Mansions, caviar, limousines – the lifestyle of the rich and powerful is going to the dogs!
It’s not every day that a canine arrives to an auction house in Turn-Italy by chauffeur-driven limousine, and yet the German Shepherd named Gunther IV not only attended, but won a 2001 auction for a rare white truffle with the winning bid of 3 million Lira – or roughly $1.1 million. That’s a lof of bones.
A typical day in the life of Gunther IV is nothing short of extraordinary. With a slew of mansions, cars, and human staff, Gunther lives like a “good boy.”
The bedazzled dog is waited on paw and foot by a personal maid and butler. He eats steak and caviar for dinner at the beck and bark of his human staff, enjoys cool summers in his customized swimming pool, and rides around in a limo as he is brought from one multi-million-dollar home to the next.
And you thought your dog was spoiled!
Gunther’s acquisitions include Estates in the Bahamas, Germany, and Italy, including the $7.5 million dollars Miami home once occupied by pop diva Madonna.
It’s nothing short of jaw-dropping, to think that this canine’s gratuitous wealth continues to grow, and yet, it skyrockets.
Yes, you read that right. $400 million – thanks to the wise investments of Gunther’s caretakers.
So who “owns” Gunther IV? Well, no one, per se. Gunther IV inherited his fortune from his father, Gunther III.
Bear with me. It’s not quite as crazy as it sounds.
Gunther III was owned by German countess and multi-millionaire Karlotta Leibenstein. Upon her death, Karlotta – a well-known animal lover who was deeply attached to her pets – left her vast fortune of $80 million to her canine companion.
Her beloved pet amassed an astronomical fortune, and today that dog’s son (and presumably his son’s son, and so on) is the world’s richest dog.
The next richest dogs in the world are owned by Oprah Winfrey, who set up a $30 million trust for her five spoiled canines.
Gunther may take home the trophy for the richest hound, but living as the lap dog of luxury isn’t all that’s it cut out to be. Critics of Gunther’s suave lifestyle suggest that moving a dog around from house to house with no permanent “home” can be damaging to a dog’s psyche, just as it would be for a human child.
Gunther is said to be a “very high maintenance dog,” and it can be argued that excessive pampering might be creating an animal with behavioral problems.
However, it’s undeniable that the dog is loved very much by his caretakers, and he certainly enjoys a life most humans would envy… no if’s, and’s, or woo’s about it.
So, tell us: Do you think fame and fortune make for a happier canine, or does love alone foster the joy in man’s best friend?
Let us know in the comments!
Gunther deserves everything he has. His grandmother left him a,fortune and his investors are geniuses. Hopefully he donates to dog charities but otherwise his lifestyle is fine. Changing homes is minor compared to the traumatic lives others of this breed lead in service to and in defense of humans. A rich German Shepherd is very appropriate.
What a sad waste of money. I have owned and loved dogs my whole life. My current is quite literally my best friend. So, while I understand wanting to set them up for life if you were well off, I cannot condone or understand this gluttonous flaunting of wealth via human or canine.
This actually is pretty cool. And what else could she have done with her money? Given it to humans who also would have flaunted it? When are ppl going to finally realize money isn’t what really matters. Can’t take it with you when you die. However, apparently you can will it to your pet.