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Cheapest dogs to own

These dogs have the lowest estimated lifetime cost. The top pick is the Japanese Chin.

Cheapest dogs to own — top 6

#	Breed	Size	Lifetime cost	Lifetime cost
1	Japanese Chin	Small	$17,600	$17,600
2	English Toy Spaniel	Small	$19,300	$19,300
3	Russian Toy	Small	$19,600	$19,600
4	Danish-Swedish Farmdog	Small	$20,100	$20,100
5	Toy Fox Terrier	Small	$20,600	$20,600
6	Jagdterrier	Small	$20,700	$20,700
7	Boston Terrier	Small	$20,800	$20,800
8	Russell Terrier	Small	$21,000	$21,000
9	Miniature Bull Terrier	Small	$21,100	$21,100
10	Miniature Pinscher	Small	$21,100	$21,100
11	Chihuahua	Small	$21,200	$21,200
12	Schipperke	Small	$21,200	$21,200
13	Bolognese	Small	$21,400	$21,400
14	Lancashire Heeler	Small	$21,400	$21,400
15	Portuguese Podengo Pequeno	Small	$21,500	$21,500
16	Norwich Terrier	Small	$21,700	$21,700
17	Tibetan Spaniel	Small	$21,700	$21,700
18	Border Terrier	Small	$21,900	$21,900
19	Australian Terrier	Small	$22,100	$22,100
20	Japanese Spitz	Small	$22,100	$22,100
21	Italian Greyhound	Small	$22,200	$22,200
22	Cirneco dell’Etna	Small	$22,300	$22,300
23	Norfolk Terrier	Small	$22,300	$22,300
24	Affenpinscher	Small	$22,500	$22,500
25	Scottish Terrier	Small	$22,500	$22,500
26	Brussels Griffon	Small	$22,600	$22,600
27	Papillon	Small	$22,600	$22,600
28	Smooth Fox Terrier	Small	$22,600	$22,600
29	Wire Fox Terrier	Small	$22,600	$22,600
30	Cairn Terrier	Small	$22,700	$22,700
31	Mudi	Small	$22,700	$22,700
32	Lakeland Terrier	Small	$22,800	$22,800
33	Pekingese	Small	$23,000	$23,000
34	Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka	Small	$23,000	$23,000
35	Parson Russell Terrier	Small	$23,100	$23,100
36	Cesky Terrier	Small	$23,200	$23,200
37	Löwchen	Small	$23,300	$23,300
38	Pug	Small	$23,300	$23,300
39	Basenji	Small	$23,400	$23,400
40	Chinese Crested	Small	$23,400	$23,400
41	Beagle	Small	$23,600	$23,600
42	Silky Terrier	Small	$23,600	$23,600
43	Lhasa Apso	Small	$24,000	$24,000
44	Shetland Sheepdog	Small	$24,100	$24,100
45	American Eskimo Dog	Small	$24,200	$24,200
46	Poodle (Miniature)	Small	$24,200	$24,200
47	Maltese	Small	$24,800	$24,800
48	Sealyham Terrier	Small	$24,800	$24,800
49	Shiba Inu	Small	$24,900	$24,900
50	Teddy Roosevelt Terrier	Small	$24,900	$24,900
51	Bedlington Terrier	Small	$25,000	$25,000
52	Welsh Terrier	Small	$25,000	$25,000
53	Havanese	Small	$25,100	$25,100
54	Rat Terrier	Small	$25,100	$25,100
55	Manchester Terrier (Toy)	Small	$25,200	$25,200
56	Taiwan Dog	Medium	$25,200	$25,200
57	Biewer Terrier	Small	$25,500	$25,500
58	Maltipoo	Small	$25,600	$25,600
59	Pomeranian	Small	$25,700	$25,700
60	Bulldog (English)	Medium	$26,000	$26,000
61	Yorkshire Terrier	Small	$26,000	$26,000
62	American Hairless Terrier	Small	$26,100	$26,100
63	Braque du Bourbonnais	Medium	$26,200	$26,200
64	Treeing Tennessee Brindle	Medium	$26,200	$26,200
65	Dachshund	Small	$26,500	$26,500
66	Manchester Terrier (Standard)	Small	$26,500	$26,500
67	Pumi	Medium	$26,500	$26,500
68	French Bulldog	Small	$26,800	$26,800
69	Shikoku	Medium	$26,800	$26,800
70	Basset Fauve de Bretagne	Medium	$26,900	$26,900
