# Socks



## hecallsmebama (Mar 31, 2016)

Amos is 11 months and has responded well to training in general, but socks are his vice. He eats them. He poops them. He pukes them. He stares at you defiantly with it hanging from his lips like it's a fine Cuban cigar to be flaunted. We do everything we can to keep them away from him, but alas, he still manages to get ahold of them. I'm at a loss for how to get him to understand that it's not acceptable. He's learned not to eat the kids' toys on the floor or the food off an unattended plate within reach, etc. He's really a trustworthy angel in all other departments, but I need suggestions and ideas of how to get through to him on this. Yesterday was the worst day so far. He puked three and pooped one. I think he ate them out of a laundry basket behind a closet door that was left open.


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## b4ruby (Sep 3, 2016)

Our boy Lincoln also loves "socks." Shortly after he joined our family he began picking them up. We learned quickly this would be a good opportunity to teach him "leave it." I brought a container of kibble to the laundry room and while I sorted the laundry he would gather the socks. Since he loved food it was fairly easy to make a trade, he got the treat and I got the sock. He is now 6 months old and if there is a sock, clean or dirty, in the house he will find it to make the trade. "Leave it" is also our "drop it" command.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Hmm that's a tough one. The food and toys are left out in the open, while it seems socks generally are hidden away, right? Maybe that's why whatever avoidance/leave it training you've done isn't transferring over to the socks. Does he pick up socks when you're in the room with him? You could either try transferring leave it to the socks or you could encourage him to bring the socks to you instead of eating them. 

It sounds like you've already trained a leave it in other areas, but if not, gather some high value treats and a particularly tempting sock. When he goes for the sock, cover it up, and as soon as he stops focusing on it, praise him and give him a treat. Once he seems to understand that avoiding looking at the sock gets him a treat, you can add in the vocal command. I'm not sure how an 11 month old will react to this type of training as it usually relies on the impulses of puppies. Amos might have too much self-control to begin with. If it goes well, start leaving socks out when you can keep an eye on him to correct him (and when you're not expecting company,  ). 

The other idea is to apply retrieving and hold training to your sock problem. If he happily retrieves and brings things to you already (and especially with a soft mouth), this could be a good option. I'd probably start with a less-exciting-to-him object. Plastic or canvas bumpers are usually good candidates. There are lots of videos out there which offer a clearer explanation than I can write. I'm happy to try, if you think you'd want to take this approach! The end goal here is that he holds socks in his mouth without chewing on them and that he happily brings them to you for lots of praise.


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## hecallsmebama (Mar 31, 2016)

I have not tried the leave-them-out approach. I could sort of attempt that. Maybe with one sock and actively training him the whole time it's out. He can be so fast getting them down, but that approach is one I could see working for him.

If I do catch him with one, there's about a 50% chance he'll drop it if I say "drop it." Other times, he deep-throats them in a hurry and I have pry his mouth open, nearly gagging him to retrieve it. Or if I missed the actual swiping of the sock, but I'm there, he will quietly hold it in his mouth with a guilty look on his face...which is followed by the pry and retrieve. And then, there's my favorite  when he sits proud with it like its a trophy as if to say "come and get it."

The worst is when he's swiped several and we don't find out till he pukes them at 3 am or find them in the stool. He's particularly gotten bad about sneaking off to find them. If he's not napping or by my side, he's probably sock hunting.

This is a dog who has left forgotten bacon alone for hours while we did yard work, but he'll sneak off to eat a sock if he thinks we aren't paying attention!  but I think the active training sessions could work potentially. We shall see.


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## b4ruby (Sep 3, 2016)

Lincoln is also very proud when he presents the socks. If i ignore the first sock he presents he will gather as many, so far three, in his mouth that he can fit whether clean or dirty. It sounds like I was lucky that i noticed his sock fetish before he began chewing them.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

HeCallsMeBama said:


> If I do catch him with one, there's about a 50% chance he'll drop it if I say "drop it." Other times, he deep-throats them in a hurry and I have pry his mouth open, nearly gagging him to retrieve it. Or if I missed the actual swiping of the sock, but I'm there, he will quietly hold it in his mouth with a guilty look on his face...which is followed by the pry and retrieve. And then, there's my favorite  when he sits


I was thinking he might be playing keep-away with you. Dogs often avoid bringing things back to their handler because it's taken away immediately or because they get yelled at when it's something they aren't supposed to have. Obviously with the risk of him eating the socks you're more than justified at getting upset! No real guarantee this will work since it sounds like he eats them even when you aren't there, but if you can make it a non-issue when he has a sock it might lower their value to him. You can try is sitting on the ground or lying down when he comes around with a sock. It's weird behavior and usually gets them running over to investigate you. Pet him, but not on the head, and when he realizes you aren't out to grab the sock from him, he should become more comfortable carrying it around you and less likely to gobble it down. This is based on a method for getting birds from dogs. It'd be more ideal if he leaves the socks alone altogether, but this might work as an alternative.


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