Big Splash: The World’s Most Expensive Dog
We all love our dogs, but how much are we willing to pay for a favored pet?
Surely one wealthy man in China who prefers to remain anonymous has pushed the envelope considerably with his recent purchase of an eleven-month-old red, Tibetan Mastiff pup named Big Splash (Hong Dong).
He paid a record breaking 10 million yuan (US $1.5 million) for the 3-foot-tall, 180-pound dog.
Tibetan mastiffs are said to have guarded nomad camps and monasteries, and are rarely seen outside of Tibet.
Thought to be among the world’s oldest and most respected breeds, legend claims that Genghis Khan had a Tibetan mastiff and so did the Buddha. The breed was also popular among European royalty and in the early 19th century, King George IV owned a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs.
Among the wealthier classes in China, this breed of dog has become as much of a status symbol as an expensive sports car or diamond-encrusted Cartier watch.
Once these dogs fetched a few hundred dollars, but the rising demand to own one has driven up the price to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In 2009, another Tibetan Mastiff known as Yangtze River, sold for $500,000.
“Raised on a diet of beef, chicken, abalone and sea cucumber, Big Splash is a perfect specimen. He has excellent genes and will be a good breeding dog. When I started in this business, 10 years ago, I never thought we would see such a price,” said the dog’s breeder who is only known as Lou.
The site of the sale was the Chinese city of Quingdao and the new owner is a man who made his fortune in the coal industry
Believe it or not, he may even be able to get some of his money back by using the dog as a stud. He may even be able to charge as much as $100,000 for a doggy roll in the hay with his prize canine.
(Link)
By MDeeDubroff on 16-04-2011
