How Much Does a Bullmastiff Cost? 2023 Price Guide
By Oliver Jones
Updated on

The Bullmastiff is a giant-sized bundle of love and personality—this is a whole lot of dog for any household! If you’ve been thinking about bringing the Bullmastiff home with you, you might be wondering how expensive such a large dog will be to take care of.
Beyond the cost of purchasing a purebred dog, there are many other expenses that need to be taken into account when you plan to care for a dog throughout its entire life. Grooming, food, and veterinarian supervision are all ongoing and necessary expenses. Once your dog is home and settled, you can spend between $150–$500 per month.
We’ll break down all of the possible expenditures you should expect when owning a dog—particularly a large breed like the Bullmastiff. However, these are estimates as much of the prices will also depend on your location, your dog’s health, and even some of the choices you make.
We hope that we can give you an idea of what to expect when you adopt a Bullmastiff so you can decide whether this amazing dog is the right fit for you and your family.
Bullmastiff Price: One-Time Costs
The one-time costs we’re talking about here are the price of the Bullmastiff itself as well as some of the initial expenses that are necessary when you bring a puppy (or adult dog) home.
You can obviously expect that the most considerable amount you’ll pay at this time would be to a breeder for a purebred puppy. But there’s also the possibility of adopting a Bullmastiff from your city’s animal shelter or a rescue group. The costs will be lower, but you’re less likely to find a young dog.
We’ll also get into some of the first-time expenses you should expect, such as the first visit to the vet as well as some of the necessary items that can include food dishes, leashes, and grooming supplies.
Free Bullmastiffs
It’s much more difficult to find free puppies these days, particularly purebred pups. There’s always a possibility if you happen to have a good friend or a family member that breeds Bullmastiffs, but this is not common practice. A good breeder can’t afford to give away their puppies for free.
The only other possible freebie will be if you adopt a special needs or senior Bullmastiff from a shelter or rescue group, as they sometimes waive the fee in these cases.
Just remember that if someone offers you a free purebred puppy, that there’s no guarantee that the pup will be well-adjusted or healthy.
Bullmastiff Adoption
- $250–$1,000
If you can manage to find yourself a Bullmastiff through your local rescue group or shelter, consider yourself a lucky person! Purebreds do show up in these situations, but they’re more than likely going to be adult dogs.
The adoption fee helps to support the organization, and your puppy or dog will come fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and rehabilitated.
Many dogs are rescued from other parts of the world, so the costs of bringing them to your country and the medical costs can make the adoption fees a little higher. But these dogs have been taken out of very difficult situations, and you’re giving them a new and loving home.
Bullmastiff Breeders
- $2,000–$3,500
You can expect to pay a deposit to place a hold on a puppy, but it will be taken out of the price of the puppy. Before you settle on a breeder, you need to be absolutely sure they are reputable. You can ask to see their credentials and speak to people who have bought puppies from them for a start.
If there aren’t any Bullmastiff breeders near your location, you might end up paying for shipping costs as well. But these are not rare dogs, and it shouldn’t be difficult to locate a good breeder not too far from you.
Bullmastiff Cost: Initial Setup and Supplies
- $150 –$500+
These costs will depend on how much you’re willing to spend and whether or not you already have some of these items. Or you might purchase some things secondhand or even inherit them from a friend or relative.
We’ve included the cost of spaying and neutering, but it’s more likely that your puppy or dog will have already had this surgery.
List of Bullmastiff Care Supplies and Costs
ID Tag and Collar | $15–$30+ |
Spay/Neuter | $150–$800 |
X-Ray Cost | $100–$250 |
Ultrasound Cost | $300–$600 |
Microchip | $45–$55 |
Teeth Cleaning | $250–$750 |
Bed | $30–$150+ |
Nail Clippers | $15–$30+ |
Brush | $10–$30+ |
Crate (optional) | $100–$300+ |
Leash | $6–$20+ |
Toys | $11 –$100+ |
Food and Water Bowls | $15–$45+ |
How Much Does a Bullmastiff Cost Per Month?
- $150–$500 per month
The Bullmastiff’s size will definitely make the monthly costs higher than they would be for a smaller dog. These expenses will depend on the health of your dog as well as what kind of food, toys, and other items you purchase.
Other factors that will impact your costs will range from whether or not you decide to opt-in for pet insurance, hire a dog walker, pay for any damages your Bullmastiff may cause, or if you groom your dog yourself.
Bullmastiff Health Care Costs
- $0–$500+ per month
Bullmastiffs are very strong and robust dogs, but as a purebred dog as well as a large breed, they are predisposed to certain health conditions. They are prone to elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, bloat, and hypothyroidism.
Many Bullmastiffs won’t suffer from any serious medical conditions, in which case your health care costs will be lower. If you do buy your dog from a good breeder, be sure they are upfront about any possible hereditary health conditions your puppy or dog might be susceptible to.
Bullmastiff Food Costs
- $70–$150+ per month
A big dog will have a big appetite, which of course, means a bigger dent in your wallet. You’ll definitely want to opt for high-quality food and provide your dog with a nutritious and balanced diet.
