Dog breeds / Giant breeds
What a Dogue de Bordeaux really costs
The Dogue de Bordeaux usually lives only 5–8 years (AKC). That keeps the lifetime total lower than other giants, but the vet bills are packed into a few years: OFA rates more than half the breed's hips as dysplastic, bloat risk is high, and inherited heart disease can kill young dogs. Grooming is cheap; vet and insurance costs are not.
- Size
- Giant, 99–145 lb
- Life expectancy
- 5–8 years
- Grooming
- Low
- Insurance risk
- High
- Puppy price
- $1,500–$3,000
- Food a day
- About 2,220 calories
Where the money goes each year
A typical adult year for a Dogue de Bordeaux with mainstream food, home grooming, no insurance, in an average-cost area. That's $2,050 more than the median breed.
- Illness and injury (average)$2,039
- Food$1,152
- Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$457
- Dental cleanings$425
- Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
- Toys, beds and everyday supplies$330
- Treats and chews$230
- Grooming$53
- License$20
- Typical year$5,040
Most years land between $3,670 (budget food, home grooming, lower-cost area) and $7,350 (premium food, groomer, insurance, big city). Dogs over about 5 add about $180 a year for senior checkups.
The first year
Buying a puppy front-loads the bill: the price, gear, puppy shots and spay or neuter.
Bringing a puppy home
- Breeder price$2,250
- Crate, bed, leash, bowls and gear$900
- Spay or neuter$760
- Microchip$50
- Puppy or basic obedience class$149
- Upfront$4,110
Running costs in year one
- Food$1,152
- Treats and chews$230
- Puppy vaccines and checkups$738
- Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$457
- Grooming$53
- License$20
- Illness and injury (average)$2,039
- Year-one running costs$4,690
First-year total: $8,800. Adopting instead brings it to about $5,810.
Make it your estimate
Change the choices that move the price most. Totals update as you go.
$420 a month in a typical year.
- Illness and injury (average)$2,039
- Food$1,152
- Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$457
- Dental cleanings$425
- Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
- Toys, beds and everyday supplies$330
- Treats and chews$230
- Grooming$53
- License$20
- Typical year$5,040
Health costs to plan for
Embrace says insuring a Dogue costs more than a mixed breed because of higher claim rates; the breed combines the fifth-worst OFA hip failure rate (57.2%), high bloat risk, inherited heart disease and a brachycephalic face, a profile matching the most expensive breeds to insure.
| Condition | How it affects Dogue de Bordeauxs | Typical treatment | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hip dysplasia | 57.2% of 1,017 Dogue de Bordeaux hip X-rays sent to OFA were graded dysplastic, the fifth-worst rate among all breeds OFA ranks. Source | Diagnosis and treatment, from medical management to corrective surgery (Embrace estimate); a total hip replacement can cost more | $1,500–$6,000 |
| Gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat) | Embrace rates bloat a high risk for the breed, and the DDBSA health sheet calls it a leading killer of giant breeds, warning that a bloating dog may have about 3 hours without treatment. Source | Emergency GDV surgery with gastropexy and hospitalization (Embrace estimate) | $1,500–$7,500 |
| Elbow dysplasia | 26.0% of 830 Dogue de Bordeaux elbow evaluations sent to OFA were abnormal. Source | Diagnosis and arthroscopic or open elbow surgery (Embrace estimate) | $1,500–$4,000 |
| Subaortic stenosis and other heart disease | In a Danish echocardiographic study, 17% of 53 Dogues had aortic velocities in the stenosis range (Höllmer et al. 2008); UC Davis cardiologist Dr. Joshua Stern reports moderate-to-severe SAS cases average a 19-month lifespan, and 31% of deaths in a 2018 owner survey were sudden and unexpected. Source | Cardiology diagnosis (echocardiogram) and medical management such as beta-blockers (Embrace estimate); no treatment significantly extends life in severe cases | $500–$1,500 |
The yearly estimate already includes an average allowance of $2,039 for illness and injury. A single surgery can cost several times that, which is the case for an emergency fund or insurance.
