Great Dane Price: Is it Expensive to Raise this Giant Breed?

Last Updated on April 28, 2023

The Great Dane is a large breed dog, with its origin in Asia. Initially, they were crossbred between the Irish Wolfhound and the English Mastiff.

They are definitely one of the most recognizable dog breeds, being so big and elegant on those long legs. Despite their giant size, they are very affectionate and gentle dogs.

But just how much does one of these large pups cost, and how much can you expect to spend on your Great Dane during the course of his life, considering these big dogs typically have a lifespan of between 7 and 10 years?

We will examine all this and more in the below article, so be sure to keep reading.

How Much are Great Dane Puppies?

A Great Dane puppy can cost between $1,000 and $2,500 if you purchase it from a trustworthy breeder. On average, you can get a puppy for $1,000 in the United States of America.

Depending on bloodline, color, age, and the breeder of the puppy, prices may vary.

Should you buy a puppy or an older dog?

Buying a Great Dane puppy from a quality breeder can be very pricey, considering all the efforts breeders go to care for their dogs and ensure they are from a premium lineage.

From a financial perspective, adopting a Great Dane from a good shelter would be a more affordable choice. 

You can expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $600 for an older Great Dane at a rescue center but it isn’t at all easy to get an older dog.

The adoption fee for an older Great Dane to undergo training can be $300 higher than other dogs. 

You may sometimes be lucky to find a breeder that has a pup that was not sold as a young puppy, and then the price will be lower while still getting a quality dog in good health where you know the history and temperament.

Also read: Great Dane Growth and Weight Chart (Male & Female)

How Much Does a Great Dane Cost from a Breeder?

If you buy a Great Dane from a reputable breeder, you can expect to get it between $1,700 and $3,000.

Its exact price depends on the breeder, bloodline, color, age, and location among other things.

How to find a reputable breeder and avoid puppy mills?

A puppy mill is an establishment where puppies are bred unethically and even inhumanely.

These breeders don’t care about the wellness of the puppies, but all they are interested in is the money they can make by selling the puppies.

Puppy mills are sometimes called puppy farms.

To find a reputable Great Dane breeder, you could try to talk to previous buyers.

Visiting various breeders to see the environment, meet the parent dogs and puppies and see how they are treated may also give you insight. 

You could also attend some dog shows and talk to different kennel owners for referrals. Recommendations from friends and neighbors could give information. 

Good breeders will have documentation on health screenings available, as well as other medical records.

They should also be keen on providing certifications and other appropriate papers.

Such breeders will also start asking you questions about the environment of your home and all facilities for a puppy. 

Be aware of breeders that always have puppies available or those who put pressure on you to buy.

To find a good breeder, you can consult the Great Dane Club of America (VCA) website for a list of trusted breeders.

Here are a few to get you started as you look for a puppy of your own.

1. Enzodane Great Danes, Arizona
2. Tered-DBM Great Danes, California
3. Old Mission Great Danes, Michigan

What Does It Cost to Rescue and Adopt a Great Dane Dog?

Consider adopting a Great Dane rescue if you would like to give him a loving home. To rescue and adopt this breed, the fee is from $300 to $600.

This is only to cover all the care up to the time of adoption, like medical expenses, food, and also transportation.

Purebred dogs can be challenging to find at shelters. Again, the Great Dane Club of America has a list of rescues where you can try to look for a dog.

A breed-specific rescue organization might be able to help you find a dog in that case. Here are a few you could try.

1. Great Dane Rescue Inc, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, parts of Ohio, and Ontario (Canada)
2. Dane Outreach, Washington
3. Northwest Florida Great Dane Rescue, Pensacola, Florida

Factors that Impact the Cost of a Great Dane

The cost of a Great Dane will be affected by a variety of factors. Excellent, quality breeders will charge more, while award-winning bloodlines may push prices up to $3,000.

The location and the time of the year may also have an influence on puppy prices as a high-cost living area will need to charge more for their dogs due to the cost of land.

Also, buying your Great Dane pup during the winter time can be less expensive than one bought in summer as most people want to get a new dog when the weather is nice, and they can spend time playing outside. 

Age can also make a difference, as new, eight-week-old puppies will be more expensive than those that are left at the breeder for a longer time.

Health screenings and medical expenses and coat colors also impact the pricing of the puppies.

1. Bloodline and breeder’s reputation

Trustworthy breeders become renowned for breeding the very best quality dogs. So buyers should be prepared to pay more when buying from them.

You are paying for their skills, knowledge, and expertise to save later on big vet bills and training.

While your puppy price may be more, it pays, in the long run, to instead buy from a quality breeder. 

Puppies that are bred from award-winning dogs and parents with top bloodlines will also come at a higher cost, and rightly so. 

2. Registration papers and pedigree

Registration papers and pedigree are factors that will most definitely affect the price of your Great Dane puppy.

