Bullmastiff Prices in 2023: Purchase Cost, Vet Bills, and More!

Stout and wrinkly like bulldogs, large and looming like mastiffs, the Bullmastiff is a cross-breed of the two lines that have been around since before the Renaissance. Back then, they were employed on English farms to run off or even capture poachers. Champions of the breed emphasize their alertness, intelligence and confidence, as well as their ability to be trained into powerful livestock protectors, the family mush, or both. With so many different reasons to love a bullmastiff, you’ll want to know all you can about the costs associated with bringing one to the home (or the farm). A rundown of bullmastiff prices in 2023, from purchase cost, to vet bills, to insurance and training, follows. Find out what you can expect to pay to bring a bullmastiff into your life in 2023.

Introduction to the Bullmastiff

The Bullmastiff is one of the biggest dog breeds out there, sporting a dense, short coat ranging in color from fawn to red to brindle. It’s broad-headed and big-mouthed with deep, dark, understanding eyes. Having been around since the Middle Ages, bullmastiffs are still beloved both as working dogs and as pets.

Bullmastiffs are large and muscular, and have historically been bred to that end. But unlike some other large dog breeds, they’re quite athletic, well-proportioned and even graceful for their size and power, as opposed to the squatter breeds such as full bulldogs. Bullmastiffs are also distinct from the other large breeds in another way. They have been bred for gentleness and loyalty with their people. This is one reason they enjoy such popularity amidst extra-large dogs.

Preparing to Raise a Bullmastiff

Yet with that extra-largeness comes outsized responsibility for their owners. It is hugely important that anyone bringing a bullmastiff into their life is prepared to train them thoroughly while they are still small enough to be controlled. Before you know it, that pudgy puppy will grow up to 130 pounds, and stand as high as two feet at the shoulder.

Properly trained, your bullmastiff’s watchful patience and resonant bark will make them an excellent watchdog. Even when trained to defend against poachers or intruders, bullmastiffs don’t snarl and gnash. They just knock the offending party down and hold them there with their weight! You can see how this guard dog can also be a gentle, protective giant around children and sweetly affectionate with their humans. They enjoy daily exercise, but aren’t highly active. Given their size, however, they typically aren’t recommended for apartment living.

How Much Does a Bullmastiff Puppy Cost?

The first decision to make is whether you’ll be buying your bullmastiff puppies from a breeder, or adopting them out of a shelter. The shelter route is definitely less expensive. An added benefit? You’ll be giving a home to a dog that doesn’t have one. But we understand there are reasons to want a purebred dog. You may even go one step further and purchase a puppy with a pedigree. Perhaps you’re hoping to enter your bullmastiff in a dog show, or even plan to breed bullmastiffs yourself.

But if you don’t fall into one of these categories, please keep in mind that a rescued dog will cost anywhere from $50 to $500 — one or two zero’s less than if you go the purebred route. You can even call or e-mail around the local rescues and let them know you’ve got your heart set on a bullmastiff breed. Ask them to keep an eye out for you!

The price of your purebred bullmastiff puppy will depend on several factors. But to cut to the chase, you’ll pay anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 to bring one home.

Other Factors That Influence the Purchase Price of a Bullmastiff

The range in purebred prices comes down to several factors. The most important ones are the age of the individual dog, its pedigree, gender, bloodline, health and how “ideal” it is in light of American Kennel Club show guidelines. If you find yourself looking at bullmastiffs at the upper end of this price range, you are hopefully speaking with one of the nation’s top bullmastiff breeders, regarding an individual puppy who is in perfect health and has a well-documented family tree free of inbreeding. If you’re in it for the snuggles or for a working dog, and not to enter dog shows, you may be perfectly happy with a bullmastiff who has a kinked ear or a funny tail — “defects” only at the AKC — or if you’re not hung up on breeding, an adopted Bullmastiff.

Cost of One-Time Purchases for Your Bullmastiff

Your new baby bullmastiff is going to need a number of items: a collar or harness. A leash. Bowls for food and water. Don’t forget toys, a crate, a bed, grooming supplies, pee pads and poo bags. With a lot of categories, we estimate you’ll spend at least $300 on this stuff, and possibly up to $1,000.

Microchipping is an easy process that all but guarantees that if your bully goes missing, you’ll be able to track them. That’ll run $25 to $50, a great price for the peace of mind it purchases. That pup also needs about $100 worth of vaccinations in its first year of life. (That’s in addition to the cost of the vet’s appointment.) These are to guard against distemper, heaptitis, leptospirosis, parvo, parainfluenza and rabies. It’s worth remembering that if your poor pup were to contract any of these diseases, you’d be looking at a much larger bill to combat them.