71	Dogue de Bordeaux	Giant	$27,100	$27,100
72	Yakutian Laika	Medium	$27,100	$27,100
73	Mountain Cur	Medium	$27,500	$27,500
74	Pembroke Welsh Corgi	Medium	$27,600	$27,600
75	Dandie Dinmont Terrier	Small	$27,900	$27,900
76	Poodle (Toy)	Small	$27,900	$27,900
77	West Highland White Terrier	Small	$28,100	$28,100
78	Icelandic Sheepdog	Medium	$28,400	$28,400
79	Kishu Ken	Medium	$28,500	$28,500
80	Peruvian Inca Orchid	Medium	$28,500	$28,500
81	Slovensky Kopov	Medium	$28,600	$28,600
82	German Shepherd Dog	Large	$28,800	$28,800
83	Karelian Bear Dog	Medium	$28,800	$28,800
84	Swedish Vallhund	Medium	$28,800	$28,800
85	Nederlandse Kooikerhondje	Medium	$28,900	$28,900
86	Norwegian Lundehund	Medium	$28,900	$28,900
87	American Water Spaniel	Medium	$29,000	$29,000
88	Staffordshire Bull Terrier	Medium	$29,000	$29,000
89	German Pinscher	Medium	$29,100	$29,100
90	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Small	$29,200	$29,200
91	Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen	Medium	$29,200	$29,200
92	Tibetan Terrier	Small	$29,200	$29,200
93	Kai Ken	Medium	$29,300	$29,300
94	Irish Terrier	Medium	$29,500	$29,500
95	Miniature Schnauzer	Small	$29,500	$29,500
96	Boykin Spaniel	Medium	$29,700	$29,700
97	Field Spaniel	Medium	$29,700	$29,700
98	Sloughi	Medium	$29,700	$29,700
99	Whippet	Medium	$29,700	$29,700
100	Cocker Spaniel	Medium	$29,800	$29,800
101	Irish Wolfhound	Giant	$29,800	$29,800
102	Flat-Coated Retriever	Large	$29,900	$29,900
103	Ibizan Hound	Medium	$30,000	$30,000
104	Swedish Lapphund	Medium	$30,000	$30,000
105	Cardigan Welsh Corgi	Medium	$30,100	$30,100
106	Finnish Spitz	Medium	$30,200	$30,200
107	German Shepherd	Large	$30,200	$30,200
108	Shih Tzu	Small	$30,200	$30,200
109	Glen of Imaal Terrier	Medium	$30,300	$30,300
110	Norwegian Buhund	Medium	$30,300	$30,300
111	Croatian Sheepdog	Medium	$30,400	$30,400
112	English Cocker Spaniel	Medium	$30,400	$30,400
113	Portuguese Sheepdog	Medium	$30,600	$30,600
114	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Medium	$30,800	$30,800
115	Chinese Shar-Pei	Large	$31,100	$31,100
116	German Shorthaired Pointer	Large	$31,100	$31,100
117	Brittany	Medium	$31,200	$31,200
118	English Springer Spaniel	Medium	$31,200	$31,200
119	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Medium	$31,200	$31,200
120	Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog	Medium	$31,300	$31,300
121	Bichon Frise	Small	$31,300	$31,300
122	Deutscher Wachtelhund	Medium	$31,600	$31,600
123	German Spitz	Medium	$31,600	$31,600
124	Irish Red and White Setter	Medium	$31,600	$31,600
125	Schapendoes	Medium	$31,600	$31,600
126	Working Kelpie	Medium	$31,600	$31,600
127	Miniature American Shepherd	Medium	$31,800	$31,800
128	Coton de Tulear	Small	$32,000	$32,000
129	Finnish Lapphund	Medium	$32,000	$32,000
130	Kromfohrlander	Medium	$32,000	$32,000
131	Azawakh	Medium	$32,200	$32,200
132	Bohemian Shepherd	Medium	$32,300	$32,300
133	Canaan Dog	Medium	$32,300	$32,300
134	Welsh Springer Spaniel	Medium	$32,300	$32,300
135	Australian Cattle Dog	Medium	$32,400	$32,400
136	Kerry Blue Terrier	Medium	$32,500	$32,500
