Buy a Miami mansion from a German shepherd

Miami is known for its incredible waterfront mansions - boasting many household names as owners, but a recently listed property surely has the most interesting owner - a wealthy German shepherd named Gunther VI.

Gunther VI has been the owner of the property since the dog's trust bought it from Madonna in 2000.

Madonna previously owned the mansion until selling it to the trust of Gunther VI, the dog, in 2000. The 1.2-acre waterfront property went on sale with an asking price of $31.75 million (the equivalent of R495 million) — a huge jump from when Madonna sold the villa to Gunther's trust in 2000 for $7.5 million, according to Miami's property appraiser.

The dog's property overlooks Biscayne Bay, boasts nine bedrooms, eight and a half bathrooms, and a swimming pool. According to reports the home is one of six waterfront homes and is minutes away from Miami Beach. 

The real estate agent, Ruthie Assouline, had told AP that Gunther VI lives in Madonna's former master bedroom. She is managing the sale of the property along with her husband, Ethan Assouline.

Decisions on when to buy and sell real estate are made by a board that oversees the trust. This doesn't mean that Gunther plays no part in the deal - he is present at the real estate agent's meetings, travels by private jet, and enjoys meals prepared by a chef, according to one of his caretakers and board member Carla Riccitelli.

The dog's wealth can be traced back to his ancestor, Gunter III, who inherited millions of dollars from his owner, German countess Karlotta Liebenstein, who died in 1992.

Since then, the dog's bloodline has been looked after by handlers, and heirs to Gunter III are due to inherit the money indefinitely. 

Gunther VI's trust is worth almost $500 million, having grown hugely through savvy investments.