Cost of Vaccination and Other Medical Expenses for Bullmastiffs

Your bullmastiff needs to visit the vet about four times in its first year of life. Each visit costs from $65 to $170. Highly worthwhile to make sure your new pup is examined thoroughly, up to date with its vaccinations, and given all appropriate preventive treatments like medication for fleas and heartworm.

There are a few medical issues to which bullmastiffs are prone that you’ll want to watch out for. Here’s a rundown of those potential problems along with what they can cost to treat or repair.

Like many larger breeds, bullmastiffs can suffer from hip dysplasia. This can cost $500 to $13,000 to repair, depending on how much intervention is required. As large and active as they are, they can also tear the ligaments in their knees. Treatment for this may run from $150 for some physical therapy, to around $4,000 for a surgery. Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus, or GDV, is the technical term for bloat. Treat this as an emergency in your bullmastiff. Treatment typically runs from $2,000 to $3,000

Cost of Food and Supplies for Bullmastiffs

Your bullmastiff is a growing (and growing and growing!) boy or girl. They’ll be eating in high quantity. You’ll want to ensure that what they eat is of high quality, as well. Their veterinarian can recommend the ideal large-breed nutritious dog food. Expect to spend around $30 to $60 per month — that averages out to around $500 a year or more. Hey, you wanted a great, big pooch. Did you really think they’d be delicate eaters? One great way to ensure your bullmastiff never goes hungry while saving some of your bones? Buy in bulk — just like you did with the dog!

What Are Other Costs Associated With Owning a Bullmastiff?

Big, short-coated and often working dogs, bullmastiffs will benefit from a regular and thorough grooming regimen. If they don’t regularly roll around in the dirt, a good monthly ritual will do the trick. You might as well handle it all at the same time. Clean their ears, their teeth, cut their nails and brush them heartily. If they seem to be shedding a lot, brush them more often, up to twice a week.

If your bullmastiff is smelly, bathe them with the shampoo the vet recommends. This will vary with how outdoorsy your bullmastiff’s life is. Sometimes those sweet wrinkly areas can chafe and get infected or irritated. Clean them with a bit of peroxide, then sprinkle corn starch on the area to dry it out.

All told, these various bullmastiff health and beauty aids will cost around $100 to $200. Sending your bullmastiff to a groomer will run about $80 a pop.

How Much Does It Cost to Insure a Bullmastiff?

A bullmastiff is classified as a large or even extra-large dog, and size is the most important determining factor in what it costs to insure a dog. Accident-only insurance for a bullmastiff will likely run just a bit over $100 per year. A full accident and illness plan will cost up to $1,000 per year, depending on the size of your deductible. The lower your deductible, the higher your payment per service. These costs may vary somewhat depending on your location, too.

How Much Does It Cost to Train a Bullmastiff?

These days, a reputable dog trainer charges $100 to $200 for an hour’s worth of training. If you want your dog to be the only one in class, you can expect to spend up to $2,000 in their first year. Training in groups defrays the price quite a bit, but keep in mind that your very large pup may need to be trained with other dogs of similar size. But if you can find a good group trainer — many larger pet store chains offer these services — you may spend as little as $200 for two or three group classes.

Let’s end by repeating: training your bullmastiff while it’s young is an absolute must! It will grow up to be stronger than you. And though the breed is beloved for being protective and loyal, a bullmastiff with bad manners is going to bring a world of chaos to your life. But to a responsible owner ready to invest in all that a baby bullmastiff needs, the rewards will be incredible!

What Will My Bullmastiff Cost Over Its Whole Lifetime?

We estimate that in sum total, from the cost of purchase, training and insurance, to a lifetime of medical care, keeping your bullmastiff happy and healthy will cost just under $20,000 over its lifetime. A few things are worth remembering, here: for one, a bullmastiff can live up to 10 years, meaning the annual cost is closer to $2,000. For another, bullmastiffs do make excellent working dogs. If you’re purchasing or adopting bullmastiffs to provide valuable services, such as guard dogs or to work with livestock, you might take a different attitude to the cost of your dog from an accounting perspective. Yet even if you don’t intend to work your bullmastiff, it’s inevitable you’ll find these sweet-natured, nannyish large dogs to be a major life asset.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Wavetop