Cost

The most expensive dog breeds to own

What makes a breed expensive to keep is its size and its coat, not its price tag — the top ten broken down, the lifetime list that differs from it, and the levers you control.

Igor Zagorodnyi
Builds the dataset behind this site
UPDATED September 21, 2026
6 MIN · 8 SOURCES
On this page
  1. The ten most expensive
  2. Where the money goes
  3. Most expensive over a lifetime
  4. What you can cut
  5. All 205 ranked
  6. What is not in this
  7. Sources

The expensive breeds are not the ones with the famous price tags. Ranked by what they cost to keep — food, vet, grooming, insurance, gear and boarding, every year — the top of the list is Black Russian Terrier at $4,439 a year, against $2,956 for the breed in the middle of the 205 and $2,137 at the bottom. The same model runs for every breed: an adult dog in Texas, mid-tier kibble, insured, groomed the way its coat needs.

The ten most expensive breeds to keep

Every one of these ten is a large or giant dog, and every one has a coat that goes to the groomer on a schedule. Each row splits the yearly figure into the two lines that vary most between breeds and everything else.

#BreedFoodGroomingEverything elsePer year
1 Black Russian Terrier · 105 lb $1,538 $932 $1,969 $4,439
2 Komondor · 90 lb $1,218 $932 $1,983 $4,133
3 Leonberger · 128 lb $1,581 $582 $1,969 $4,132
4 Akita · 100 lb $1,483 $582 $1,983 $4,048
5 Irish Wolfhound · 113 lb $1,440 $582 $1,969 $3,991
6 Borzoi · 81 lb $1,270 $738 $1,978 $3,986
7 Tibetan Mastiff · 108 lb $1,392 $582 $1,969 $3,943
8 Curly-Coated Retriever · 78 lb $1,225 $738 $1,978 $3,941
9 Bernese Mountain Dog · 90 lb $1,370 $582 $1,983 $3,935
10 Bouvier des Flandres · 90 lb $1,370 $582 $1,983 $3,935

Most expensive per year

$4,439

Black Russian Terrier · $1,483 a year above the median breed (Golden Retriever)

Where the extra money goes

Set the average of the top ten against the median breed and the gap is $1,092 a year. Of that, 60% is grooming and 40% is food. Everything else — preventives priced by weight band, gear sized to the dog — nets out to almost nothing.

The "everything else" share is small for a reason worth knowing: routine vet visits, vaccines, the insurance premium and boarding are modelled at the same state-adjusted rate for every breed. We have no public, citable per-breed figure for any of them, so none is invented. What separates an expensive breed from an ordinary one in this model is the dog's size and its coat — and both are visible before you buy.

Food scales with body weight, but not in a straight line: energy needs rise more slowly than weight, so a dog twice as heavy eats well under twice as much. Grooming does not scale with weight at all; it switches on. A breed whose coat needs clipping or a professional de-shed lands on a salon schedule, and that line alone reaches $932 a year among these ten.

The most expensive over a lifetime is a different list

Rank the same breeds by the total from puppy to the end of a median life and only 5 of the yearly top ten stay in the top ten. The lifetime list rewards longevity: a long-lived dog with a costly coat overtakes a giant that costs more each year but lives fewer of them. Standard Poodle is only #18 per year but #2 over a lifetime on a median of 14 years; Komondor is #2 per year and falls to #69 on 9.5 years.

#BreedLifetimeMedian lifespanRank, per year
1 Tibetan Mastiff $53,862 13.3 years #7
2 Standard Poodle $52,514 14 years #18
3 Bearded Collie $49,933 13.9 years #34
4 Irish Setter $49,703 12.9 years #12
5 Black Russian Terrier $49,138 10.9 years #1
6 Curly-Coated Retriever $48,982 12.2 years #8
7 Borzoi $48,694 12 years #6
8 English Setter $48,021 13.1 years #28
9 Akita $46,895 11.4 years #4
10 German Wirehaired Pointer $46,864 13 years #24

Lifetime is the per-year figure carried across the breed's median lifespan, with the higher senior-age vet schedule from age 8 and the one-time first-year items added once.

