Have you seen "Sybil" the dog?

I would absolutely LOVE if Realtors would make sure their sellers understand an interesting phenomenon that happens to MANY of their sweet, precious, pooches when the seller is NOT home.

I am a dog lover but I have learned that dogs have multiple personalities- or at least two. There is the personality when the master is there getting them to show the listing agent how he is harmless, the smartest dog on the block, as he shakes hands, rolls over, or lays lithlessly under the shade tree because after all, "he's 12 years old and just too dang tired to even bark, much less be a threat."

Then there is the personality that reveals itself ONLY if the Realtor goes out to the property when Master Seller is NOT home. This is when precious pooch turns into....... SYBIL!!! The friendly, happy, salivating pooch, now believes he is The PROTECTOR of the DOMAIN! The DEFENDER of the LAND! The Destroyer of the Human Invaders!

"Just call him by his name," the listing office reads off the instructions as I sit in my locked car, window up, shaking because "Tucker" just latched on to my pleather coat sleeve and I had to race back to my car, trying to run with legs that had turned to noodles.

If would be great if listing agents could educate their sellers into this ever present phenomenon that knows no geographic boundaries. I know this because I have asked other Realtors across the country and usually in a gathering of at least 3 Realtors, somebody has a similar story.

A Realtor from my very own office RODE IN A SUV for 3 days with a buyer and his dog, at which time she got to feel very comfortable with the dog (she loves all animals and has a dog). Buyer got out of the car to purchase a bottled water for them and the dog took a large bite out of the Realtor's arm requiring 21 stiches and leaving an ugly scar.

It is really difficult sometimes to help sellers understand that this could probably happen to "Muffin", "Precious" or "Snookums" but it does and it is important to our own safety and the welfare of our buyers to educate the sellers out there, that just like our children,...we just don't really know what they will do when we are not there. Be Smart.

If you have a Sybil the Dog story, please share it. It would be great to have testimonials to share with sellers.

thanks!

Beth Williamson.  MAX Coastal Associates. Aynor, SC....