137	Jindo	Medium	$32,600	$32,600
138	Norrbottenspets	Medium	$32,800	$32,800
139	Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen	Medium	$33,000	$33,000
140	Keeshond	Medium	$33,100	$33,100
141	Chow Chow	Large	$33,200	$33,200
142	Portuguese Pointer	Medium	$33,200	$33,200
143	Portuguese Water Dog	Medium	$33,200	$33,200
144	Bullmastiff	Giant	$33,500	$33,500
145	Border Collie	Medium	$33,700	$33,700
146	Drever	Medium	$33,700	$33,700
147	Xoloitzcuintli	Medium	$33,700	$33,700
148	Lagotto Romagnolo	Medium	$34,100	$34,100
149	Portuguese Podengo	Large	$34,100	$34,100
150	Rhodesian Ridgeback	Large	$34,200	$34,200
151	Puli	Medium	$34,300	$34,300
152	Sussex Spaniel	Medium	$34,300	$34,300
153	Polish Lowland Sheepdog	Medium	$34,600	$34,600
154	Skye Terrier	Medium	$34,600	$34,600
155	Bernese Mountain Dog	Giant	$34,900	$34,900
156	Neapolitan Mastiff	Giant	$34,900	$34,900
157	Belgian Laekenois	Large	$35,300	$35,300
158	Australian Shepherd	Medium	$35,400	$35,400
159	Boxer	Large	$35,400	$35,400
160	Standard Schnauzer	Medium	$35,400	$35,400
161	American English Coonhound	Large	$35,600	$35,600
162	Labrador Retriever	Large	$35,700	$35,700
163	French Spaniel	Large	$36,000	$36,000
164	Clumber Spaniel	Large	$36,500	$36,500
165	Rottweiler	Large	$36,500	$36,500
166	Entlebucher Mountain Dog	Large	$36,700	$36,700
167	Curly-Coated Retriever	Large	$36,900	$36,900
168	Greyhound	Large	$36,900	$36,900
169	Segugio Italiano	Large	$36,900	$36,900
170	Bluetick Coonhound	Large	$37,100	$37,100
171	Scottish Deerhound	Giant	$37,100	$37,100
172	Siberian Husky	Large	$37,100	$37,100
173	American Bulldog	Large	$37,200	$37,200
174	Doberman Pinscher	Large	$37,200	$37,200
175	English Foxhound	Large	$37,200	$37,200
176	Spanish Water Dog	Medium	$37,200	$37,200
177	Great Dane	Giant	$37,500	$37,500
178	Transylvanian Hound	Large	$37,500	$37,500
179	Broholmer	Giant	$37,700	$37,700
180	Mastiff	Giant	$37,700	$37,700
181	Golden Retriever	Large	$37,800	$37,800
182	Dalmatian	Large	$37,900	$37,900
183	Czechoslovakian Vlcak	Large	$38,300	$38,300
184	Weimaraner	Large	$38,300	$38,300
185	American Foxhound	Large	$38,400	$38,400
186	Black and Tan Coonhound	Large	$38,400	$38,400
187	Thai Ridgeback	Large	$38,500	$38,500
188	Old English Sheepdog	Large	$38,900	$38,900
189	Porcelaine	Large	$39,000	$39,000
190	Chesapeake Bay Retriever	Large	$39,100	$39,100
191	Berger Picard	Large	$39,200	$39,200
192	Irish Water Spaniel	Large	$39,200	$39,200
193	Plott Hound	Large	$39,200	$39,200
194	Small Munsterlander Pointer	Large	$39,200	$39,200
195	Treeing Walker Coonhound	Large	$39,200	$39,200
196	Bracco Italiano	Large	$39,300	$39,300
197	Greater Swiss Mountain Dog	Giant	$39,300	$39,300
198	Perro de Presa Canario	Giant	$39,300	$39,300
199	Borzoi	Large	$39,500	$39,500
200	Dutch Shepherd	Large	$39,500	$39,500
201	Lapponian Herder	Large	$39,500	$39,500
202	Barbet	Large	$39,700	$39,700
203	Bull Terrier	Large	$39,700	$39,700
204	Pharaoh Hound	Large	$39,700	$39,700
205	Drentsche Patrijshond	Large	$39,800	$39,800
206	Wirehaired Vizsla	Large	$39,900	$39,900
207	English Setter	Large	$40,000	$40,000
208	Gordon Setter	Large	$40,000	$40,000