What you can actually cut

Two of the lines that make these breeds expensive are choices, not fixed costs. Grooming at home instead of at a salon replaces the visits with a clipper kit and shampoo; that is worth up to $908 a year on the Black Russian Terrier. Stepping from mid-tier to budget kibble saves up to $785 a year on the Leonberger. Neither is free — home clipping takes skill and time, and a diet change is a conversation to have with your vet — but they are the only large levers in the model.

BreedPer yearGroom at homeBudget food
Black Russian Terrier $4,439 −$908 −$764
Komondor $4,133 −$908 −$605
Leonberger $4,132 −$558 −$785
Akita $4,048 −$558 −$737
Irish Wolfhound $3,991 −$558 −$716
Borzoi $3,986 −$714 −$631
Tibetan Mastiff $3,943 −$558 −$692
Curly-Coated Retriever $3,941 −$714 −$609
Bernese Mountain Dog $3,935 −$558 −$681
Bouvier des Flandres $3,935 −$558 −$681

Both switches are on every breed page and in the calculator, alongside the state — which moves vet, grooming, insurance and boarding together.

All 205 breeds, most expensive first

Type a breed to find it. The reverse view, with the reasons the cheapest breeds are cheap, is in the cheapest dog breeds to own.

#BreedPer yearLifetime
1 Black Russian Terrier · 105 lb · 10.9 years $4,439 $49,138
2 Komondor · 90 lb · 9.5 years $4,133 $40,474
3 Leonberger · 128 lb · 10 years $4,132 $42,447
4 Akita · 100 lb · 11.4 years $4,048 $46,895
5 Irish Wolfhound · 113 lb · 9.9 years $3,991 $40,665
6 Borzoi · 81 lb · 12 years $3,986 $48,694
7 Tibetan Mastiff · 108 lb · 13.3 years $3,943 $53,862
8 Curly-Coated Retriever · 78 lb · 12.2 years $3,941 $48,982
9 Bernese Mountain Dog · 90 lb · 10.1 years $3,935 $40,651
10 Bouvier des Flandres · 90 lb · 11.3 years $3,935 $45,307
11 Otterhound · 98 lb · 9.5 years $3,858 $37,845
12 Irish Setter · 65 lb · 12.9 years $3,817 $49,703
13 Saint Bernard · 145 lb · 9.3 years $3,813 $36,524
14 Scottish Deerhound · 91 lb · 10.5 years $3,796 $41,119
15 Giant Schnauzer · 76 lb · 12.1 years $3,784 $46,153
16 Bergamasco Sheepdog · 71 lb · 11.5 years $3,730 $44,359
17 Alaskan Malamute · 80 lb · 11.3 years $3,693 $42,633
18 Standard Poodle · 55 lb · 14 years $3,663 $52,514
19 Bullmastiff · 115 lb · 10.2 years $3,640 $37,894
20 Clumber Spaniel · 70 lb · 12.3 years $3,633 $46,213
21 Greater Swiss Mountain Dog · 113 lb · 9.5 years $3,613 $35,215
22 Irish Water Spaniel · 57 lb · 10.8 years $3,575 $40,006
23 Afghan Hound · 55 lb · 11.1 years $3,571 $40,757
24 German Wirehaired Pointer · 60 lb · 13 years $3,562 $46,864
25 Old English Sheepdog · 80 lb · 12.1 years $3,554 $44,452
26 Newfoundland - American Kennel Club · 125 lb · 11 years $3,551 $40,246
27 Chesapeake Bay Retriever · 68 lb · 11.6 years $3,543 $42,111
28 English Setter · 61 lb · 13.1 years $3,537 $48,021
29 Beauceron · 90 lb · 9.5 years $3,529 $34,271
30 Dogo Argentino · 90 lb · 9.5 years $3,529 $34,271
31 Briard · 78 lb · 12.6 years $3,528 $45,971
32 Boerboel · 175 lb · 9.5 years $3,518 $34,478
33 Portuguese Water Dog · 47 lb · 13 years $3,500 $46,303
34 Bearded Collie · 50 lb · 13.9 years $3,498 $49,933
35 Barbet · 50 lb · 11.5 years $3,492 $41,721
36 Wirehaired Vizsla · 55 lb · 11.5 years $3,491 $40,948
