A Tibetan mastiff puppy reportedly sold in China for 12 million yuan, or a whopping $1.9 million. An unnamed property developer bought the puppy at a luxury pet fair held in Zhejiang.

These huge canines were said to be used for hunting in ancient times. They were more prominently used by nomadic cultures travelling in Tibet and Central Asia. Today, owning a mastiff is a status symbol and is a popular choice among the wealthy citizens in China. This may be the reason why purchasing a Tibetan mastiff costs so much. Another reason why they are expensive is due to the fact that it is quite difficult to find a purebred Tibetan mastiff.

Tibetan mastiff dogs are commonly large and can sometimes be aggressive. They have manes that make them resemble lions, and they can grow to a height of up to 33 inches. Unlike other huge breeds, the Tibetan mastiff’s life is a bit longer and can reach up to 14 years.

The Tibetan mastiff that was sold had a golden coat and “mane”, weighed almost 200 pounds, and stood 31 inches tall.

According to a Tibetan mastiff breeder, Zhang Gengyun, “They have lion’s blood and are top-of-the-range mastiff studs.”

In 2011, a red-haired mastiff named Big Splash sold for 10 million yuan or $1.5 million. That amount was the most expensive sale ever recorded, but now the amount has been surpassed by the recent sale.

The property developer who bought the Tibetan mastiff is said to have purchased the puppy in order to start breeding them.

According to an insider in the dog-breeding industry, the prices are being ramped up because of agreements among various breeders in order to increase the worth of their dogs. The source also says that most of the time, these expensive deals are just used for hype and no monetary exchange is usually made.

More about the Tibetan mastiff

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