Surely you’ve speculated about the net worth of your favorite celebrity, but have you ever pondered the total capital of a sixth-generation German shepherd owned by a peculiar Italian businessman with a mansion full of sexy friends and alleged mob ties? Gunther’s Millions, the new four-part docuseries from director Aurelien Leturgie and executive producer Emilie Dumay, makes you sit, stay and beg for the answer to that very question — and it’s almost as complicated as the story itself.

Before unpacking the net worth of the world’s wealthiest canine, here’s some background. Gunther’s Millions is the story of Maurizio Mian (the aforementioned peculiar Italian) and his dog, a German shepherd named Gunther. Mian is a celebrity in Italy, known for his ties to the pharmaceutical industry as well as to the mafia. For decades, Mian said he inherited a dog named Gunther from a German countess who was also a family friend — and the four-legged inheritance came with a seven-figure empire. Over the years, Mian has used that inheritance for various financial exploits, including funding a pop group called the Burgundians, buying Madonna’s former home and making sure his favorite humans and furry friend (or friends, as his current dog is Gunther VI, descended from a long line of Gunthers before him) are well taken care of. 

The series reveals what’s real (and what’s not) about Mian and Gunther’s story — no need to spoil it here, but check out this Gunther’s Millions ending explainer if you’re looking for some solid answers. Beyond the sex, lies and intrigue, there’s one fundamental truth that lies at the heart of it all.

“To be honest with you, the one thing that’s absolutely real in this story is the money,” Leturgie tells Tudum. “The trust is beyond imagination — probably hundreds of millions, maybe a billion.”

Leturgie explained that while some reporting claims the richest dog in the world is worth $400 million, it’s actually impossible to know how much wealth the Gunther estate has actually amassed over the years. 

Gunther with members of The Burgundians outside his estate in Miami.

“The numbers have been reported in so many different shapes and forms,” Leturgie says. “It’s beyond just the trust — it’s also all the real estate that belongs to Mian and his family… and there’s a yacht and private planes. Four hundred million was a number that was presented to us, but beyond that, we don’t know. We don’t have access to their finances.”

Despite being unable to nail down an official figure for the actual worth of Gunther’s empire, Leturgie says that the world’s richest dog is exactly that — and he definitely lives like it. 

“He lives in a beautiful mansion,” Leturgie says. “He’s very well taken care of.”

And even though he has enough money to get your tail wagging, Leturgie also says Gunther VI is as down-to-earth as the dog next door.

“Gunther VI is adorable,” Leturgie says. “He’s a little bit shy, but he’s a very sweet boy.”

‘Gunther’s Millions' Main Trailer