37 Cane Corso · 99 lb · 8.1 years $3,479 $29,195
38 Mastiff · 170 lb · 9 years $3,475 $32,302
39 Anatolian Shepherd Dog · 115 lb · 10.1 years $3,457 $36,077
40 Spinone Italiano · 70 lb · 11.9 years $3,451 $42,541
41 Belgian Laekenois · 60 lb · 11.5 years $3,450 $40,792
42 Berger Picard · 60 lb · 11.5 years $3,450 $40,792
43 Wirehaired Pointing Griffon · 51 lb · 11.5 years $3,438 $40,390
44 Great Dane · 141 lb · 10.6 years $3,435 $36,971
45 Irish Red and White Setter · 47 lb · 12.7 years $3,425 $44,310
46 Doberman Pinscher · 81 lb · 11.2 years $3,413 $38,664
47 Neapolitan Mastiff · 130 lb · 9.3 years $3,397 $32,939
48 Collie · 63 lb · 13.3 years $3,366 $46,471
49 Dogue de Bordeaux · 105 lb · 11.1 years $3,355 $38,508
50 Airedale Terrier · 60 lb · 12 years $3,338 $41,598
51 Rottweiler · 103 lb · 10.6 years $3,336 $36,595
52 Chow Chow · 58 lb · 12.1 years $3,309 $41,615
53 Spanish Water Dog · 40 lb · 13.7 years $3,309 $46,759
54 Weimaraner · 73 lb · 12.8 years $3,296 $42,520
55 Ibizan Hound · 48 lb · 12.7 years $3,287 $42,538
56 Bloodhound · 95 lb · 9.3 years $3,275 $31,599
57 Kuvasz · 94 lb · 9.5 years $3,263 $32,193
58 Great Pyrenees · 93 lb · 10.9 years $3,250 $36,721
59 German Shepherd Dog · 69 lb · 11.3 years $3,247 $37,277
60 Labrador Retriever · 68 lb · 13.1 years $3,229 $42,691
61 Samoyed · 49 lb · 13.1 years $3,210 $43,290
62 Border Collie · 43 lb · 13.1 years $3,206 $42,896
63 Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen · 43 lb · 12.7 years $3,206 $41,618
64 Flat-Coated Retriever · 65 lb · 11.7 years $3,195 $37,976
65 Black and Tan Coonhound · 88 lb · 11.5 years $3,194 $38,112
66 Kerry Blue Terrier · 37 lb · 12.4 years $3,184 $40,853
67 Field Spaniel · 43 lb · 13.1 years $3,182 $43,463
68 Bracco Italiano · 73 lb · 13.8 years $3,167 $44,645
69 American Water Spaniel · 35 lb · 12.7 years $3,163 $41,941
70 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier · 35 lb · 13.7 years $3,163 $44,850
71 Gordon Setter · 63 lb · 12.4 years $3,160 $39,751
72 Lagotto Romagnolo · 30 lb · 12.7 years $3,158 $41,610
73 Pumi · 26 lb · 12.7 years $3,154 $41,347
74 Treeing Walker Coonhound · 60 lb · 11.5 years $3,125 $36,658
75 English Foxhound · 68 lb · 13 years $3,106 $41,396
76 Puli · 30 lb · 13.3 years $3,097 $43,113
77 Rhodesian Ridgeback · 78 lb · 12 years $3,091 $38,542
78 German Shorthaired Pointer · 58 lb · 13.4 years $3,090 $41,988
79 Keeshond · 40 lb · 12.3 years $3,085 $39,255
80 American Foxhound · 65 lb · 13 years $3,075 $41,028
81 Boxer · 65 lb · 11.3 years $3,075 $35,782
82 Greyhound · 65 lb · 11.5 years $3,075 $36,399
83 Mudi · 24 lb · 13.5 years $3,041 $42,549
84 Vizsla · 54 lb · 13.5 years $3,033 $41,608
85 Bluetick Coonhound · 61 lb · 11.5 years $3,029 $35,936
86 Australian Shepherd · 53 lb · 13.7 years $3,018 $42,025
87 Entlebucher Mountain Dog · 53 lb · 11.5 years $3,018 $35,539
88 Belgian Malinois · 60 lb · 12 years $3,013 $37,250
89 Bull Terrier · 60 lb · 12 years $3,013 $37,250
90 Pointer · 60 lb · 11.5 years $3,013 $35,762
91 Miniature American Shepherd · 30 lb · 12.7 years $3,007 $39,372
92 Polish Lowland Sheepdog · 40 lb · 13.2 years $3,002 $41,443
93 Skye Terrier · 40 lb · 12.4 years $3,002 $38,908
