A stray dog has melted hearts online after apparently trying to “buy” food with a leaf, copying the customers it had been watching at a roadside stall.

The dog had been quietly watching people exchange currency notes for grilled skewers at the vendor’s cart. After observing several transactions, it disappeared briefly and returned with a small leaf in its mouth, looking at the vendor with hopeful eyes.

Moved by the gesture, the vendor gave the animal some food. He later said the dog seemed to understand the idea of payment and wanted to take part in it.

The video was shared by the Instagram account Showkase Official and has drawn thousands of reactions. It is a small, sweet reminder of how closely animals watch and learn from the humans around them.

Animal behaviourists say dogs are excellent observers of human routines. The leaf episode shows how quickly they can imitate patterns they see repeated. The vendor’s kindness in feeding the dog has earned him praise from thousands of viewers.