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How Much Does a Mastiff Cost? 2024 Price Guide

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By Nicole Cosgrove

english mastiff

There are dogs, and then there are Mastiffs. These beautiful behemoths can weigh close to 250 pounds, and that equates to tons of puppy chow and other expenses. But how much does it cost to feed and care for these marvelous dogs? How much does it cost for you to adopt one in the first place?

We answer all those questions and more. This way, you know exactly what you’re getting into before bringing a new dog into your home.

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Mastiff Price: One-Time Costs

While caring for a Mastiff isn’t exactly cheap, getting one can be a bit expensive too. We’ve broken down a few of the different ways that you can find and bring a Mastiff into your life, along with the costs associated with each option.

mastiff dog outdoors
Image Credit: Ricantimages, Shutterstock

Free Mastiffs

Finding a free Mastiff is a pretty rare occurrence, even if they aren’t a purebred. These large dogs are highly sought after, meaning that people looking to find homes for them have the luxury of finding those willing to pay.

Keep in mind that if you are getting a free Mastiff, it’s extremely important to take them to a vet and get a clean bill of health as soon as possible.

Mastiff Adoption

  • $50-$150

Just as it’s rare to find a free Mastiff, these dogs rarely find their way into an animal shelter. If they are in a shelter, get as much of their history as possible, especially if they’re a bit older.

If you keep an eye out at all the local shelters, you might get lucky and find one to adopt before too long — just don’t expect them to be a purebred. Finally, keep in mind that most animals in shelters are no longer puppies, so chances are that you’ll be skipping that stage entirely.

Mastiff Breeders

  • $1,000-$3,500

Most people find a Mastiff through a breeder, and since so many people want these dogs, they’re not cheap. Depending on the breeder, you’ll find that a purebred Mastiff costs between $1,000 and $3,500.

When choosing a breeder, find out as much information as possible from previous customers and get the complete medical history of both parents. This helps ensure that you’re getting a puppy that won’t have a litany of health problems.

Mastiff Cost: Initial Setup and Supplies

  • $600-$850

Just because you have your new Mastiff in hand doesn’t mean you don’t need to spend any more money. You need supplies to care for your new pup.

We broke down a list of things that you’ll need here, along with what you can expect to pay for each one. Keep in mind that you’ll need to spend more on Mastiff supplies simply because they’re a larger dog and need bigger supplies.

Neapolitan Mastiff
Image Credit: Ricantimages, Shutterstock

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List of Mastiff Care Supplies and Costs

ID Tag and Collar $25
Spay/Neuter $250
Tick and Flea Prevention $25
Microchip $45
Bed/Cage $250
Nail Clipper $10
Brush $10
Toys $50
Food and Water Bowl $25
Leash $10
Toothbrush/Toothpaste $15
Bath Supplies $20
Poop Bags $10

How Much Does a Mastiff Cost Per Month?

  • $220-$550 per month

Not only are Mastiffs expensive up front, but their larger size also means they’re more expensive to take care of every month. That said, if you can get by with only spending $200 a month in expenses to care for your Mastiff, you’re still doing everything right.

Just keep reading, and we break everything down for you!

English Mastiff
Image Credit: Waldemar Dabrowski, Shutterstock

Mastiff Food Costs

  • $75 to $200 per month

Mastiffs can weigh anywhere from 150 to 240 pounds, which is a large reason that there’s such a price variance. A full-sized Mastiff can go through a 30-pound bag of dog food in just 2 weeks, so if that’s your dog, you’ll be spending a mint in food.

Whatever you do, though, don’t go for low-quality dog food. This only leads to health problems and, thus, more expenses down the road.

Mastiff Grooming Costs

  • $10 to $20 per month

This is one area where a Mastiff won’t break the bank. You don’t need to brush these dogs, but you should still bathe them occasionally and brush their teeth a few times a week.

This will keep your lovable giant healthy and save you from spending extra money on dental bills in the future.

Mastiff Medications and Vet Visits

  • $25 to $60 per month

At a minimum, you should put your Mastiff on a flea-and-tick-prevention medication. This isn’t overly expensive, but for a dog the size of a Mastiff, you’ll need to spend at least $25 a month.

From there, you should save a little each month to cover yearly checkups and other routine vet care costs. This will help you and your vet catch problems when they’re small, which can both save you money and keep your Mastiff healthy longer.

young female of Fila Brasileiro Brazilian Mastiff_Artush_shutterstock
Image Credit: Artush, Shutterstock

Pet Insurance Costs

  • $50 to $200 per month

While some dogs can get pet insurance for as little as $15 or $20 a month when they’re puppies, Mastiffs are more expensive. Most pet insurance companies will charge about $50 a month for pet insurance, but if you’re trying to insure an older Mastiff, those costs can skyrocket.

While insurance might be expensive, caring for these dogs at the vet tends to be pricey too. Pet insurance is well worth the investment, and you’ll be kicking yourself if you don’t have it when you need it.

Environment Maintenance Costs

  • $5 to $10 per month

A Mastiff doesn’t need much to stay happy, and as such, you don’t need to spend a ton on maintaining their environment once you have everything that you need.

The only things that we can recommend here are poop bags for your walks because you don’t want to run out the next time that you’re out for a stroll with your pup.

Poop bags $5/month

Mastiff Entertainment Costs

  • $30 to $60 per month

Just like all dogs, your Mastiff will want toys to keep them happy. Due to their large size, though, their toys need to be big too. You can either replace worn toys as they age by heading to the pet store, or you can opt for a pet toy subscription box to keep fresh toys coming straight to your doorstep.

There’s no wrong choice here, but your Mastiff will appreciate a fresh stock of toys to play with.

Cute Spanish Mastiff_liliya kulianionak_shutterstock
Image Credit: Liliya Kulianionak, Shutterstock

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Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Mastiff

  • $220 to $550 per month

Owning a Mastiff isn’t cheap compared to other dogs, but they’re such large and lovable goofballs that they’re worth every penny. In fact, you might plan to keep your expenses on the lower side of things, but spoiling will happen, so it’s relatively common to end up spending more than the minimum each month.

Additional Costs to Factor In

The occasional costs that come with owning a dog include pet sitting fees for when you’re on vacation or additional lodging costs if you decide to bring them with you.

While these aren’t expenses that come up regularly, you should have money set aside to help when they crop up.

Owning a Mastiff on a Budget

While we recommend getting a smaller dog if you’re on a tight budget, we also understand that life happens, and sometimes you need to lower your monthly expenses. There are a few ways that you can do this with a Mastiff.

First, you can buy in bulk. Your Mastiff will eat a significant amount of food and go through a ton of supplies, and you can typically get a discount by ordering larger amounts. You can also sign up for subscription services for things like dog food.

These reoccurring services are ideal for saving a few bucks on every delivery!

Mastiff
Image By: 947051, Pixabay

Saving Money on Mastiff Care

If you’re looking to save a few bucks when caring for your Mastiff, a great thing to consider is a pet care swap. If you can find someone willing to watch your Mastiff while you’re away and they have pets that you can watch while they’re away, you can opt for alternating care to save money.

You can also opt to raise your pet insurance deductible or lower the maximum payout, but this can turn into short-term savings at the expense of spending more money overall.

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Conclusion

There’s no way around it: Big dogs come with big expenses. But by taking the time to do your homework and understand what you’re getting yourself into, you can avoid a few of the common pitfalls of first-time pet owners.

Hopefully, after reading this guide, you have a better understanding of the true costs of owning a Mastiff. This way, you can give them everything that they want and need and still spoil your new pup like they deserve.

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