94 Standard Schnauzer · 40 lb · 13 years $3,002 $40,809
95 Sussex Spaniel · 40 lb · 13.5 years $3,002 $42,393
96 Belgian Sheepdog · 59 lb · 11.5 years $2,998 $35,600
97 Belgian Tervuren · 59 lb · 13.8 years $2,998 $42,527
98 Cocker Spaniel · 25 lb · 13.3 years $2,994 $41,478
99 Dalmatian · 58 lb · 13.2 years $2,981 $40,514
100 Boykin Spaniel · 33 lb · 12.7 years $2,977 $39,264
101 Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen · 33 lb · 13.7 years $2,977 $42,348
102 Chinook · 65 lb · 11.5 years $2,956 $35,478
103 Golden Retriever · 65 lb · 13.2 years $2,956 $40,693
104 Glen of Imaal Terrier · 36 lb · 12.1 years $2,952 $37,377
105 American English Coonhound · 55 lb · 11.5 years $2,949 $35,078
106 American Eskimo Dog · 30 lb · 11.3 years $2,940 $34,558
107 Siberian Husky · 48 lb · 11.9 years $2,937 $35,771
108 Harrier · 53 lb · 11.5 years $2,917 $34,731
109 Saluki · 53 lb · 13.3 years $2,917 $40,033
110 Sloughi · 53 lb · 11.5 years $2,917 $34,731
111 Bedlington Terrier · 20 lb · 13.7 years $2,908 $41,651
112 Norwegian Elkhound · 52 lb · 12.9 years $2,903 $38,687
113 Plott Hound · 51 lb · 11.5 years $2,901 $34,561
114 Pharaoh Hound · 50 lb · 10 years $2,876 $29,864
115 English Cocker Spaniel · 30 lb · 13.3 years $2,873 $40,134
116 Redbone Coonhound · 58 lb · 11.5 years $2,872 $34,550
117 Australian Cattle Dog · 43 lb · 14 years $2,856 $40,871
118 Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever · 43 lb · 13.2 years $2,856 $38,595
119 American Staffordshire Terrier · 55 lb · 12.5 years $2,844 $37,196
120 Pyrenean Shepherd · 23 lb · 13.5 years $2,842 $39,890
121 Bichon Frise · 15 lb · 12.5 years $2,822 $36,991
122 Irish Terrier · 26 lb · 13.5 years $2,819 $40,049
123 Chinese Shar-Pei · 53 lb · 10.6 years $2,815 $31,219
124 Tibetan Terrier · 24 lb · 13.8 years $2,812 $40,545
125 English Springer Spaniel · 45 lb · 13.5 years $2,809 $39,249
126 Welsh Springer Spaniel · 45 lb · 14 years $2,809 $40,687
127 Cesky Terrier · 19 lb · 13.5 years $2,783 $39,722
128 Miniature Poodle · 13 lb · 14 years $2,777 $40,903
129 Xoloitzcuintli · 43 lb · 12.7 years $2,770 $36,485
130 Sealyham Terrier · 24 lb · 13.1 years $2,749 $37,947
131 Brittany · 35 lb · 11.1 years $2,739 $31,430
132 German Pinscher · 35 lb · 12.7 years $2,739 $35,851
133 Cavalier King Charles Spaniel · 16 lb · 11.8 years $2,730 $33,955
134 Shetland Sheepdog · 20 lb · 13.4 years $2,727 $38,308
135 Welsh Terrier · 20 lb · 13.8 years $2,727 $39,459
136 Lhasa Apso · 15 lb · 14 years $2,722 $40,313
137 Löwchen · 15 lb · 13.9 years $2,722 $40,020
138 Bulldog · 45 lb · 9.8 years $2,718 $27,876
139 Canaan Dog · 45 lb · 12 years $2,718 $34,205
140 Basset Hound · 53 lb · 12.5 years $2,713 $36,031
141 Azawakh · 44 lb · 12.7 years $2,701 $36,008
142 Dandie Dinmont Terrier · 21 lb · 12.8 years $2,693 $36,372
143 Finnish Lapphund · 43 lb · 13.8 years $2,689 $38,995
144 West Highland White Terrier · 18 lb · 13.4 years $2,685 $37,794
145 Scottish Terrier · 20 lb · 12.7 years $2,678 $35,902
146 Wire Fox Terrier · 17 lb · 13.5 years $2,677 $37,976
147 Staffordshire Bull Terrier · 31 lb · 12 years $2,673 $33,205
148 English Toy Spaniel · 11 lb · 13.4 years $2,656 $37,598
