Imagine checking into a hotel and having your luggage carried by a dog - sounds unreal, right? Well, it is actually happening at a homestay in Lijiang, Yunnan province, China. A husky named Hakimi helps guests by pulling their trolleys, and in the process, the canine has become a social media sensation. According to the South China Morning Post, Hakimi's viral fame even helped the homestay rake in 200,000 yuan (over Rs 23.49 lakh) in revenue in just three days.
Hakimi's owner, Xu, shared that it all started as a fun experiment. "When Hakimi came to our home, it was very energetic. Last April, when I took it out to play, I had the idea of having it try pulling a trolley. To my surprise, it learnt right away," Xu told Cover News.
The dog's owner added, "We never trained it. At first, it would occasionally turn over or bump into people, but it improved through practice. Its skills have improved. Also, it rarely destroys things at home, probably because it uses up its energy outside."
Hakimi pulls trolleys loaded with guests' luggage along a 200-meter route from the South Gate of Lijiang Old Town to the homestay.
Xu shared that the dog genuinely loves "working" and gets super excited every time it pulls a trolley. "We only take it out when guests ask for it, and it usually does this about three to six times a day," Xu mentioned.
Nearly 80 percent of the homestay's guests now visit just to experience Hakimi's service.
At first, Xu posted videos of the Husky pulling luggage just for fun. To his surprise, the clips went online and received millions of views. "Each video gets between one and 10 million views. Hakimi has become a 'little fortune bringer' for the homestay," Xu added.