Whether the buyer can be provided with paperwork to testify the pup’s a purebred or even a show-quality dog will have a tremendous effect on the initial purchase fee.

Breeders registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) also charge more for their dogs.

They are required to meet specific standards, which in turn means they pay more for the upkeep of their dogs.

3. Health screenings and medical expenses

Good breeders of Great Danes invest more in caring for and maintaining their dogs.

This is done in order to present perfect pups that are screened, registered, and medically ready to go to their new homes. So often, they are even trained as well. 

Well-meaning, trustworthy breeders are continuously evaluating their Great Dane breeding dogs and also puppies for different medical conditions.

However, these screenings do come at a price. Vet visits and exams, first vaccines, microchip implantation, and deworming can also be included in the purchase fee of your puppy.

4. Age

Age is definitely a factor that influences the price of your Great Dane. The younger the dog, the more preferable to most people.

Buyers pay much more for a puppy of eight weeks old than for a six-month-old one.

5. Gender

Buying a male or female Great Dane puppy won’t really have any effect on the price as they sell for more or less the same.

The difference will come when it grows up. The male will definitely be larger, which will mean more food, bedding, medication, and more training.

So, the upkeep of a male Great Dane will be slightly more expensive eventually.

6. Coat color and markings

Coat colors and markings do influence the price of Great Danes. It works like fashion.

There are just some colors that become preferable, and this trend causes an increase in demand, which stirs up a higher market price.

Such color preferences can sometimes change quickly. 

Specific color and color combinations are accepted for purebreds by kennel clubs. Great Dane puppies dressed in rare colors, like Merle, are always more expensive.

Also read: 9 Great Dane Colors

See an adorably large merle Great Dane taking over an armchair here: 

7. Others

There are some other factors influencing your Great Dane’s price.

If for instance, the breeder you are buying your pup from uses a specialist Great Dane vet, you can expect a higher price.

Training can also be another factor, which some breeders include. If you were to do this training yourself, it could cost $20 to $150 for personal lessons. 

Grooming is essential, for it could become quite a challenge due to the size of your dog.

This should be done every 6 to 8 weeks and the service fee could be between $40 and $120 per session.

Some breeders will include a first grooming session before your pup goes off to his new home. This can also help get him used to the grooming process.

Initial Cost of Pet Ownership

The initial cost of Great Dane ownership, on average, will be in the range of between $1,705 and $5,765.

This leaves us with an average cost of $3,415 for the significant investments within the first few weeks, such as buying your puppy and all the supplies you need to welcome him home. 

If you choose to do additional vet visits and health care, then it could rise up to $4,555.

Included here would be spaying or neutering your dog, getting pet insurance, and performing a gastropexy.

Long-Term Ownership Costs

The total expenses of owning and raising your Great Dane will sit around $9,865 to $33,365.

Seeing that the lifespan of a Great Dane can be 7 to 10 years, we can reason on an average cost of $20,015 as the long-term ownership expenses for nine years.

Is owning this giant breed expensive?

Yes, owning a Great Dane can be surprisingly expensive.

To buy a pup is not a once-off investment, but to own it, one has to plan way ahead with your finances so that your pet won’t become a financial burden later on. 

Owning a giant breed like a Great Dane will continually have you with your hand deep in your pocket. 

Remember that a bigger dog requires much more expenses, for they eat so much more.

Also, there are things like training, supplies, vet fees, grooming, and more things that would cost far more than for a small puppy.

These include larger leashes, collars, beds, clothing, crate, etc. All these need to be bigger and are thus more expensive.

1. Vet Bills

Vet expenses for your Great Dane could cost about $20 to $75 for routine checkups.

As purebreds are rather susceptible to health conditions, your pup may cost more than some other breeds.

When your dog is sick, he may also need antibiotics, and due to his large size, you could spend anywhere between $10 and $200.

Common health issues and estimated costs to treat them

Bloat is prevalent in Great Danes. Surgery to fix this life-threatening condition could range from about $1,000 to $5,000.

Gastropexy could be done to reduce the risk of bloat to the cost of $500. Spaying would be about $200 to $600, while neutering may be around $125 to $400. 

Hip dysplasia also presents itself in Great Danes.

Because this could mean thousands of dollars ($500 to $6,500) for hip replacement surgery, it would be wise to rather visit your vet more often so preventative treatments can be done. 

There are some other conditions that commonly plague this breed.

Great Danes with enlarged hearts need treatment at the cost of $500 to $1,500 per month. Osteosarcoma or bone cancer costs around $250 to $350 for X-rays and medication fees.

Wobbler Syndrome can cost $500 to $2,000 for pain medication.

2. Dog Food Consumption

Great Danes consume a lot of food. Because the puppies need a special diet of nutrient-rich food to avoid health problems, the feeding costs can become high.

Supplying about 6-10 cups of food per day to keep them going could easily spend you about $60 to $80 per month.

