Every notary has one signing that lives rent-free in their head.
For me, it’s the day a signing turned into an interrogation — and the only eyewitness had four legs, fur, and a questionable alibi.
It started like any other appointment. Papers prepped. ID verified. Coffee in hand. Then came the bark — short, sharp, and suspicious. Out from behind the couch trotted the real star of the show: the client’s golden retriever, tail wagging and tongue out, ready for duty.
“Don’t worry,” the signer said. “He’s harmless.”
That was a lie.
Harmless creatures don’t wedge their heads between the signing table and your elbow every time you lift a pen. They also don’t drool directly on the acknowledgment page — the one with the blue-ink requirement.
I tried to stay professional.
“Sir, I need you to focus on the document, not the—” SLOP.
The dog had successfully claimed Exhibit A: the loan packet.
Now, for the record, Oregon notary law says nothing about canine interference. But if it did, this pup would be Exhibit B — obstruction of workflow.
Eventually, I managed to recover the documents, wipe off the drool, and resume signing. But that’s when I noticed something worse.
The dog’s tail had swiped the pen right off the table.
The signer bent down to pick it up.
Thunk.
Head met table.
Ink met carpet.
And me? I met my limit.
After a brief pause and some laughter (the kind you do to stop from crying), the paperwork was completed — smudged, but legally sound.
The dog, however, wasn’t done.
As I packed my notary journal, he planted one giant paw on the folder and gave me a look that said, “I was here too.”
So I let him.
I took a picture of that muddy pawprint — not on the document, of course — but as a reminder. Because in this line of work, things will go wrong in ways you can’t plan for. You can have the checklist, the journal, the ID, and the perfect pen. And still… fate (or fur) will intervene.
That’s the beauty and chaos of being a mobile notary. You never know what’s waiting behind the door — a confused signer, a missing witness, or a golden retriever determined to make your day memorable.
And if I’ve learned anything from The Tale of the Four-Legged Witness, it’s this:
Always carry extra pens.
And maybe some dog treats.