≡ Menu

Neapolitan Mastiff Price: Is His Cost as Huge as His Size?

You love big dogs. You love wrinkly dogs. Therefore, when you first laid eyes on the Neapolitan Mastiff, you just knew you had to have him. But what's the Neapolitan Mastiff price tag, and how much would he cost you annually or over a lifetime?

A Little Girl Petting a Neapolitan Mastiff | DogTemperament.com

Put the brakes on for a second, because you need to know more about this breed’s temperament, among other things, before you make that final call.

After all, just because you think a dog’s cute or the perfect size doesn’t tell you much of anything about the dog as an individual.

On that note, let’s take a deeper look into the personality of the Neapolitan Mastiff to help you determine whether he’s truly the right dog for you.

Neapolitan Mastiff Temperament and Personality

So, let’s see – what do you need to know about the Neapolitan Mastiff’s personality that will make or break your decision to buy?

Well, for starters, this dog requires a lot of work. If there was a picture of a dog next to the definition of “high maintenance” in the dictionary, it would be this dog.

This breed is not for the first-time dog owner, that’s for sure. So, if all the dogs you’ve owned in the past were a piece of cake, then you can stop reading right now and look into a different breed.

This is, of course, if you’re not up for a challenge. If you’ve had experience with dogs before, especially difficult ones, or if you want to take this one on, then of course, read on.

The Wild One

The Neapolitan Mastiff is an overprotective guard dog by nature who needs you to essentially domesticate him.

It’s kind of like adopting a dog in the wild and molding him to help him fit your family.

He is obedient, but he is also stubborn when he wants to be, which can make training him a chore for sure.

And speaking of training, acting as this dog’s leader will not work with him like it might with other dogs.

He knows his size, he knows what he’s capable of doing if he truly wants to, and he knows you can’t physically overpower him. So, if he wants to listen, he will – and if he wants to walk all over you, he’ll do that too.

Be Careful with Exercise

Interestingly, though, despite his size, exercise is not a huge deal for this dog.

He can actually hurt himself if he overexerts himself – which he may do, as he often plays long after his body is signaling to him to stop.

And, since he may not listen to you right away, you may just have to stop playing with him altogether and walk away to get him to stop.

A Brief History of the Neapolitan Mastiff

Sometimes a breed’s history can influence the way a dog behaves today.

Therefore, it is important to know the make-up of a breed’s history before you buy it.

3 Neapolitan Mastiffs Hanging Out Outdoors | DogTemperament.com

Take the Neapolitan Mastiff. Hunters used to use him as a bait dog to trap large bait, like bears and jaguars.

He, therefore, has a hunting background and may enjoy accompanying you if you too enjoy hunting as a hobby.

His acting as your hunting buddy may also be another checkmark in the “To Buy” category.

Neapolitan Mastiff Size

Okay, here’s where it may get dicey insofar as to whether you can actually handle this breed.

The average weight range for an adult Neapolitan Mastiff is between 110 and 155 lbs.! As far as their height, they grow to be 24 to 31 inches tall.

This is, simply put, a “big mother” of a dog!

Therefore, if you live in an apartment, this dog is most definitely NOT the right dog for you.

You’ll also have to consider certain pitfalls that come with owning a bigger dog, like feeding him and the cost of veterinary care.

How Much Do Neapolitan Mastiffs Cost?

Black Neapolitan Mastiff in the Woods| DogTemperament.com

The Neapolitan Mastiff price range can vary wildly, from as low as $300 to a maximum of $5,500 or so.

The price of a Neapolitan Mastiff with papers is, on average, about $2,600.

And, of course, the purebred Neapolitan Mastiff price is more expensive than the price of a “mutt”.

You can try to adopt or rescue one of these dogs to save a few dollars on the Neapolitan Mastiff price.

Neapolitan Mastiff Rescue and Adoption

Neapolitan Mastiffs may be a tough breed to find out in the “wild,” so to speak.

In other words, this may not be a dog you can find easily in just any local shelter.

As such, you can try reaching out to the United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club.

