PetCost › Dogs › Rankings › Dogs that eat the most

Dogs that eat the most

Annual food cost, computed from breed weight via the vet RER/MER formula. The top pick is the Pyrenean Mastiff.

Dogs that eat the most — top 6

Chart: the six top-ranked dogs by food cost/yr — taller bars rank higher on this metric.

What this ranking shows

Across 272 dogs, food cost/yr ranges from $125 to $2,015 — a 16.1× spread, with a median around $720. The Pyrenean Mastiff leads at $2,015, while the Chihuahua sits at the far end. Rounding out the top three are the Boerboel ($1,970) and the Mastiff ($1,970). Most of the gap comes down to three things: body size (which sets how much a dog eats and its medication doses), breed health risk (which sets insurance premiums and likely vet bills), and lifespan (which multiplies every recurring annual cost). Use the sorter below to re-rank by your own budget, home size and grooming tolerance.

#	Breed	Size	Food cost/yr	Lifetime cost
1	Pyrenean Mastiff	Giant	$2,015	$55,200
2	Boerboel	Giant	$1,970	$46,400
3	Mastiff	Giant	$1,970	$37,700
4	Spanish Mastiff	Giant	$1,930	$52,000
5	Saint Bernard	Giant	$1,755	$40,500
6	Tosa	Giant	$1,755	$48,300
7	Great Dane	Giant	$1,690	$37,500
8	Caucasian Shepherd Dog	Giant	$1,620	$48,600
9	Leonberger	Giant	$1,575	$41,700
10	Neapolitan Mastiff	Giant	$1,575	$34,900
11	Newfoundland	Giant	$1,530	$40,400
12	Broholmer	Giant	$1,485	$37,700
13	Anatolian Shepherd Dog	Giant	$1,440	$49,100
14	Bullmastiff	Giant	$1,440	$33,500
15	Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog	Giant	$1,440	$52,900
16	Greater Swiss Mountain Dog	Giant	$1,415	$39,300
17	Irish Wolfhound	Giant	$1,415	$29,800
18	Tibetan Mastiff	Giant	$1,390	$46,100
19	Rottweiler	Large	$1,370	$36,500
20	Black Russian Terrier	Giant	$1,345	$47,700
21	Dogue de Bordeaux	Giant	$1,340	$27,100
22	Estrela Mountain Dog	Giant	$1,340	$47,900
23	Rafeiro do Alentejo	Giant	$1,340	$51,600
24	Akita	Giant	$1,295	$49,200
25	Otterhound	Giant	$1,270	$45,300
26	Perro de Presa Canario	Giant	$1,265	$39,300
27	Bloodhound	Giant	$1,245	$43,200
28	Dogo Argentino	Giant	$1,235	$46,200
29	Bernese Mountain Dog	Giant	$1,220	$34,900
30	Great Pyrenees	Giant	$1,220	$42,900
31	Kuvasz	Giant	$1,220	$42,900
32	Scottish Deerhound	Giant	$1,220	$37,100
33	Beauceron	Giant	$1,195	$43,900
34	Bouvier des Flandres	Giant	$1,195	$46,100
35	Komondor	Giant	$1,195	$48,300
36	Hanoverian Scenthound	Large	$1,185	$41,400
37	Black and Tan Coonhound	Large	$1,170	$38,400
38	Tornjak	Large	$1,155	$46,300
39	Borzoi	Large	$1,120	$39,500
40	Slovensky Cuvac	Large	$1,120	$41,100
41	Alaskan Malamute	Large	$1,095	$42,200
42	American Bulldog	Large	$1,095	$37,200
43	Doberman Pinscher	Large	$1,095	$37,200
44	Old English Sheepdog	Large	$1,095	$38,900
45	Briard	Large	$1,070	$44,300
46	Curly-Coated Retriever	Large	$1,070	$36,900
47	Hovawart	Large	$1,070	$40,000
48	Rhodesian Ridgeback	Large	$1,070	$34,200
49	Bracco Italiano	Large	$1,020	$39,300
50	Catahoula Leopard Dog	Large	$1,020	$41,300
51	Weimaraner	Large	$1,020	$38,300
52	Bergamasco Sheepdog	Large	$995	$45,100
53	Chinook	Large	$990	$44,100
54	Clumber Spaniel	Large	$990	$36,500
55	German Shepherd	Large	$990	$30,200
56	German Shepherd Dog	Large	$990	$28,800
