Why are English Bulldogs so Expensive, Five Reasons Why

English Bulldogs are one of the cutest, calmest, most dependable, lovable and friendly dog breeds on the planet. They’re also brave, patient and loyal to a fault. One thing they are not, however, is inexpensive. In fact, English Bulldogs are one of the more expensive dog breeds to purchase, making them unaffordable for many due to their high purchase price.

That’s a shame because of, well, all of the wonderful things we mentioned above. But there is a reason for their expensive cost. In fact, there are several reasons that purchasing an English Bulldog will set you back quite a few dollars, pounds or euros.

So, why are English Bulldogs so expensive?

One of the main reasons that English Bulldogs are so expensive to purchase is because they are so expensive for breeders to breed. There are many costs associated with breeding English Bullies that you simply don’t have with other breeds, including;

Artificial Insemination

90% of English Bulldog females need to be artificially inseminated in order to become pregnant. That’s because, as a ‘man-made’ dog breed, English Bulldogs don’t anatomically ‘match’ very well, making intercourse almost impossible. In fact, it’s been reported that when English Bulldog males try to mount their female counterpart it can be so exhausting that they often overheat and even vomit from the stress and strain of it all.

Artificial insemination (AI) does have a few advantages, including;

  • The male’s sperm can be checked under a microscope to make sure it is viable and of excellent quality
  • The amount of sperm can also be checked to make certain it is sufficient
  • The male’s reproductive parts can be checked to make sure they are healthy
  • Any type of sickness or disease can’t spread from male to female as they never actually make contact
  • Injury is prevented as the male and female bulldog don’t physically fornicate

The cost of artificial insemination for an English Bulldog is about $1600.00. If frozen sperm is needed this can add another $5000.00 to $10,000.00 to the cost, and thus add to the cost of purchase.

C-Section Whelping

When an English Bulldog gives birth (whelping) it can be physically dangerous due to the severe amount of stress they go through. Often one or more pups will perish during the process and, even if the female is able to whelp 1 or 2 naturally, they will be so exhausted that a c-section will be needed anyway.

The reason for this is simple; English Bulldogs are brachycephalic and have a head and body structure that makes it difficult for them to mate and whelp. Thus C-sections are the norm at most breeding locations. C-section whelping does prevent certain problems, however, and that’s why it is recommended. These problems include;

  • A weakened and/or torn uterus which can cause problems for the female in the future
  • Puppy fatalities due to the high amount of whelping stress
  • Not knowing if all the puppies have been whelped, which can cause some to stay in-utero and die only to be pushed out days later
  • Infections that can occur if all puppies aren’t whelped and one dies in-utero.

The cost for a C-section for an English Bulldog will typically run between $2500.00 to $5000.00, depending on when they give birth, where they are located and how much the veterinarian providing the C-section charges, all of which add to the high cost of buying an English Bulldog pup.

Very Few Litters

Compared to other breeds of dog English Bulldogs have fewer litters due to the health problems that they can cause. Typically an English Bulldog female can have 1 or 2 safely without affecting their health, with 3 to 5 puppies being whelped with each litter. Because of this underabundance of litters and puppies English Bulldog prices are higher than other breeds.

Genetic Testing

Responsible breeders will want to make sure that the female English Bulldogs they are breeding are the strongest and most healthy before they breed them. For this reason, most opt to perform genetic testing before they breed, to make certain that a variety of genetic problems are not present and won’t be passed on to the puppies. These include;

  • Luxating patella
  • Hip and/or elbow dysplasia
  • Congenital heart disease and deafness
  • Eye problems
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Tracheal hypoplasia

Hand Whelping, Care and Feeding

Although loving animals that make wonderful pets, English Bulldog females do not make the best mothers. They need to be hand-whelped (if no C-section is provided) and their pups usually need to be hand-fed and cared for by humans as the mother will often roll over on the pups and injure or kill them accidentally. Typically a female and her pups will need human assistance for the first 8 to 10 weeks until the pups are strong enough to eat on their own. For these reasons the need for human interaction is high and thus adds to the cost of purchasing English Bullie pups.

How much do English Bulldogs Cost?

