The Worlds 10 Most Expensive Dog Breeds

The most popular dog breeds are not the worlds most expensive dog breeds,  but the luxury dogs rate high in the top of the list. Popular dog breeds change from year to year and from country to country; and so do the most expensive dogs in the world.

What Makes a Dog Expensive?

There are a variety of factors which make dogs expensive. Purity of breed or their rarity can make dogs extremely expensive. When they are offspring from prize winning dogs the prices can skyrocket too, but the biggest factor is the C-factor. As soon as a dog is spotted or photographed in possession of a celebrity, the dog’s price will shoot beyond the moon. It has happened in the past, and it will happen in the future.

The most expensive dog ever sold

The most expensive dog ever sold was recently in March 2011, a red “Tibetan mastiff” called Big Splash, or “Hong Dong” in Chinese.  This most expensive dog ever is already 11 months-old and already stands nearly three-feet-high at the shoulder and weighs more than 180lbs, says his breeder, Lu Liang.   He was purchased by a chinese multi-millionaire coal baron.

‘Big Splash’ sold for an amazing 10 million Yuan which is about 1.5 million US Dollars and beats the earlier record set by another Tibetan Mastiff Tibetan mastiff” called Yangtze River Number Two which was sold to a chinese woman in 2009 for a whopping 4 million Yuan (About $609,000).   But this still doesn’t make the Tibetan Mastiff generally the most expensive dog breed.

Top Ten of Expensive Dogs

Roaming along the internet, in a variety of countries here is a countdown of the top ten most expensive dog breeds our editors found.

10 – Akita

Ok so in at No.10 for the most expensive dog breeds is the Japanese Akita which can sell for between $1,500 – $4,500

9 – Bearded Collie

At No.9 in our list of the worlds most expensive dogs is bearded Collie which can be sold for between $1,000 and $5,000

8 – Pharaoh Hound

In at No.8 of the most expensive dog breed is the Pharaoh hound which can fetch between $2,500 – $6,500

7 – Tibetan Mastiff

At No.7  in our list is the Tibetan Mastiff which can usually go for around $2,200 – $7,000.  Now although one of these was sold for a whopping $1.5 million  it still doesn’t make it as generally the most expensive dog breed.

6 – Rottweiler

The Rottweiler makes it to number 6 in our most expensive dogs list at between $2,000 – $8,000

5 – Chow Chow

At No.5 of our list is the Chow-Chow a chinese breed which can fetch between $3,000 – $8,500

4 – English Bulldog

The good Ole English Bulldog or ‘British Bulldog’ as it’s know in the UK is at no.4 of our most expensive dogs breeds at between $2,500 – $9,000..  And now wait for it, the top 3 most expensive dog breeds…  drumroll please….!!!

3 – Samoyed

The Samoyed which originates from Siberia is our No.3 selection which can be bought for between $4,000 – $11,000

2 – Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

And 2nd in our ‘Top Dog’ list is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from England which can sell for a princely sum of between $1,000 – $14,000 and the No.1 most expensive dog breed is…………………

1 –  German Shepherd  (Alsation)

In at No.1 as the most expensive dog breed in the world has to be the very versatile Alsation which can fetch anything between $3,000 – $24,000..

So there it is.  An exciting list of dog breeds, and unfortunately some very popular dogs did not make it to the top ten.

What happened to the Golden Retriever, Komondor, Malteser Terrier, Bichon Frise, Norfolk Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Shepherd? All popular dogs but they did not make it into the top ten of most expensive dogs 2011.

Worlds Most Expensive Dog Breed

The winner is the German Shepherd, a trustworthy dog which has proven it’s capacity to be trained beyond the scope of many other dogs. The German Shepherd can be trained as a rescue dog, drug sniffer and as guidance dog for the visual impaired. Not a wonder that he/she claims the top of the list of the most expensive dogs in the world. A dog training institute in Germany sells their German Shepherds for a cool $24,000, they claim to train the best rescue dogs in the world.

More is not always better. The price of the dog is not important, it is all about the love it gives to you and the love you can give back to the animal.

Top 10 Most Intelligent Dog Breeds

People want dogs for different reasons. Some want companionship, some want little cuddly lap dogs, and some people want a dog which can easily be trained. Some dog breeds are naturally more intelligent than others and will pick up instructions much more quickly. Therefore we have compiled a useful resource of what we think are the top 10 most intelligent dog breeds.  You will also find out what we found to be the most intelligent dog.

The following most intelligent dog breeds list may be open to interpretation as all dogs have their own personalities.

The first listing in our top 10 most intelligent dog breeds is for the Border Collie which is widely regarded as the most intelligent dog. These dogs have been used for hundreds of years for sheep herding due to their ability to understand and follow instructions. They are extremely focused animals

A German Shepherd’s intelligence combined with its size means that it can be trained to be a very effective guard dog. They are very loyal dogs and are always aware of their surroundings. For this reason they have been used by police and military forces around the world.

Next up is another large dog, the Golden Retriever. Unlike the German Shepherd however, these dogs are naturally friendly and placid. They are therefore better suited for tasks such as, as the name suggests, retrieving.

Dobermans, however, make the perfect guard dog. They are large dogs and territorially aggressive. They are very alert animals, and can be trained to be very good protectors of people and property. Their high intelligence means that they will understand and be very effective in their role as guardian.

Just like Border Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs have been used for herding purposes due to their extremely high intelligence. The fact that they are so bright and alert also makes them very good watchdogs.

Next we have the Labrador Retriever, which is a popular family dog due to its friendly nature. These dogs make very good companions due to their loyalty and affectionate natures, and have been used for hunting and retrieving.

The Papillon is a very small dog. Their inclusion on this list is because of their easiness to train and obedience, which highlights their intelligence. They are very affectionate and loyal little dogs.

The Rottweiler is another large breed which makes an excellent guard dog, although they have also been used for police work and for search and rescue. They have a reputation for being naturally aggressive, although this usually comes from protecting their territory.

Finally we have the Australian Cattle Dog, which is another of the most intelligent dogs. This is another dog bred for herding due to its high intelligence. They are extremely obedient and hard working animals.

So that completes the list of the top 10 most intelligent dog breeds. In terms of what is the world’s most intelligent dog, there have been many contenders from Hollywood such as Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. It must be remembered that several different dogs actually filled these roles, although they were all highly intelligent to be able to be trained so effectively.  The world’s most intelligent dog ever might in fact be ‘Rico’  a border collie from Leipzig in Germany, who in 2004 was trained to understand over two hundred different words.