57	Giant Schnauzer	Large	$990	$48,400
58	Lapponian Herder	Large	$990	$39,500
59	Chesapeake Bay Retriever	Large	$965	$39,100
60	English Foxhound	Large	$965	$37,200
61	German Longhaired Pointer	Large	$965	$41,700
62	Labrador Retriever	Large	$965	$35,700
63	American Foxhound	Large	$940	$38,400
64	Boxer	Large	$940	$35,400
65	Flat-Coated Retriever	Large	$940	$29,900
66	Golden Retriever	Large	$940	$37,800
67	Greyhound	Large	$940	$36,900
68	Irish Setter	Large	$940	$45,000
69	Bluetick Coonhound	Large	$910	$37,100
70	Collie	Large	$910	$43,100
71	English Setter	Large	$910	$40,000
72	Gordon Setter	Large	$910	$40,000
73	Wetterhoun	Large	$910	$41,000
74	Drentsche Patrijshond	Large	$890	$39,800
75	Airedale Terrier	Large	$885	$41,200
76	Belgian Laekenois	Large	$885	$35,300
77	Belgian Malinois	Large	$885	$47,100
78	Belgian Sheepdog	Large	$885	$42,700
79	Belgian Tervuren	Large	$885	$42,700
80	Berger Picard	Large	$885	$39,200
81	Bull Terrier	Large	$885	$39,700
82	German Wirehaired Pointer	Large	$885	$47,100
83	Pointer	Large	$885	$45,600
84	Treeing Walker Coonhound	Large	$885	$39,200
85	Appenzeller Sennenhund	Large	$870	$42,500
86	Dutch Shepherd	Large	$865	$39,500
87	Porcelaine	Large	$865	$39,000
88	American Leopard Hound	Large	$855	$42,300
89	Chow Chow	Large	$855	$33,200
90	Dalmatian	Large	$855	$37,900
91	German Shorthaired Pointer	Large	$855	$31,100
92	Hamiltonstovare	Large	$855	$47,500
93	Poodle (Standard)	Large	$855	$47,400
94	Pudelpointer	Large	$855	$43,200
95	Redbone Coonhound	Large	$855	$42,300
96	Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer	Large	$855	$41,700
97	Irish Water Spaniel	Large	$845	$39,200
98	Afghan Hound	Large	$825	$46,200
99	American English Coonhound	Large	$825	$35,600
100	American Staffordshire Terrier	Large	$825	$42,800
101	Eurasier	Large	$825	$45,000
102	French Spaniel	Large	$825	$36,000
103	Hokkaido	Large	$825	$41,900
104	Thai Ridgeback	Large	$825	$38,500
105	Transylvanian Hound	Large	$825	$37,500
106	Wirehaired Vizsla	Large	$825	$39,900
107	Australian Shepherd	Medium	$800	$35,400
108	Basset Hound	Large	$800	$40,100
109	Chinese Shar-Pei	Large	$800	$31,100
110	Entlebucher Mountain Dog	Large	$800	$36,700
111	Harrier	Large	$800	$41,500
112	Saluki	Large	$800	$41,000
113	Wirehaired Pointing Griffon	Large	$800	$41,500
114	Vizsla	Large	$795	$40,000
115	Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound	Large	$790	$41,300
116	Norwegian Elkhound	Large	$790	$41,300
117	Czechoslovakian Vlcak	Large	$775	$38,300
118	Portuguese Podengo	Large	$775	$34,100
119	Barbet	Large	$770	$39,700
120	Bearded Collie	Large	$770	$43,900
121	Pharaoh Hound	Large	$770	$39,700
122	Plott Hound	Large	$770	$39,200
123	Samoyed	Large	$770	$41,300
124	Segugio Italiano	Large	$770	$36,900
125	Small Munsterlander Pointer	Large	$770	$39,200
126	Stabyhoun	Large	$770	$42,000
127	Bohemian Shepherd	Medium	$755	$32,300
128	Portuguese Sheepdog	Medium	$745	$30,600
129	Deutscher Wachtelhund	Medium	$740	$31,600
130	Ibizan Hound	Medium	$740	$30,000
131	Irish Red and White Setter	Medium	$740	$31,600
132	Portuguese Water Dog	Medium	$740	$33,200
133	Siberian Husky	Large	$740	$37,100
134	Yakutian Laika	Medium	$740	$27,100
135	Portuguese Pointer	Medium	$735	$33,200
