$1.5 Million

[k9angel]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newsh...lly-is-top-dog/

If the thought of spending $500 on a puppy causes you to break into a sweat, spare a thought for the new owner of the most expensive dog in the world.

A Chinese coal tycoon has forked out 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) on Hong Dong, an 11-month-old Red Tibetan Mastiff puppy.

The dog, whose name means "big splash" in Chinese, weighs 82kg and is nearly 1m high.

The dog had been raised in eastern China on a diet of beef and chicken . . . and the occasional sea cucumber and abalone, his breeder said.

"It is thought Big Splash could be hired out to other breeders as a stud for 100,000 yuan ($15,300) per time, with China's growing upper class increasingly keen on the breed due to its exclusivity," The Daily Maily has reported.

"Big Splash has taken the title of world's most expensive dog from a fellow Tibetan Mastiff, with the oddly-named Yangtze River Number Two selling for 4 million yuan in 2009."

Another of the dogs, Red Lion, was valued at 10 million yuan last year after it won a mastiff exhibition, The Mail said.

"Reputedly owned by Genghis Khan and Lord Buddha, Red Tibetan Mastiffs are atypically found outside Tibet and are viewed as a pure 'Chinese' breed," the report said.

"The breed is also considered one of the oldest pure breeds in the world and there are thought to be less than 20 remaining in Tibet.

"The mastiffs have become a sought-after status symbol for China's newest millionaires, with rare stamps, antique vases and vintage wines also fetching huge sale prices in recent years."

OMG he is gorgeous :D I just want to cuuuuuuddle the big bear.

[cheekycairn]

Another article on this story including comments from an Australian breeder is on The Age... http://www.theage.com.au/executive-style/l...0316-1bx40.html

China's million dollar dog Sarah McInerney

March 17, 2011 - 10:47AM

Forget sports cars, designer clothes and fancy apartments. An ancient breed of dog has nuzzled its way into the running to be the next big status symbol for China's rich.

An 11-month-old Tibetan Mastiff male puppy has gained the title of the 'world's most expensive dog' after being bought for 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), the London Telegraph reported.

It was purchased for this large sum by a coal baron from the north of China who will reportedly use him as stud for other breeders, making as much as 100,000 yuan each time.

Kathryn Hay breeds Tibetan Mastiffs in Tasmania and has travelled to China to visit their exclusive mastiff kennels.

Outside of China these dogs attract sums of $3000 to $12,000, but there, she has seen puppies with price tags of $870,000.

"In China it is like the national symbol, everybody knows what the breed is and the history," she said.

"You can't really compare it to a dog in Australia. It is known as almost having a lion in your backyard. It really is the ultimate symbol that you've made it."

Because of their rarity, Tibetan Mastiffs are exported all around the world. Hay has shipped three dogs from Europe to Australia and has also sold puppies to people in Singapore, the US and New Zealand.

She says dogs from the top Chinese breeders are highly prized because they are seen as more prestigious.

"Some of the dogs I saw in China just took my breath away," she says. "They looked really raw, when you're a Tibetan purist you can see the origins of the dog."

A large dog, Tibetan Mastiffs can weigh more than 60kg and live for 10 to 14 years. Hay says they are good for people with allergies as they only shed their coat once a year.

Regarded as one of the world's oldest breeds, Tibetan Mastiffs were traditionally used for guard duties. Genghis Khan is believed to have kept them.

These guardianship traits still exist in the breed today, Hay says.

"You've got a very untouched, unspoilt breed," she says.

"They can be great pets but you have to be a strong owner because they're not overly domesticated."

The good news for potential owners is that despite their size, Hay reports they don't eat too much. They might be good protectors, but they are also fond of lazing around