Three of the five real estate sales personalities Conrad Zurini identifies in his column: the Australian shepherd, the golden retriever and the bulldog. Which one are you? (Canva)

You know what they say, give a job to a busy person and they will get it done. I applied that to getting a puppy. Yes, a puppy, as if I needed to complicate my life anymore than it already is. So back in the fall of 2025 when I realized that my daughter was in her graduating year of university and was needing me less and less (except for forgivable loans once in a while) I decided that I needed a puppy, which would keep me grounded and fill the void of someone or something that needed my undivided attention.

My daughter will attest to this that I didn’t always give her undivided attention. As a real estate agent I had one ear on a cell phone and the other on my crying child. Those of you who have raised a puppy, you know that if you do not give your full attention to them, you will have to replace shoes, drywall and of course furniture.

Puppy school gave me a whole new perspective

One of the first things I embarked on to achieve some semblance of puppy success was to sign up for Life Skills 101 at puppy school, where the trainer made three statements that forever changed my perspective on life, family and business. He put into words something I have heard notionally my entire career, but for the first time it hit me with such profoundness. He said, “Dogs just do what is valuable for them. They are not stubborn. They are just looking for value.” I instantly tested this theory by replacing the word ‘dog’ with ‘a spouse’, ‘your child’, ‘a client’ etc. I think any living, breathing thing on our planet is looking for value — sunflowers move towards the sun, bees are attracted to nectar, and home sellers and buyers are attracted to agents who demonstrate expertise and are always mindful of their clients’ needs.

Puppy training does not discriminate by breed; the only segregation was large breeds on one side of the room and small breeds on the other. What I found most intriguing is that each dog breed took direction in the same fashion, however, the reward (the value) came in different forms. Believe it or not some of the dogs were not motivated by food, which is the primary value that most dogs are looking for. As a result their owners would have to provide that value in other ways — like a high-pitched voice (a cross between an annoying squeaky toy and fingernails on a chalkboard) for example. But eventually, the idea is to wean them off of snacks, biscuits, or that funny voice, and find value in you as their owner.

Is real estate going to the dogs? 

Forgive me for making this leap, but I thought of our dogs as the clients we serve. (I’m going to take a lot of heat for this one.) Hear me out: dog breeds come in many shapes and sizes, their needs differ in so many ways, however they appreciate value when they experience it. Many times we slide down the slippery slope of discounting our service fees to compensate for the lack of or absence of value. We have all been there when a potential seller calls us back after interviewing two other competing agents and says, “We really want to work with you but … we do not like the commission you are charging.” Most agents faced with this will often look at their compensation model and make an adjustment. Rather than reiterating a service that they provide, and how it reflects upon the seller’s bottom line, or something you do from a marketing perspective that can ultimately reduce the time to sell, which can prove to be extremely valuable.

The more I learn about dogs, the more I like people

We are selling a high-value professional service like those in other industries. For a real estate agent, rainmaker strategies look less like chasing leads and more like building a visible, trusted practice the way lawyers, accountants and consultants do. As a result, I felt it was important to identify the five professional service sales types, identify their overall efficiency and potential to fill a pipeline, and how to migrate to one which is growth-centric, scalable and sustainable in any market.

When researching which breed of dog I should get, I went on a wide variety of websites which listed the traits of each breed and what environment would be needed to allow that breed to thrive. Of course, I asked dog owners I knew or came across to find out if these websites were telling me the truth, and if there was something that surprised them about the breed they chose. Of course I also asked various AI applications and validated my decision. It made me think how intense my research was and how important it was to not go with my unpractical side and choose the wrong breed. As a result of this research I felt the parallel between dog breeds and sales personality types.

Sales personality types as dog breeds

1. The border collie

The border collie is hyper-intelligent, focused, and thrives on mastering tasks, but more importantly is truly a market maven and demonstrates their expertise in everything they do. One who knows the nuances of neighbourhoods, has a clear understanding of price per square foot, and what other factors drive the market. This sales personality operates with precision, pride and competence. They are methodical and motivated by excellence, and draw upon their knowledge rather than being overly flamboyant.

2. The golden retriever

Goldens are loyal, empathetic, and thrive on being loved — they are truly relationship-driven. They are akin to a trusted adviser who builds trust through warmth and reliability. They’re great listeners and put others at ease, creating lasting bonds.