136	Karelian Bear Dog	Medium	$730	$28,800
137	Bulldog (English)	Medium	$710	$26,000
138	Canaan Dog	Medium	$710	$32,300
139	English Springer Spaniel	Medium	$710	$31,200
140	Kishu Ken	Medium	$710	$28,500
141	Mountain Cur	Medium	$710	$27,500
142	Shikoku	Medium	$710	$26,800
143	Welsh Springer Spaniel	Medium	$710	$32,300
144	Azawakh	Medium	$700	$32,200
145	Braque du Bourbonnais	Medium	$700	$26,200
146	Working Kelpie	Medium	$700	$31,600
147	Finnish Lapphund	Medium	$690	$32,000
148	Australian Cattle Dog	Medium	$680	$32,400
149	Border Collie	Medium	$680	$33,700
150	Field Spaniel	Medium	$680	$29,700
151	Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen	Medium	$680	$33,000
152	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Medium	$680	$30,800
153	Sloughi	Medium	$680	$29,700
154	Schapendoes	Medium	$660	$31,600
155	Jindo	Medium	$650	$32,600
156	Keeshond	Medium	$650	$33,100
157	Polish Lowland Sheepdog	Medium	$650	$34,600
158	Skye Terrier	Medium	$650	$34,600
159	Spanish Water Dog	Medium	$650	$37,200
160	Standard Schnauzer	Medium	$650	$35,400
161	Sussex Spaniel	Medium	$650	$34,300
162	Treeing Tennessee Brindle	Medium	$650	$26,200
163	Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog	Medium	$635	$31,300
164	Slovensky Kopov	Medium	$635	$28,600
165	Drever	Medium	$620	$33,700
166	Swedish Lapphund	Medium	$620	$30,000
167	Croatian Sheepdog	Medium	$610	$30,400
168	Kerry Blue Terrier	Medium	$610	$32,500
169	Glen of Imaal Terrier	Medium	$600	$30,300
170	American Water Spaniel	Medium	$590	$29,000
171	Brittany	Medium	$590	$31,200
172	German Pinscher	Medium	$590	$29,100
173	Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	Medium	$590	$31,200
174	Norwegian Buhund	Medium	$565	$30,300
175	Taiwan Dog	Medium	$565	$25,200
176	Boykin Spaniel	Medium	$560	$29,700
177	Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen	Medium	$560	$29,200
178	Whippet	Medium	$560	$29,700
179	Xoloitzcuintli	Medium	$560	$33,700
180	Cardigan Welsh Corgi	Medium	$545	$30,100
181	Peruvian Inca Orchid	Medium	$545	$28,500
182	Basset Fauve de Bretagne	Medium	$540	$26,900
183	Staffordshire Bull Terrier	Medium	$540	$29,000
184	English Cocker Spaniel	Medium	$525	$30,400
185	Kai Ken	Medium	$525	$29,300
186	Miniature American Shepherd	Medium	$525	$31,800
187	Puli	Medium	$525	$34,300
188	Lagotto Romagnolo	Medium	$520	$34,100
189	Pembroke Welsh Corgi	Medium	$510	$27,600
190	Icelandic Sheepdog	Medium	$490	$28,400
191	Kromfohrlander	Medium	$490	$32,000
192	Swedish Vallhund	Medium	$490	$28,800
193	Finnish Spitz	Medium	$480	$30,200
194	Irish Terrier	Medium	$470	$29,500
195	Pumi	Medium	$465	$26,500
196	Beagle	Small	$460	$23,600
197	Cocker Spaniel	Medium	$460	$29,800
198	German Spitz	Medium	$460	$31,600
199	Nederlandse Kooikerhondje	Medium	$460	$28,900
200	Norrbottenspets	Medium	$460	$32,800
201	Norwegian Lundehund	Medium	$460	$28,900
202	Dachshund	Small	$445	$26,500
203	Tibetan Terrier	Small	$445	$29,200
204	Mudi	Small	$435	$22,700
205	Sealyham Terrier	Small	$435	$24,800
206	Basenji	Small	$430	$23,400
207	Miniature Bull Terrier	Small	$430	$21,100
208	French Bulldog	Small	$415	$26,800
209	Cirneco dell’Etna	Small	$410	$22,300
210	Dandie Dinmont Terrier	Small	$400	$27,900
211	American Eskimo Dog	Small	$395	$24,200
