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What Makes A Dog Breed Expensive: Take A Look At The World’s Most Expensive Dog Breed!

With 400 breeds of dogs to take into consideration, coming to a conclusion on the most expensive dog breed in the world is certainly a Herculean task. As a dog lover myself, I know that the world’s most expensive dog breed is not necessarily the most popular. The parameters that make a breed of dog expensive are many.  Purity of breed or their rarity can make the price out of reach. Pups of Prize Winning Dogs come with unbelievable price tags. Dogs fancied by Celebrities make a style statement, and their price skyrockets.

Most Expensive Dog

The number of lively and intelligent dog breeds around us is truly amazing. There is the Boston Terrier, a very intelligent and well-balanced dog; the German Great Dane, one of the most elegant and distinguished dogs; the Poodle, easy to train and intelligent; the Golden Retriever, a personification of everything we love about dogs; the Doberman Pinscher, the most loyal and fearless, and several others of different racial origins. They come in all price ranges.

However, the awesome breed that could very well be the most expensive dog is, “The German Shepherd.”

The Most Expensive Dog In The World: The German Shepherd or The Alsatian ($3,000 – $24,000)

Also known as the “Alsatian” with its introduction into England in 1920, the German Shepherd is nothing short of highly gifted and intelligent that it must surely be the envy of the dog world.  No task is too difficult for this one; including being a guide dog, watchdog, police dog, sniffer dog for drugs and bombs, avalanche rescue, tracking and even sheep herding in its homeland Germany, where it has been around from the late 1800’s as a shepherding dog.

One of the main traits of the German Shepherd is the high level of intelligence, for which it is much sought after.  Known for its protectiveness, easy trainability, obedience, fierce loyalty, and most of all courage, this dog breed can easily adapt to almost any climate and has a keen sense of smell and hearing, which is just one of the reasons they are chosen as army and police dogs.

Photo by flickr.com

The rates for this breed of dogs has been on the rise ever since the first World War, when the craze for the German shepherd was compounded by stories of their heroic deeds – damsels in distress saved at the lat moment and babies rescued from burning buildings.  Such stories added to the growing obsession for this breed and this craze continues to this day, keeping their price tag higher than ever.

There have been many military working dogs – heroes that have died in combat. An army Sgt. says, “These dogs are our partners, not our pets. While they can be their handler’s best friend, they can be a foe’s worst enemy. They can be as intimidating and formidable as an armed Soldier.”

Photo by commons.wikimedia.org

Dog lovers understand that more is not always better and a dog’s value lies not in the price tag associated with it, but in the priceless love that it has for us humans. The German Shepherd takes the cake in this aspect too, and its loyalty stands the test of time.

Although, our research points us towards the German Shepherd as being the most expensive dog in the world, there is an ancient working breed of the Himalayan nomad herders and the traditional guardian of the monasteries in Tibet, the “Tibetan Mastiff,” that has grabbed the title of the “most expensive dog every sold.”

The Most Expensive Dog Ever Sold

Interesting myths have surrounded this breed ever since it was discovered, and the dog’s mental and physical strength has been praised in historical reports.  Some even considered the breed to be the forefather of all the large mountain and mastiff breeds.

Photo by flickr.com/

In March 2011, a Tibetan Mastiff called “Big Splash” (“Hong Dong” in Chinese,) has been sold to a Chinese multi-millionaire coal baron.  The amount paid to the breeder Lu Liang is said to be a whooping US$ 1.5 million dollars for the 180lbs, 11 month-old 3 ft. high beauty in red.  This is not the first Tibetan Mastiff that commanded a phenomenal rate.  In 2009, a Chinese woman spent $609,000 on one of these exotic creatures, and set a record.

Photo by flickr.com

Although, there have been a few Tibetan Mastiffs sold at unbelievable prices in China, it still doesn’t make it generally as the most expensive dog breed in the world.

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Usha is currently a freelance writer and internet marketer. She has worked as a freelance writer for many years and has been an active internet marketer for six years. Having worked in the health-field for ten years in a senior management position, her interests are varied. She writes on a variety of topics, which include business, management, health, tech and a host of others. She is also the author of an e-book on internet marketing, which will be launched soon. Her future plans include publishing a non-fiction novel.

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