – Tibetan Mastiff

Average Price: $2,500
Price Range: $1,800 – $4,500
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 128
Weight: 70 to 150 lb.
Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
Breed Personality: Independent, Reserved, Intelligent

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Tibetan Mastiff or learn How to Find a Tibetan Mastiff Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

1 – Neapolitan Mastiff

Average Price: $3,500
Price Range: $2,500 – $4,500
It is very hard to find a puppy
Breed Popularity Ranking: 100
Weight: 110 to 150 lb.
Life Expectancy: 7 to 9 years
Breed Personality: Loyal, Dignified, Watchful

Considering this breed? Read our article about The Cost to Own a Neapolitan Mastiff or learn How to Find a Neapolitan Mastiff Puppy to Buy or Dog to Adopt.

These breeds tend to be expensive because most are rare and hard to find. In many cases, the only option is to put your name on a waiting list at a registered breeder and hope to get a puppy when the next litter is ready. This is not the case for Goldendoodles, which are easy to find, but they remain costly because they are an extremely popular designer breed.

WONDERING HOW AND WHERE TO FIND A PUPPY TO BUY OR A DOG TO ADOPT? Our Guide will help you find a dog near you. We share the 26 best places to find your perfect pet.

How to find a cheaper puppy?

Here are five tips that will help you find a cheaper puppy:

  • Adoption. By investing a little time to visit shelter websites regularly, there is a good chance that you will be able to find a puppy to adopt. They are rare and get adopted very fast, but it is a realistic option. Not only is it cheaper, but it is also a great thing to do.
  • Older puppies. Most people are willing to buy their dog as young as possible, creating excellent opportunities to find puppies a few months old for a much lower price. A 6-month-old dog will still be adorable and playful and should be cheaper than an 8-week-old one.
  • Other locations/states. Some breeds are more expensive in specific locations because of their characteristics and the cost to operate a breeding business there. Looking at prices in different places is a great way to save a lot, providing you are willing to travel to meet the breeder and your future dog.
  • Mixed-breed or purebred. Mixed breed dogs tend to be less expensive to buy than purebreds. This is especially true for purebreds with registration papers (pedigree). Most families are just looking for a good pet to spend time with and do not need these registration papers.
  • Friends and family. Let everyone around you know that you are looking for a dog. You might get a good surprise and learn that someone trustworthy has a pregnant dog and is looking for people to get the pups.

Everyone wants a healthy dog without behavioral problems. That is why it is always recommended to buy from a responsible breeder that takes good care of his breeding dogs and puppies. Never buy a pet from puppy mills or someone who cannot give you information on the puppy’s parents. Pay a visit to the breeder to see if his business looks legit, and spend a little time with your future dog to make sure it seems healthy.

WHERE CAN I FIND A DOG?
WHAT SUPPLIES DO I NEED?
WHAT SHOULD I ASK THE VET?
WHERE TO FIND THE BEST PRICES ON DOG FOOD?
Please find all the answers to your questions in our Dog Owner Guide. It’s a 5-minute read packed with useful information.

New Dog Owner Guide

If you want to know more about the price of puppies in the US or compare this breed with 150 others, check our puppy prices article based on the analysis of close to 50,000 ads (for 151 different breeds).

Factors affecting the price of puppies and why prices vary for the same breed.

Purebred or mixed. Usually, mixed-breeds are sold at a lower price than purebred dogs.

Bloodline and breeder’s reputation. If the parents are purebred show quality dogs from a reputable breeder, the price will be substantially higher. These breeders also tend to invest more money than others to take care of their breeding dogs and puppies.

Registration papers/pedigree. Some breeders are members of kennel clubs, the most famous being the American Kennel Club (AKC). They can also have their breeding dogs and puppies registered which would also add to their fees.

Health screenings and medical expenses. Serious breeders will have their breeding dogs and/or puppies evaluated/tested for different medical conditions. Moreover, some will take their puppies to the vet for an exam, deworming, vaccines, and/or microchip implantation prior to selling them. This drives the price higher but also reduces the risk to get an unhealthy dog.

Training and socialization. Some breeders sell their dogs after they are trained and socialized. It will increase the puppy’s price but generate savings as you most probably won’t have to invest in more training and also gives a better chance to get a well-behaved dog.

Breed popularity in the buyer’s location. Local supply and demand will have an impact on puppy prices. For example, small dogs tend to be more popular in metropolitan areas where people live in smaller spaces. Some breeds are more in demand in colder climates, others where hunting is popular, etc. It is worth looking for prices in different locations, but it is risky to buy a dog without having seen it before or at least have met with the breeder and visited the kennel.

Age. As most people want to get their puppy as young as possible, prices tend to be lower when the dog gets older. For example, on average a 6-month-old pup is likely to be less expensive than an 8-week-old one.

Coat color and markings. Coat color trends can change quickly. For any breed, some colors are more popular than others, sometimes temporarily. When the interest for a specific coat color grows, puppies get more expensive as an increase in demand leads to a higher market price. Also, for purebred dogs, only specific colors and color combinations are accepted by kennel clubs. Finally, puppies with rare colors can be very expensive as well.

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References and Resources

This article is original content from PetBudget.

This article is based on information we found while researching and does not guarantee that it will be possible to find a puppy at this price when the article is read.

The breeds considered in this research are the following: Airedale Terrier, Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Beauceron, Belgian Malinois, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Tervuren, Bernese Mountain Dog, Black and Tan Coonhound, Black Russian Terrier, Bloodhound, Bluetick Coonhound, Boerboel, Borzoi, Bouvier des Flandres, Boxer, Briard, Bull Terrier, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso Italiano, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Chow Chow, Clumber Spaniel, Collie, Dalmatian, Doberman Pinscher, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Setter, Flat-Coated Retriever, German Shepherd, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Giant Schnauzer, Golden Retriever, Goldendoodle, Gordon Setter, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhound, Labradoodle, Labrador Retriever, Leonberger, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Old English Sheepdog, Pointer, Redbone Coonhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Spinone Italiano, Tibetan Mastiff, Treeing Walker Coonhound, Weimaraner.

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