The world's most expensive dog showed he was just as friendly as the average, run-of-the-mill mutt as he met his new master.
The red Tibetan Mastiff, who was sold for 10million Chinese yuan, or £945,000, happily wagged his tail as he was handed over to his coal baron owner at a private breeding base in Qingdao city, in east China's Shandong province.
Mr Yang will need a big house too, as adult Tibetan Mastiffs have been known to weigh as much as 290lb, or more than 20 stone – the same as a sizeable rugby player. However the typical weight for a fully grown Tibetan Mastiff is around 13 stone.
The high price paid for the dog is a sign that the red Tibetan mastiff has become a status symbol in China, replacing jewellery and cars as a way for the super-rich to show off their wealth.
Not only is red considered a lucky colour, but Tibetan mastiffs are thought to be holy animals, blessing their owners' health and security.
Tibetans believe the dogs have the souls of monks and nuns who were not good enough to be reincarnated as humans or into Shambhala, the heavenly realm.
These days there are only around 300 Tibetan mastiffs in the UK, and puppies sell for a more reasonable £850 to £1,000.
