The Great Dane is known as one of the largest breeds of dogs. As you can imagine, this big dog comes at a great price too. But what is the Great Dane price? How much do these dogs really cost?
These dogs get a lot of attention because of their size, but they are also super expensive for that same reason.
In this article, we’ll talk more about the Great Dane Price, and why these dogs are so expensive.
While you’re here read some of our other articles on Great Danes:
- Great Dane Lifespan: What To Expect
- European Great Danes vs American Great Danes
- Black Great Dane: What You Didn’t Know
- Blue Great Dane: Why they’re different
- Merle Great Dane: Breed Info
- Harlequin Great Dane: The breathtaking canine
Great Dane Price
We can’t tell you the exact amount of money you’ll have to pay to get a Great Dane puppy. The truth is, the price depends on so many factors.
But, generally speaking, the Great Dane price can range from $2,000 to $3,000. Now, you’ll read on other pages that the starting price of a Great Dane puppy is around $600, but let us be honest with you. That’s a complete lie. Why? Well, you might get a puppy for $600, but will you get a healthy puppy? Probably not.
If you’re buying from a reputable breeder, be sure that you’ll have to pay a hefty price for this breed. Of course, the exact price depends on the breeder and the puppy’s pedigree. A pedigree dog is one whose ancestry has been recorded, which proves that it is truly purebred.
Also, there is a big difference in price between show-quality dogs and dogs that are primarily bred as pets. Show-quality dogs inherited their superb bloodlines from award-winning parents. Breeders who breed show-quality dogs have all documentation needed to prove this, including American Kennel Club certification.
Of course, if you don’t want a show dog, you still have to find a good breeder.
Adopting an adult dog
Some people want a Great Dane, but don’t want to buy one. If you’re one of them, you might want to consider adopting a Great Dane!
Obviously, you won’t get a Great Dane puppy, but you can get a beautiful Great Dane adult dog for a lot less than $6,000.
Depending on where you live, and the shelter you’re adopting from, adoption fees range from $150 to $500. Now, even though that is still a lot of money, it is much cheaper than buying a puppy.
In shelters, you can find so many beautiful dogs, including Great Danes. Those poor dogs usually end up in shelters for many reasons. Female dogs sometimes get thrown out when they’re pregnant, male dogs get thrown out because they are hard to keep up with and take care of, and so on.
But, you should also know that owning an adult dog comes with some challenges. For example, it’s much harder to train an adult dog. Also, if they have behaviors or habits that you consider negative, you’ll have a much harder time getting them to stop.
Of course, there are also many advantages to getting a shelter adult dog. For example, typically, they have already been potty-trained. So, you won’t have to do that! Also, they already know the basic obedience commands and are much calmer than puppies overall.
What’s also great is that dogs from the shelter undergo a full health check-up. This way, you can be sure that your pooch is healthy!
Besides that, this will help identify any problems that have developed or are likely to develop. And lastly, shelter dogs are usually neutered or spayed. With all of that, you’ll pay so much less money than if you were to buy a puppy.
Factors that affect the price of a Great Dane
It’s not only important if you’re buying a puppy or adopting or buying an adult dog. There are so many other significant factors that affect the Great Dane price, including age, ancestry, and certifications.
Also, read the price of other popular breeds:
- English Bulldog price: What you need to know
- Golden retriever cost: The REAL price of a GR dog
- How much does a Husky cost?
- How much do French Bulldogs cost?
- Red Goldendoodle: Rare and expensive!
Age
We discussed the price difference between a puppy and an adult. What you may not realize is that even the puppy’s age in weeks can affect its price too. It doesn’t only have to be the difference between a puppy and an adult dog.
The ideal age to buy a puppy is when they are between 8 and 12 weeks old. This is when most people want the puppies and the breeder can charge the highest price for them.
As the puppies get older, their price goes down. Once they are a year old, you will see a significant drop in price.
Remember, if you bought her as a puppy, you will likely be paying for the puppy’s vaccinations and treatments too. In general, expect to pay between $125 and $480 for vet bills.
Coat color
We’ve already talked about show-quality Great Danes, but those dogs can only be:
- Black
- Black & White
- Blue
- Brindle
- Fawn
- Harlequin
- Mantle
- Merle
- White
At the moment the Harlequin coat is the most popular color, so they are the most expensive.
It’s also worth noting that white Great Danes are more prone to genetic defects and likely cost less than the other pups in a litter.
Gender
There isn’t much of a difference between the price for a male and a female puppy.
But, male dogs are always larger than female dogs. That means they will need more food, medicine, bedding, and so on. So, a male Great Dane is more expensive to maintain in the long run.
Lineage and bloodline
If the puppy has award-winning parents or grandparents, then they have an excellent pedigree. Meaning, the puppies will also be more expensive.
The higher the quality of a dog’s pedigree, the more expensive they are.
If you want to show off your Great Dane, this is one thing to keep in mind. If showing isn’t your thing, save some money by looking for puppies that don’t have a fancy pedigree.
Location
Lastly, the location you live in can also affect the price of puppies.
If you’re in an area with lots of Great Dane breeders, competitive pricing can work in your favor. If there is only one local breeder, they have hit the market and can charge you whatever they want!
But, if you don’t want a purebred Great Dane, or if purebreds are too expensive for you, then check out some of the most popular Great Dane mixes: