They show it in their every expressive slobbery kiss, tail wag, and look of total admiration, telling their owners, “You are the apple of my eye!”
One-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois Bella shows her owner, Sylvia Phommalinh, that love by helping out around the house. Bella not only loads up the dishwasher and laundry machine; she also dusts, mops, and takes on the role of sous chef, according to Ms. Phommalinh.
“We have the best bond, full of unconditional love,” Ms. Phommalinh told The Epoch Times. “She trusts me, which is important for teaching new tricks.”
Bella even throws empty toilet paper rolls in the trash, the owner added.
Ms. Phommalinh, a physician assistant who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, bought Bella when she was just 6 ½ weeks old. And, like many dog owners subdued by their canine’s “sad eyes,” the woman succumbed to relinquishing some of her meal to Bella’s eager chomps.
Now, Bella loves to gobble up celery with peanut butter, as well as cucumber, watermelon, bell peppers, strawberries, and more.
But Bella’s love of human food plus helping Ms. Phommalinh around the house both came together in hilarious fashion, one day, upon Ms. Phommalinh’s offering Bella a blueberry.
“Bella looked at me like she wanted to try one,” Ms. Phommalinh said. “So I offered her a blueberry and one second later she spat it on the floor.”
“Put it in the trash,” Ms Phommalinh told the dog. So Bella dutifully took up the offending round fruit, activated the trash can door sensor, and tossed the unwanted bit away.
Afterward, Ms. Phommalinh became shocked when Bella began to associate the trash can with any and every food she despised.
“Bella is not a fan of blueberries, blackberries, oranges, celery without peanut butter,” Ms. Phommalinh said, adding more items to the list: “freeze-dried strawberries, tomatoes, kiwis, peaches, pears, parsnips, radishes, and fresh green beans.”
Video taken by Bella’s owner shows her exercising her discerning palate by nomming on all manner of morsels she loves while taking less appreciated offerings and discarding them promptly into the bin.
Eager to share this funny habit, Ms. Phommalinh sent a clip of Bella to her mom, who laughed hysterically when she saw it. The owner said others have reacted similarly.
Soon, Belgian Malinois Bella’s unprompted food critiques became such a hit that Ms. Phommalinh created an Instagram page dedicated to her.
(Courtesy of bella_belgianmalinoiscanecorso)
Clips of Bella helping with household chores, gobbling up tasty bites, shredding credit cards, and even using a treadmill now populate her social media presence.
And, obviously, clips of her taking out the trash are included. She enjoys other activities, as well.
“When she’s not spitting items in the trash, she’s found jumping on kitchen counters or tables like a cat,” Ms. Phommalinh said. “She also loves to cuddle with her stuffed animals.”
But Bella’s favorite task is locating scents. Her owner hides a small container with a cotton swab dabbed with one tiny drop of essential oil. Bella quickly zeros in with her nose and offers a “whisper bark” to notify her fur mom.