149 Australian Terrier · 18 lb · 13.5 years $2,641 $37,812
150 Norwegian Buhund · 33 lb · 12.7 years $2,635 $34,911
151 Chinese Crested · 10 lb · 13.4 years $2,634 $37,435
152 Havanese · 10 lb · 14.5 years $2,634 $40,574
153 Silky Terrier · 10 lb · 13.3 years $2,634 $37,149
154 Lakeland Terrier · 17 lb · 14.2 years $2,633 $39,611
155 Whippet · 33 lb · 13.4 years $2,627 $36,733
156 Papillon · 8 lb · 14.5 years $2,620 $40,248
157 Russell Terrier · 12 lb · 13.3 years $2,620 $36,581
158 Toy Poodle · 5 lb · 14 years $2,619 $38,901
159 Cardigan Welsh Corgi · 32 lb · 13.1 years $2,617 $35,792
160 Japanese Chin · 9 lb · 12.5 years $2,617 $34,663
161 Miniature Schnauzer · 16 lb · 13.3 years $2,610 $36,766
162 Finnish Spitz · 27 lb · 12.7 years $2,598 $34,258
163 Maltese · 7 lb · 13.1 years $2,586 $35,985
164 Norwich Terrier · 12 lb · 14 years $2,586 $38,247
165 Pekingese · 14 lb · 13.3 years $2,586 $36,463
166 Border Terrier · 14 lb · 14.2 years $2,578 $38,873
167 Cairn Terrier · 14 lb · 14 years $2,578 $38,315
168 Norfolk Terrier · 12 lb · 13.5 years $2,577 $36,753
169 Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) · 6 lb · 13.3 years $2,569 $36,242
170 Biewer Terrier · 6 lb · 13.4 years $2,567 $36,474
171 Portuguese Podengo Pequeno · 11 lb · 13.4 years $2,567 $36,243
172 Shih Tzu · 13 lb · 12.8 years $2,561 $34,759
173 Icelandic Sheepdog · 28 lb · 12.7 years $2,552 $33,946
174 Swedish Vallhund · 28 lb · 14 years $2,552 $37,425
175 Coton de Tulear · 11 lb · 14.2 years $2,541 $38,379
176 Pembroke Welsh Corgi · 26 lb · 13.2 years $2,521 $34,911
177 Basenji · 23 lb · 12.1 years $2,519 $32,005
178 Miniature Bull Terrier · 23 lb · 12.2 years $2,519 $32,271
179 Beagle · 23 lb · 12.5 years $2,511 $32,978
180 Brussels Griffon · 9 lb · 13.3 years $2,497 $35,338
181 Nederlandse Kooikerhondje · 25 lb · 12.7 years $2,495 $33,265
182 French Bulldog · 25 lb · 9.8 years $2,491 $25,708
183 Affenpinscher · 9 lb · 9.3 years $2,487 $24,371
184 Dachshund · 24 lb · 13.2 years $2,479 $34,672
185 Cirneco dell’Etna · 23 lb · 13.5 years $2,465 $35,375
186 Boston Terrier · 19 lb · 11.8 years $2,425 $30,159
187 Pomeranian · 5 lb · 12.2 years $2,420 $31,449
188 Danish-Swedish Farmdog · 18 lb · 13.5 years $2,408 $34,416
189 Rat Terrier · 18 lb · 13.5 years $2,408 $34,416
190 Parson Russell Terrier · 15 lb · 13.8 years $2,404 $34,880
191 American Hairless Terrier · 20 lb · 13.5 years $2,401 $34,543
192 Shiba Inu · 20 lb · 14.6 years $2,401 $37,326
193 Manchester Terrier (Standard) · 17 lb · 13.5 years $2,400 $34,313
194 Smooth Fox Terrier · 17 lb · 13.5 years $2,400 $34,313
195 Pug · 16 lb · 11.6 years $2,340 $28,844
196 Lancashire Heeler · 13 lb · 15.4 years $2,328 $38,119
197 Norwegian Lundehund · 15 lb · 13.5 years $2,325 $33,564
198 Manchester Terrier (Toy) · 12 lb · 13 years $2,309 $31,878
199 Schipperke · 13 lb · 14.2 years $2,292 $34,824
200 Tibetan Spaniel · 12 lb · 15.2 years $2,276 $37,094
201 Miniature Pinscher · 9 lb · 13.7 years $2,274 $33,062
202 Italian Greyhound · 11 lb · 14 years $2,250 $33,765
203 Toy Fox Terrier · 7 lb · 12.9 years $2,201 $30,353
204 Russian Toy · 7 lb · 13.4 years $2,180 $31,293
205 Chihuahua · 4 lb · 11.8 years $2,137 $27,000