You should expect to spend a little extra on their dog bowls. Because they are large, the Bullmastiff might develop bloat, so one of the best solutions to prevent this from occurring is to buy elevated dog dishes and to feed him smaller to average-sized portions.
Bullmastiff Grooming Costs
- $0–$50 per month
Grooming the Bullmastiff is quite easy since they have short coats of fur, but they do shed. You can use a bristle brush once a week, and bathing just once every few months should be fine. You also need to clean their ears, brush their teeth, and trim their nails regularly.
If you opt to pay a groomer, the price will depend on how much your groomer charges. They will charge more for a Bullmastiff over a smaller dog.
Bullmastiff Medications and Vet Visits
- $0–$300 per month
There’s the annual vet visit for vaccinations and physical exams. This could run about $200 to $400 per year, which breaks down to about $20 to $40 per month. You would only bring your Bullmastiff to a vet every month if you were monitoring your senior dog’s health or if he has a serious health condition.
Then there are the annual parasite treatments such as fleas, ticks, and heartworm, which can be about $100 to $150 per year.
If you don’t brush your pup’s teeth, you’ll also be looking at annual teeth cleaning by the vet, which also includes the cost of anesthesia. This procedure runs about $300 up to $1,000, depending on some factors.
Pet Insurance Costs
- $50–$100+ per month
Pet insurance is optional, but it’s good to have insurance if your dog already has health problems or if he develops them later in life.
How much you pay for the insurance will depend on the age and health of your dog as well as where you’re located.
Environment Maintenance Costs
- $5–$10 per month
The good news is that the upkeep in this area for dogs is easier and cheaper than other animals (cats and litter boxes, anyone?). You just need to keep yourself well-stocked in poop bags and a special pooper scooper for your yard.
Poop Bags | $5–$10/month |
Pooper Scoop | $11–$30+ |
Bullmastiff Entertainment Costs
- $15–$50+ per month
Dogs are pretty great at entertaining themselves, and we dog owners don’t have to do too much to make them happy. Throw a ball around, long walks, lots of pets and love, and putting food in their bellies, and you’ve got a friend for life.
Having said that, it is important to give your dog some chew toys since so many of our canine friends love to chew. This, of course, can cause lots of damage, so spending some money on good-quality toys designed to withstand the abuse of a large Bullmastiff is essential.
You can also look into a subscription box full of dog toys, which can range from $25 up to $50 a month.
Total Monthly Cost of Owning a Bullmastiff
- $150–$500 per month
How much you pay every month depends on how you handle things with your dog and the choices you make. If you do all of the grooming (including teeth cleaning) yourself and your Bullmastiff is very healthy, your monthly costs will definitely be lower.
But bear in mind that the size of this dog automatically makes most things, particularly food, more expensive than it is for other breeds.
We haven’t incorporated any expenses in emergency situations that can hit you out of the blue, so it’s a good idea to remember that this can be a possibility, and it’s best to leave room in your budget for this.
Additional Costs to Factor In
If you’re an experienced dog owner, it’s possible you might be able to train your puppy or dog yourself, but this is another aspect of dog ownership you need to think about. The cost will depend on your pup’s age and, of course, the place you take him to. They might range from $200 to $600 per week, but only for about 1 to 2 months.
Also, do remember that dogs sometimes cause damage. And when you have a large dog, you’re sometimes looking at a bull in a china shop situation as they can easily (and accidentally) knock things down.
Lastly, you might need to employ a dog walker or put your pup in a doggy daycare if you work all day and there’s no one at home. There are also vacations. If you don’t bring your Bullmastiff with you, you’ll need to factor in the costs of placing your dog in boarding or paying for a pet sitter.
Owning a Bullmastiff On a Budget
The initial cost of the Bullmastiff might be expensive, but you can certainly find ways to budget in other areas. As long as it doesn’t impact the health of your dog.
As already discussed, you can find ways to save on gadgets that might not be necessary in the long run.
Saving Money on Bullmastiff Care
As we’ve already written, doing all of the grooming yourself will save a fair bit of money. If you take the best care of your dog, such as cleaning his ears and teeth regularly, this will save on vet bills and help prevent future medical conditions.
If you have a friend or relative with some time on their hands, you can also save a lot on dog walking as well as pet sitting (if they won’t do it for free, maybe they will at a discounted rate).
You can also shop for your dog food online, as this is where a lot of the deals are. If you have the space, you can also buy in bulk, which can save a fair bit of money.
Conclusion: Bullmastiff Price
Bringing a Bullmastiff home with you will take a wallop out of your bank account for the initial cost, which can be up to $3,500. But if you’re lucky enough to find one available for adoption, you will be rescuing a dog as well as saving some money.
Once you have your pup at home, the monthly cost could run about $150 to $500 each month, but this also depends on how much you are able to do yourself and the choices you make on things like toys and food.
In the long run, the joy and love your Bullmastiff will bring to you will be worth every cent. Be sure to take very good care of your dog, and he will take even better care of you.
Related Reads:
Featured Image Credit: cynoclub, Shutterstock