209	Hovawart	Large	$40,000	$40,000
210	Vizsla	Large	$40,000	$40,000
211	Basset Hound	Large	$40,100	$40,100
212	Newfoundland	Giant	$40,400	$40,400
213	Saint Bernard	Giant	$40,500	$40,500
214	Saluki	Large	$41,000	$41,000
215	Wetterhoun	Large	$41,000	$41,000
216	Slovensky Cuvac	Large	$41,100	$41,100
217	Airedale Terrier	Large	$41,200	$41,200
218	Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound	Large	$41,300	$41,300
219	Catahoula Leopard Dog	Large	$41,300	$41,300
220	Norwegian Elkhound	Large	$41,300	$41,300
221	Samoyed	Large	$41,300	$41,300
222	Hanoverian Scenthound	Large	$41,400	$41,400
223	Harrier	Large	$41,500	$41,500
224	Wirehaired Pointing Griffon	Large	$41,500	$41,500
225	German Longhaired Pointer	Large	$41,700	$41,700
226	Leonberger	Giant	$41,700	$41,700
227	Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer	Large	$41,700	$41,700
228	Hokkaido	Large	$41,900	$41,900
229	Stabyhoun	Large	$42,000	$42,000
230	Alaskan Malamute	Large	$42,200	$42,200
231	American Leopard Hound	Large	$42,300	$42,300
232	Redbone Coonhound	Large	$42,300	$42,300
233	Appenzeller Sennenhund	Large	$42,500	$42,500
234	Belgian Sheepdog	Large	$42,700	$42,700
235	Belgian Tervuren	Large	$42,700	$42,700
236	American Staffordshire Terrier	Large	$42,800	$42,800
237	Great Pyrenees	Giant	$42,900	$42,900
238	Kuvasz	Giant	$42,900	$42,900
239	Collie	Large	$43,100	$43,100
240	Bloodhound	Giant	$43,200	$43,200
241	Pudelpointer	Large	$43,200	$43,200
242	Bearded Collie	Large	$43,900	$43,900
243	Beauceron	Giant	$43,900	$43,900
244	Chinook	Large	$44,100	$44,100
245	Briard	Large	$44,300	$44,300
246	Eurasier	Large	$45,000	$45,000
247	Irish Setter	Large	$45,000	$45,000
248	Bergamasco Sheepdog	Large	$45,100	$45,100
249	Otterhound	Giant	$45,300	$45,300
250	Pointer	Large	$45,600	$45,600
251	Bouvier des Flandres	Giant	$46,100	$46,100
252	Tibetan Mastiff	Giant	$46,100	$46,100
253	Afghan Hound	Large	$46,200	$46,200
254	Dogo Argentino	Giant	$46,200	$46,200
255	Tornjak	Large	$46,300	$46,300
256	Boerboel	Giant	$46,400	$46,400
257	Belgian Malinois	Large	$47,100	$47,100
258	German Wirehaired Pointer	Large	$47,100	$47,100
259	Poodle (Standard)	Large	$47,400	$47,400
260	Hamiltonstovare	Large	$47,500	$47,500
261	Black Russian Terrier	Giant	$47,700	$47,700
262	Estrela Mountain Dog	Giant	$47,900	$47,900
263	Komondor	Giant	$48,300	$48,300
264	Tosa	Giant	$48,300	$48,300
265	Giant Schnauzer	Large	$48,400	$48,400
266	Caucasian Shepherd Dog	Giant	$48,600	$48,600
267	Anatolian Shepherd Dog	Giant	$49,100	$49,100
268	Akita	Giant	$49,200	$49,200
269	Rafeiro do Alentejo	Giant	$51,600	$51,600
270	Spanish Mastiff	Giant	$52,000	$52,000
271	Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog	Giant	$52,900	$52,900
272	Pyrenean Mastiff	Giant	$55,200	$55,200

Ranked from our sortable database. Food = vet RER/MER formula; insurance = NAPHIA average × breed health-risk tier. US estimates.

What is the cheapest dog to own?

Smaller, healthier breeds cost least over a lifetime — they eat less and have lower insurance and vet bills.

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