French bulldog in Guangzhou goes viral on social media

Photo: Screenshot from Xiaohongshu

A 5-year-old male French bulldog named Xiaobai from Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province has gone viral on Chinese social media for collecting empty plastic bottles over the past five years, Jiupai News reported on Tuesday. 

In the videos uploaded by his owner surnamed Zhang on Chinese social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douyin, the French bulldog named Xiaobai roams through the streets and shops, grabbing empty bottles by the neck, dragging them away and handing them over to its owner. Zhang can fill a sack with the bottles within half an hour. 

Zhang told Global Times on Tuesday that he earned 1,467 yuan ($205.29) for selling the bottles collected by Xiaobai during the 31 "workdays" in August. Each day, Zhang followed Xiaobai while it was roaming around and collecting bottles near their home. 

After Xiaobai went viral, Zhang even earned additional revenue of 2,099 yuan from the short video platforms in August. 

According to Zhang, the dog developed the habit of collecting bottles at 4 or 5 months old when homeless people sometimes traded meat for the bottles he picked up. This led the dog to believe bottles could be exchanged for food. 

According to Zhang, he never expected the videos to go viral, as his original intention was just to record Xiaobai's life. He now hopes to use the income from social media platforms to do something meaningful.

Zhang, a businessman, said he does not skimp on feeding the dog. Collecting bottles is the dog's hobby which Zhang respects. In the past, Zhang was even troubled by its hobby. However, he found the dog would stop eating and drinking and become depressed once he was not allowed to go out to collect bottles.

After Xiaobai became popular, nearby shop owners would even prepare empty bottles for him to collect. His bottle-collecting now brings in at least 50 yuan a day.

Zhang hopes Xiaobai's five years of persistence will inspire people to work hard in their own lives and careers. 

Source:https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202509/1342441.shtml