He's a Very Good Boy. He'll Also Cost You $150K

New York magazine on why some are shelling out the eye-popping sum for Svalinn dogs
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 20, 2024 9:31 AM CDT
This Is a $150K Dog
A screen shot of a Svallin dog in training.   (YouTube/Svalinn)

They are handsome dogs, for sure. But $150,000? New York magazine explores the bewildering price tag for these dogs bred in Montana by a company called Svalinn. As it turns out, plenty of people with deep pockets are willing to pay the sum, and the animals have become a "status symbol" of sorts, writes Ryder Howe. The dogs themselves are "an undisclosed mix of Dutch shepherd, German shepherd, and Belgian Malinois," and they're not behemoths—they typically weigh about 60 pounds. What sets them apart is their two-and-a-half years of intense training. In the end, they become a combination of "military-grade" protection dog and warm family pet. Svalinn founder Kim Greene has a tough approach that may wrankle dog lovers, as Howe points out that not all of the puppies born at the Montana facility survive—for example, if a mother abandons a newborn, or newborns, the staff will not intervene to save it.

"If we were a puppy mill, we would sleep with the puppies," says Greene. "We'd give them heat lamps. But you know what? These are protection assets. And if six of them are going to pass, there's a reason." At the same time, potential owners are vetted to make sure they meet a "no a--holes" policy, and follow-up visits are made to ensure training is maintained. Which may get to the heart of the aforementioned status symbol: "You're becoming part of a club," says Greene. "You're buying into support and troubleshooting and backstopping." Howe gets a first-hand look at training when he dons a "bite suit" to endure an attack. The suit protects, but the dog fails to stop fighting even when the cease commands—"Out!" and "Fooey-it!"—are used. Eventually, the dog is wrestled away. "This is why we train them two and a half years," says Greene with a sigh. (Read the full story.)

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