This $150,000 dog is the new status symbol
Sweetgrass Studios / Svallin
According to New York Magazine, there's a new status symbol dog for the very rich. It's not a Goldendoodle (or any doodle mix) — or even anything you can fit in a purse.
It's a guard dog—specifically, a guard dog trained by Svalinn, a Montana-based breeder and training outfit that specializes in "protection dogs." (Its website says it avoids the negative connotation of the term "attack dog.")
The Svalinn dogs are bred as a mix of German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, and Belgian Malinois on a ranch in Montana. They cost around $150,00 each. (New York Magazine's Ben Ryder Howe talked to a couple who own two, and the dogs are said to also be loyal and friendly, not just for standing guard.)
But it might be worth it to buy now — a representative for Svalinn told Business Insider that they're expecting prices to rise over the next few years because of the increased costs of the two- to three-year training.
And hey, can you really put a price on a furry best friend? (Yes, apparently).