This club will be able to connect you to a reputable organization from which you can adopt one of these large lovies.

You can also use their website to find a dependable breeder, if you’re (rightfully) unsure of whom to trust on the internet.

Just don’t EVER buy a dog from a puppy store, as they are almost always affiliated with puppy mills. All puppy mills care about is profit, not you nor the health and happiness of their dogs.

Neapolitan Mastiff Cost of Ownership

The cost of ownership is important to consider when it comes to a breed of this size.

You’ll more than likely run into plenty of people on your walks who ask you “what does it cost to FEED a dog his size?”

Food is definitely a concern, but so are other things that become more complicated with a bigger dog, like training, grooming, and vet visits.

1. Health Care Expenses

Thankfully, despite their large size, there aren’t too many major health concerns to worry about with this breed.

Neapolitan Mastiffs more commonly suffer from:

Most of these conditions do not require much in the way of frequent or exorbitant expenses, but they may require some form of treatment to ease them. Plus, the cost of a vet visit.

However, something more concerning that may make you think twice is that these dogs only live, on average, between 8 and 10 years.

Are you okay with spending over $2,000 just to buy a dog, let alone the other costs, who may not live as long as other dogs?

If not, then this too may be a dealbreaker for you.

Helpful Dog Health Resource:

Important Note: Few things are more important than our Health. It's no different with our Dogs Health. Some visits (and money) to your vet can be avoided if only you know what to do when your dog is ill. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is the answer. No dog owner should be without this handy guide. It's no substitute for your vet but it will Save you Money and Heartache. This Dog Health Guide will help you quickly understand and recognize symptoms before they become a serious problem for your dog. Click Here to see if you agree.

2. Training Programs

You definitely may want to consider hiring a professional trainer for this big lug.

As mentioned earlier, this breed does not always take kindly to training. You cannot do anything to intimidate them, so they often take on a “why should I listen to you?” approach to training.

If you feel you simply cannot train your dog to do what you need him to do, then it’s time to hire an outsider for help.

You can pay a group rate, which averages $30 to $50 per class, or you can hire a trainer for one-on-one lessons who charges by the hour. This will typically run you between $45 to $120 per session.

Check with local trainers near you for free estimates and possible discounts for packaged lessons.

However, you may also experience some apprehension from trainers who know this breed and know how much work goes into training them.

With the Neapolitan Mastiff, training can easily become one of your biggest expenses.

Helpful Dog Training Resource:

For help with training your dog, you should take a look at The Online Dog Trainer by Doggy Dan. Doggy Dan is an expert Dog Trainer based in New Zealand. His online resource contains Hundreds of Excellent Dog Training Videos that will take you step-by-step through the process of developing a healthy, happy well-behaved dog.

3. Grooming Costs

You may think that grooming a dog this size is a nightmare, but it’s surprisingly not so bad.

The Neapolitan Mastiff has a short coat, so it should be nothing you can’t handle yourself.

However, you may opt to spend the $30 and $90 for a professional groomer when it comes time to bathe a dog this size. You may also want to hire a groomer to clip his nails.

You should expect to pay more to groom a dog this size. Typically, groomers charge you based on how much work is involved.

The bigger the dog, the longer and more effort it takes to clean him. And if the dog is stubborn, like the Neapolitan Mastiff is known to be, then this too can increase the overall price of the visit.

Final Thoughts on the Price of a Neapolitan Mastiff

The average price of a Neapolitan Mastiff is pretty pricey at around $2,600.

What hurts more, though, is when you think about the costs involved with that investment.

For one thing, you may end up with a dog who doesn’t live very long, with a lifespan of only 8 to 10 years.

You’re also getting a dog who is infamous for acting stubborn and inattentive.

By the time you finally get him to where you need him to be, this may be one to two years already into his already short, precious life.

If you’re more about the journey and not the destination, then this probably won’t affect your decision at all.

But if you think that’s just too much heartbreak to bear, then it doesn’t matter how much a Neapolitan Mastiff costs – you’ll have to select a different breed.

Looking for a Dog Breed Price that Meets Your Budget?

Check out our