Exhibit A: Hong Dong (no, I’m not kidding), a Red Tibetan Mastiff, recently sold to a Chinese coal baron for over $900,000. And, that’s not the end of the expense: the average male grows to about 180 lbs. and they’ve been known to grow as big as 286 lbs. Plus, their diet is kinda fancy:
They live for up to 14 years and have fewer genetic health problems than many breeds.
The heaviest Tibetan Mastiff weighed in at more than 20 stone.
They are fed an organic diet of tripe, boiled fish heads, powdered egg shells, code liver oil and raw bones to help them clean their teeth.
Marco Polo supposedly encountered Tibetan Mastiffs in the 13th century, describing them as ‘tall as a donkey with a voice as powerful as that of a lion’.
There are only around 300 Tibetan Mastiffs in the UK.
They can only have one litter a year.
In the UK Tibetan Mastiffs cost between £850 and £1,000 for a puppy. An English Bulldog sells for around £2,000.
It is thought the Tibetan Mastiff genetically diverged from the wolf 58,000 years ago.
Here’s Hong Dong:
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