Woman pays $582K for Tibetan mastiff

A Chinese woman has reportedly paid $582,000 for a Tibetan mastiff, making it what many believe to be the world's most expensive dog.

The Times Online reports that the dog, named "Yangtze River Number Two," was purchased in the Qinhai province in northwest China. Local reports indicated that a motorcade of 30 cars escorted the dog from the airport in Xi'an to his new home. A crowd also gathered to celebrate its new resident.

The Times said there are two different versions of how the woman came to seek out the mastiff. One version indicates that the woman, who is only known as Mrs. Wang, fell in love with the dog when she was travelling in the town of Yushu with a Tibetan mastiff that she already owned so she could find it a mate. Another version said that Mrs. Wang had been searching for years for the perfect Tibetan mastiff when she found Yangtze.

"Gold has a price, but this Tibetan mastiff doesn't," the woman reportedly said when she returned home.

The Tibetan mastiff was primarily used in the past as a family and property guardian.

Earlier this year, a family in Florida paid $155,000 for a Labrador named Lancelot Encore . The price included what it cost to clone the dog from the original Lancelot.

Associated Content reports that other expensive dog breeds include the English bulldog ($2,000 to $5,000), the Akita ($1,500 to $3,500) and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ($800 to $3,500).