A 5-year-old French bulldog named Xiaobai from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, has become an internet sensation in China after spending the past five years collecting empty plastic bottles. According to Jiupai News, videos of Xiaobai—uploaded by his owner, surnamed Zhang, on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin—show the dog roaming streets and shops, grabbing bottles by the neck and delivering them to his owner.
Zhang revealed to the Global Timesthat he earned 1,467 yuan ($205.29) in August by selling the bottles Xiaobai collected over 31 “workdays.” The dog can fill a sack in just half an hour. Thanks to his sudden fame, Zhang also made an extra 2,099 yuan from short-video platform revenue.
Zhang explained that Xiaobai developed the habit at 4 or 5 months old after homeless people sometimes traded meat for the bottles he brought. The dog now sees bottles as a way to earn food. Though Zhang initially just wanted to document Xiaobai’s life, he now plans to use the income for meaningful causes.
Despite Xiaobai’s unusual hobby, Zhang—a businessman—ensures the dog is well-fed and respects his passion. In the past, Zhang even worried when Xiaobai was denied bottle-collecting time, as the dog would become depressed and refuse food or water. Now, nearby shop owners prepare bottles for Xiaobai, who earns at least 50 yuan a day.
Zhang hopes Xiaobai’s five years of dedication will inspire people to work hard in their own lives.