What drives the cost of a Dogue de Bordeaux
- Because the lifespan is short, senior-care costs often begin by age 4–5, not 7+. Plan on yearly bloodwork and heart checks starting early.
- OFA grades 57% of tested Dogues as hip dysplastic. Insist on OFA hip, elbow and heart clearances for both parents, and enroll in insurance before the first limp. A pre-existing dysplasia diagnosis will be excluded.
- Ask breeders whether the parents had echocardiograms, not just a stethoscope check. The DDBSA says an echo is the only way to rule out heart disease.
- Expect towels, washable bedding and wrinkle-cleaning supplies from the heavy drool and skin folds. In a 2018 owner survey, 22.7% of Dogues had needed vet care for chronic skin disease.
- This flat-faced breed can't tolerate heat well, so air conditioning, cooling mats and indoor exercise in summer are real costs in hot climates. Anesthesia for a brachycephalic giant also tends to be priced higher.
Breeder or rescue
- Reputable breeder
- $1,500–$3,000
- Rescue or shelter
- $250–$700
- Lifetime, from a breeder
- $39,000
- Lifetime, adopted
- $36,000
iHeartDogs' 2026 regional asks run $1,400–$2,600 and Hepper gives $1,000–$3,500; Embrace says a breeder should at minimum show OFA hips and elbows (Excellent, Good or Fair) and an OFA heart clearance, which pushes health-tested litters into the upper half. Dogue de Bordeaux Rescue publishes fees of $700 for puppies, $600 for 1–2 years, $500 for 3–5, $400 for 6–7, and $250 for dogs 8 and older.
Similar-size breeds by yearly cost
- Boerboel$4,810 a year
- Newfoundland$4,920 a year
- Leonberger$4,940 a year
- Bernese Mountain Dog$4,980 a year
- Great Dane$5,020 a year
- Mastiff$5,240 a year
- Compare all breeds
Common questions
How much does a Dogue de Bordeaux puppy cost?
A Dogue de Bordeaux puppy from a reputable US breeder typically costs $1,500–$3,000. Adopting one through a rescue usually costs $250–$700.
How much does a Dogue de Bordeaux cost per year?
After the first year, a Dogue de Bordeaux costs about $5,040 a year, or $420 a month, for food, vet care, preventives, grooming, supplies and average illness costs. Depending on food, grooming, insurance and where you live, a typical year ranges from about $3,670 to $7,350.
How much does a Dogue de Bordeaux cost over its lifetime?
About $39,000 over a 7-year life when bought from a breeder, or $36,000 if adopted, in 2026 dollars.
Sources
- AKC: Dogue de Bordeaux breed page (height, weight, life expectancy, traits)
- DDBSA: Dogue de Bordeaux health information sheet
- McAulay, Borgeat & Luis Fuentes 2018, An online health survey of Dogue de Bordeaux owners and breeders, The Veterinary Journal
- Höllmer et al. 2008, Aortic stenosis in the Dogue de Bordeaux, J Small Anim Pract
- Lavoué et al. 2015, Characterization of proteinuria in Dogue de Bordeaux dogs (familial glomerulonephropathy), PLoS One
- PetMD: Dogue de Bordeaux breed profile (lifespan, grooming)
- iHeartDogs: Dogue de Bordeaux puppy price 2026 by US region
- Hepper: Dogue de Bordeaux cost (2026)
- Dogue de Bordeaux Rescue: Adoption fees
- OFA: Disease statistics by breed (hips)
- Embrace Pet Insurance: Dogue de Bordeaux breed page (condition cost table)
- DDBSA / UC Davis (Dr. Joshua Stern): SAS genetic study letter
Prices are averages from the sources above and the cost baselines on our methodology page, in 2026 US dollars. Your vet, groomer and city will differ. Updated October 14, 2026.