The Newest Status Symbol

The newest status symbol for the ultra-rich isn’t a doodle mix but a $150,000 protection dog from Svalinn a Montana-based breeder and trainer. Homes with high walls, razor wire, high-tech security systems, and surly bodyguards may previously have been the go-to for extra safety, but for those who fancy a slightly more affectionate approach Svalinn offers “military grade” protection dogs.

Based on a gorgeous ranch in Livingston, Montana, Svalinn breeds, raises, and trains protection dogs by mixing characteristics of different breeds. Svalinn crosses breeds of German shepherds, Dutch shepherds, and Belgian shepherds, and not all the dogs are the same. Each has their own distinct appearance and temperament, with some being a better fit for a family. The high price of the dogs is in part due to the minimum of 1,000 hours of training that starts when the pups are 8 weeks old.

The company has been making headlines and the pets appear to be sparking conversations on social media. On TikTok, there are more than 101 million posts related to “Svalinn Security Dog,” and #svalinnworkingdogs has over 1,000 posts on Instagram. Many so-called ‘protection’ dogs are trained for competitions. Svalinn’s focus is developing loving and faithful companion dogs that are also exceptional deterrents to a would-be threat, and instant protectors, should you or your family ever be in imminent danger.

In order to purchase a dog, prospective owners must visit the remote ranch to see if there is a good match. Kim Greene, Svalinn Founder & CEO says that her clients are purchasing dogs to prioritize peace of mind. “A lot of us don’t want to live our lives in fear, but knowing that we kind of have an ever-vigilant guardian angel by our side just makes us feel we can just live our lives in a state of awareness rather than having to be vigilant all the time,” she said.