Average across all 205: $3,000 a year.

What this ranking does not include

  • The purchase price. Breeder prices are not published in any form we can cite. "Expensive breed" here means expensive to keep, not to buy.
  • Breed-specific illness. Some of these breeds are prone to costly conditions; the breed pages list the ones commonly seen, with sources. The vet line here is routine care only — treatment of illness is what the insurance line stands in for.
  • Breed-rated insurance. Real premiums vary by breed and age. We use a published US average for an accident-and-illness plan, adjusted for the state, because no citable per-breed table exists.
  • Where you live. These figures are Texas. The order holds across states; the amounts do not.

Sources

SOURCE · PetSmart.com regular (non-promotional) list prices — hand-recorded SKU sample — PetSmart (recorded by pawdget), 2026 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals (RER = 70 × kg^0.75, MER factors) — Merck Veterinary Manual, 2024 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · Veterinary Exam and Procedure Costs (ASQ360° research, 50 states + DC) — CareCredit / Synchrony, 2025 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · pawdget methodology — our own schedules, rubrics and formulas — pawdget.com, 2026 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (table SARPP) — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · State of the Industry Report 2026 — highlights (2025 data) — North American Pet Health Insurance Association, 2025 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · Dog grooming price guides 2025–26 (Bark.com, QC Pet Studies, MoeGo) — Industry price guides, 2026 data · accessed 2026-09-21
SOURCE · National Pet Owners Survey 2025 — dog spending (press release) — American Pet Products Association, 2025 data · accessed 2026-09-21
UPDATED 2026-09-21 · METHOD: estimate · View methodology

Informational only — not veterinary advice. See your veterinarian.