212	Bedlington Terrier	Small	$385	$25,000
213	Scottish Terrier	Small	$385	$22,500
214	Shetland Sheepdog	Small	$385	$24,100
215	Shiba Inu	Small	$385	$24,900
216	Welsh Terrier	Small	$385	$25,000
217	Jagdterrier	Small	$380	$20,700
218	Cesky Terrier	Small	$375	$23,200
219	Boston Terrier	Small	$365	$20,800
220	Australian Terrier	Small	$350	$22,100
221	Danish-Swedish Farmdog	Small	$350	$20,100
222	Japanese Spitz	Small	$350	$22,100
223	Rat Terrier	Small	$350	$25,100
224	West Highland White Terrier	Small	$350	$28,100
225	Lakeland Terrier	Small	$345	$22,800
226	Manchester Terrier (Standard)	Small	$345	$26,500
227	Smooth Fox Terrier	Small	$335	$22,600
228	Teddy Roosevelt Terrier	Small	$335	$24,900
229	Wire Fox Terrier	Small	$335	$22,600
230	Pug	Small	$330	$23,300
231	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Small	$320	$29,200
232	Miniature Schnauzer	Small	$320	$29,500
233	Bichon Frise	Small	$310	$31,300
234	Lhasa Apso	Small	$310	$24,000
235	Parson Russell Terrier	Small	$310	$23,100
236	American Hairless Terrier	Small	$295	$26,100
237	Pekingese	Small	$295	$23,000
238	Cairn Terrier	Small	$290	$22,700
239	Border Terrier	Small	$280	$21,900
240	Lancashire Heeler	Small	$280	$21,400
241	Schipperke	Small	$280	$21,200
242	Löwchen	Small	$270	$23,300
243	Maltipoo	Small	$270	$25,600
244	Poodle (Miniature)	Small	$270	$24,200
245	Shih Tzu	Small	$270	$30,200
246	Manchester Terrier (Toy)	Small	$265	$25,200
247	Norwich Terrier	Small	$265	$21,700
248	Russell Terrier	Small	$265	$21,000
249	Tibetan Spaniel	Small	$265	$21,700
250	Coton de Tulear	Small	$255	$32,000
251	Norfolk Terrier	Small	$255	$22,300
252	English Toy Spaniel	Small	$245	$19,300
253	Portuguese Podengo Pequeno	Small	$245	$21,500
254	Italian Greyhound	Small	$240	$22,200
255	Chinese Crested	Small	$230	$23,400
256	Havanese	Small	$230	$25,100
257	Silky Terrier	Small	$230	$23,600
258	Brussels Griffon	Small	$215	$22,600
259	Japanese Chin	Small	$215	$17,600
260	Miniature Pinscher	Small	$215	$21,100
261	Affenpinscher	Small	$205	$22,500
262	Papillon	Small	$185	$22,600
263	Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka	Small	$185	$23,000
264	Bolognese	Small	$175	$21,400
265	Maltese	Small	$175	$24,800
266	Biewer Terrier	Small	$155	$25,500
267	Russian Toy	Small	$155	$19,600
268	Yorkshire Terrier	Small	$145	$26,000
269	Pomeranian	Small	$135	$25,700
270	Poodle (Toy)	Small	$135	$27,900
271	Toy Fox Terrier	Small	$135	$20,600
272	Chihuahua	Small	$125	$21,200

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

Compiled by the PawCosts data team from breed standards, NAPHIA averages and AAFCO/vet nutrition formulas.

Frequently asked questions

Which dog eats the most?

The largest breeds — food intake scales with metabolic body weight.

How is this ranking calculated?

From our sortable cost database: food via the vet RER/MER calorie formula, insurance from NAPHIA US averages by breed health-risk tier, and lifespan from published breed standards.

What is the typical food cost/yr for dogs?

The median across 272 breeds is about $720.

Are these exact prices?

No — they are modelled US planning estimates; your real cost varies by region, provider and the individual animal.

Open the full sorter →