3. Professional Training Fees

Of course, training could be done by yourself, but most people don’t have any experience doing it. Professional training will be the wise thing to do. 

Group lessons, being not so expensive, could be about $15 to $30.

Private lessons, on the other hand, will turn out to be an average of $100, depending on the trustworthiness and experience of the trainer, for a five-week course of 1-hour sessions per week.

4. Dog Grooming Service Fees

Great Danes are low-maintenance dogs but they do still need a good bath every now and again.

An owner could do maintenance and grooming himself, but due to the size of Great Danes, it will really be very more convenient to take him to a groomer about once every two months. 

Each visit costs $80 to $100 depending on the area, groomer, and the size of the dog.

Grooming typically includes a bath and shampoo, teeth brushing, nail trimming, eye, and ear cleaning, and brushing and styling.

5. Pet Insurance Coverage

Pet insurance for Great Danes is simply to mitigate the financial risk of sudden unforeseen accidents and medical costs.

Such coverage could be around $565 per year as reported by the North American Pet Health Insurance Association.

This price may vary depending on the dogs’ breed, location, age as well as the plan chosen.

6. Environmental Maintenance

Because Great Danes are so adaptable, they are just fine in almost any environment, although they may overheat in extremely high temperatures.

A great need will be enough water, but in any case, another need for Great Danes is adequate space and exercise. 

A safe and clean environment provides appropriate protection from different threats. Great Danes also need a special toilet area.

Bedding should be changed regularly, and the dogs should have a place where they feel safe.

To keep your pet’s home environment looking and smelling great, you will probably have to spend around $10 to $30 a month.

7. Entertainment costs

Great Danes are very playful, for, in their heart of hearts, they stay puppies for a long time.

They tend to be very mischievous sometimes, and they can easily tear up a toy in the blink of an eye; therefore, it might be necessary to have some toys in stock and ready for them. 

Good quality dog toys could easily cost about $50 per month. Toys like pieces of rope can keep them busy for a while.

Getting involved by playing with them is a good idea and an excellent way of bonding.

8. Pet Supplies

The average cost of supplies for a Great Dane is $495 for the first year.

This includes buying your dog everything he needs to be comfortable such as food and water bowls, a bed or crate, a leash and collar, and some toys.

Then, having to renew different supplies for each subsequent year, like new toys, bedding, plastic bags, toothbrushes, and toothpaste and shampoo, will be around $225.

So, the total expenses for the first year is $245 to $925 and the subsequent years $105 to $410.

What are the Additional Costs that Come with Owning this Breed?

With Great Danes, there might be a few surprises or miscellaneous costs that may occur, so be prepared.

You may need a dog walker to help you out when you just can’t seem to have the time to take him on its daily stroll. That may cost about $20 per day. 

Daycare might also be needed, as it is not recommended to leave him alone for too long periods. This may add another $25 per day.

Boarding costs may come to $85 per night, depending on the available space, your dog’s behavior, and the season. 

A mandatory dog license generally can range from $10 to $20, and to have your dog implanted with a microchip costs about $25 to $50 in the United States.

Average Monthly Expenses

The average monthly expenses for an adult Great Dane that is healthy and settled well can be from $150 to $300.

This will cover your dog’s day-to-day needs, like food, poo bags, toys, flea and tick medication, and treats.

Yearly Expenses

The first two years of owning your Great Dane might be the most expensive.

From then on, the yearly expenses may come in the range of $3,000 to $10,000, depending on your way of living with your furry friend and of course his health conditions.

Lifetime Expenses

As the lifespan of a Great Dane is 7 to 10 years, the cost of owning and raising one works out to be $9,865 to $33,365 for nine years. 

If we add additional expenses, such as pet insurance, medical procedures, etc., caring for your pup over his lifetime can be around $47,990 to $101,890.

$72,395 can then be the average expense of owning this breed for a lifetime.

Great Dane Dog Price Range Summary

The initial price of a puppy can be anywhere between $600 to $3000. The cost of their first year is around $3,415, being $2075 per year or $173 per month after that. 

To keep and care for your pet throughout his lifetime, $20,015 would be the average cost.

Adding more extra expenses is optional or in some cases, necessary if he has health problems and can scale them up to $47,990 to $101,890 for your ownership.

Conclusion: Should You Buy a Great Dane Dog?

To buy and raise a Great Dane could be a great financial drain. But if you are prepared to take on these costs, one of these dogs can have a massive impact on your life. 

Great Danes are gorgeous and adaptable, with excellent temperaments, and are great with other pets and humans alike. But they need some space, and they eat a lot. 

If you decide that you can afford the pup, have enough room for it.

Provide it with shelter, safety, and companionship and you will experience endless joy and the luxury of the most loyal, devoted, and loving furry friend.

Do you have a Great Dane at home? We’d love to learn more about your dog and where you got him in the comments below.