3. The Jack Russell terrier

Energetic, quick-thinking, and sometimes a bit fiery, the Jack Russell is a deal defender who thinks on their feet with unbridled tenacity. This type challenges assumptions, loves intellectual sparring, and doesn’t shy away from confrontation when it leads to clarity or a win.

4. The bulldog

Bulldogs are grounded, dependable, and unflappable. They see things as they are, not as they wish them to be. They are like a grounded guide — excellent at managing expectations, they stay calm under pressure, and project steady confidence.

5. The Australian shepherd

Aussies are go-getters: energetic leaders who thrive when moving things forward. They are momentum makers — they motivate others to take action, galvanize teams, and rarely sit still. They educate their clients on emerging trends, and are always searching out new opportunities for them.

Which breed would be the most successful in real estate?

Based on 2024 registration numbers from the Canadian Kennel Club for purebred dogs, four out of the five breeds referred to here are in the top six most popular breeds in Canada. Would it be a stretch to connect the popularity of the breed with the success of the agent sales type? This hypothesis would make a certain amount of sense as to how people search out the best breed, which suits their lifestyle and complements their personality — so would their choice in real estate agents.

If consumer choice mirrors a certain sales type, then it would make sense that each profile represents a segment of the consumer base. Which would lead us to believe that each type of rainmaker profile would line up evenly with five consumer personality types, thus equalling roughly 20 per cent of prospective prospects. So what about the other 75 to 80 per cent of consumers, who are not just about working with a bulldog negotiator — where does that leave them, and how do we as sales practitioners leverage our professional sales style to bring about a wider audience to engage in our services? What about the time it takes to develop these deep-rooted relationships with prospects at the expense of another client’s needs?

Matthew Dixon, a foremost expert on sales, business development, marketing and the client experience, authored a study called the Rainmaker Genome Project, which surveyed 3,000 partner-level professionals and identified various types of business development performers and measured their success at attracting and closing on clients. Dixon identified that four out of the five types proved to be equally efficient in their own right. However, there was one type known as the Activator which ranked highly against their peers in sales volume. The study went on to say that those sales professionals who do not take on Activator-style attributes were leaving 32 per cent of potential revenue on the table.

The make-me-move campaign

The key to moving forward in today’s compressed sales cycle is to first understand which professional sales provider (dog breed) you are. I caution you: this is not a personality type — it’s the way you operate to generate, nurture and close on prospects. Make no mistake, your personality enhances your sales aura. If you are not the type of person who is an all-in emotional type, you are probably not a golden. If you are great at collecting business cards (which collect dust in a drawer) or Instagram views on a blooper reel, but you aren’t engaging with your audience on an intellectual level, you are probably not a border collie.

All modern dog breeds were bred through the manipulation of canine genetics to create breeds which took on desired traits for specific physical and behavioural attributes. Being an SOB (son of a broker), I was bred to be a real estate agent — oh how I wish my parents were doctors instead. As agents, we are bred by various coaches and trainers, we gather opinions from fellow colleagues and gain knowledge through every transaction. As a result, our sales genetics are selective and fit nicely into the first four categories above — the border collie, golden retriever, Jack Russell terrier and bulldog.

Where we can cheat genetics in our sales style is by embracing the Aussie, which entails the following:

1. Being high-energy at events and on your social platforms to build an audience/network.
2. Being focused on educating your clients on the latest trends, economic forecasts and the overall temperature of the market.
3. Proactively seeking out opportunities for your client base, whether it is some sort of government incentive, identifying the move-up pricing gap at its most narrow point in the last 15 years, etc.
4. Constantly communicating action-oriented cues when there appears to be scarcity in a property class, type or location. “We haven’t seen a property like this backing onto the ravine in this neighbourhood in over a decade,” or “There hasn’t been an end unit in this complex in four years.”
5. The word momentum, which is grammatically identified as a mass/uncountable noun, is this type of sales professional’s reason for being — fuelled by positivity, optimism and a proven track record.

Which breed are you? Take Conrad’s quiz to find out!

Conrad Zurini

Conrad Zurini has had a front row seat in many facets of the real estate industry, with a focus on improving the overall customer experience. He is a principal in two real estate brokerages with over 1200 agents.