Depending on your location in the world, the demand for English Bulldogs in that location and the breeder where you purchase your pup, an English Bulldog puppy will cost between $1500 and $6000.00. Of course, when purchasing an English Bulldog pup you also need to take into account all of the extra expenses you will have down-the-road due to the plethora of health problems that this particular breed is known to have. These include the aforementioned sexual reproduction problems, breathing difficulties and several more. (You can read about these problems in some of our other blog posts.)

As an example of the extra amount, it will cost to own an English Bulldog, take their teeth. English Bulldogs are one of the brachycephalic breeds of dog, which means that they will have a very flat muzzle as well as an undershot jaw. Both of these conditions mean that even regular dental care will cost about 20 to 30% more than with other dog breeds.

What is the Absolute Minimum You Should Spend on an English Bulldog?

Most dog experts agree that, at minimum, and English Bulldog should cost about $1500.00 due to all of the extra expenses (above) that are needed in order to successfully breed them and produce healthy puppies. If you were to find an English Bulldog pup for less than this, and especially for much less, the likelihood that they were born in a so-called ‘puppy mill’ is much higher, as is the likelihood that your pup will have many health problems down the road (even if they seem healthy and normal when you purchase them).

How Much Do English Bulldogs Cost in Cities vs Rural Areas?

In most countries, animals, including dogs, are a major source of income for many people. In fact, outside of farm animals like cows, chickens, pigs and others, dogs make up a major income source around the world. This affects their price greatly.

In terms of how much an English Bulldog will cost in a rural area as opposed to a suburban area or city, there’s not a lot of data to make any specific claims but there are a few factors that will definitely affect the end price of your English Bullie pup, including;

  • How remote the place where you live happens to be. More remote usually means less cost because the cost to breed is less.
  • Demand. In rural areas, the demand for English Bulldog pups will usually be less and sometimes much less. This is due to the age-old law of supply and demand. Thus, in the city, the cost of your Bullie will likely be much higher because demand is also higher.
  • The cost of veterinary care. Rural veterinarians usually charge less, and sometimes much less, than suburban and city vets, for various reasons. Higher vet costs mean higher English Bulldog prices in most cities.

The cost of an English Bulldog pup in NYC

New York City is one of the most expensive cities on the planet and thus the cost of an English Bulldog in New York will be around $2500.00 to $5000.00.


An English Bullie with full AKC papers in Chicago will set you back between $1500.00 and $5000.00 depending on the breeder.


Recent prices for English Bulldog pups in the City of Angels were between $2000.00 and $6000.00 when we checked recently.


On a recent check of prices in Paris, we found English Bullies going from 500 Euros to 5000 Euros, although as we mentioned earlier anything less than about 1350 Euros ($1500.00) would likely mean that they come from a French puppy mill and should thus be avoided.

Are English Bulldogs more expensive in the USA, UK or Canada?

Generally speaking, English Bulldogs are more expensive in the United States than either Canada or the UK. However, the prices fluctuate in all 3 countries on a regular basis so putting a specific number on the price of a Bullie pup is difficult at best. If you’re looking to purchase an English Bulldog, no matter where you live, you should definitely do your due diligence, take your time looking and find a reputable breeder who can offer full AKC papers.

What was the most expensive bulldog ever sold?

In 2015 the rapper 2 Chainz allegedly purchased an English Bulldog for $100,000.00. Kylie Jenner reportedly purchased one for $50,000.00 at one time. The difference between their Bullies and others is negligible at best, but when it comes to celebrities there’s no accounting for financial acumen.

How much do other Bulldog breeds cost?

Bulldogs are one of the brachycephalic breeds of dogs and thus cost more, on average, than other breeds due to the aforementioned difficulty encountered when breeding them, Most bulldogs will set you back about the same amount of money although English Bulldogs do seem to cost a bit more.

The below prices are averages that you should use as a guide only.

  • English Bulldog- $1500 to $4200.00 High-end- $10,000.00
  • French Bulldog- $1500.00 to $3700.00 High-end- $6000.00
  • Olde English Bulldog – $1800.00 to $2800.00 High-end- $3500.00
  • Boxer – $700.00 to $1600.00 High-end- $2800.00


The cost of an English Bulldog is so high because of the high cost of breeding them and then nurturing them as puppies. The cost to own an English Bulldog is also higher because they have many genetic problems that other dog breeds don’t. All of these factors should be taken into consideration before you purchase an English Bullie so that you know what you’re getting yourself into and can afford the high costs of veterinary healthcare that you will likely encounter.

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