“Help! How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Eating Socks”

Lily is a one-year-old Lab mix who eats everything in sight – mostly socks. She has destroyed clothes, shoes, hair ties... my sofa! Nothing I do stops this behaviour. Even when I tried using a crate, she chewed the plastic tray at the bottom, then started chewing the floor through the crate bars. Recently, she had emergency surgery to remove a child’s sock. She gets loads of attention and has a large garden to roam (where she digs holes). What should I do? – Amanda

Navigating life with a new pet? Head to littleKin!

littleKin™ is Kinship’s home just for puppy and kitten parents. Bop over to check out expert advice, new pet tools, and special deals—all curated for your newest family member.

Get Free Advice

Your dog is adorable (obviously). Not so cute? Her appetite for eating more than just food – socks, shoes... your sofa. Nobody wants their dog to be a picky eater, but you do want them to be discriminating enough to draw the line at things that are not food, since a) it’s dangerous for dogs to eat socks and other non-food items and b) it’s a considerable financial strain. Here are some suggestions to minimise both the danger and the expense, and to hopefully stop Lily from eating dangerous items.

Keep inedibles out of reach

Helping your dog stay safe (and keeping yourself sane!) will always involve some management. To keep her insides free of items that should remain on the outside, keep her favourite inedibles out of reach. I’m not suggesting that you Marie Kondo your home to the point that visitors think Lily is the only thing that ‘sparks joy’ for you, but known offenders have to be unattainable. This might be a lot easier said than done.

A deterrent such as a citrus or bitter apple spray might work; if it does, feel free to use it (honestly, since they rarely seem to be effective with such eager eaters, I’d be surprised if it did, but would feel irresponsible if I didn’t mention it).

Add stimulation to your dog’s life

Some dogs develop a habit of swallowing strange things (known as ‘pica’ in dogs, just like it is in humans) out of boredom; a dog looking for something to do often explores with their mouth, and for some, ingestion of the treasure is their next logical step. Adding stimulation to Lily’s life can help with this, so try to add more fun and activity to her days. Consider new activities such as agility, obstacle courses, nosework, more walks or outings, short training sessions throughout the day, play sessions or car rides.

Another option is to feed her via sturdy enrichment toys: dogs need to be able to chew on things that they can’t swallow or that are digestible if they do eat them. Kong toys in the largest size are a good choice for many dogs. Stuff one with wet food, freeze it and then give it to her. If she is a voracious eater, talk to your veterinarian first and supervise her whenever she has such an item.

Related article

Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?

When to worry about your pup’s grass consumption (and when it’s not a problem)

Use reinforcement training

While it’s not a quick fix, positive reinforcement training can also help. Improving Lily’s response to ‘drop it’ and ‘leave it’ is important so that any possessive behaviour (you can’t take it away if it’s in my belly!) doesn’t lead to harm. Start using these cues with items that she is not very excited about and that are too big to be swallowed. Use the tastiest treats you can find so it’s worth it to her to do the right thing. Trading up (“give me that mediocre item and I will give you this far better one”) is a great way to improve this behaviour.

Another training strategy: if seeing you head towards them prompts Lily to swallow things she shouldn’t, instead of chasing her down, encourage her to move away from items that pose a risk. To do this, toss a handful of treats to another spot in the room so she has to get up to get them. Then retrieve the sock while she munches away.

Give your dog more exercise

Though it’s not the cure-all it is sometimes made out to be, exercise can certainly help. Dogs who are tired and content from a hard effort, preferably off lead (in your garden or other fenced-in area), are less likely to get into whatever trouble they are prone to find, and they are more likely to sleep.

If all else fails, hire a trainer to help

I know how hard it can be to keep Lily from eating everything in sight. Hopefully, some of these tips work so she can enjoy the world in safe ways from here on out – and you can stop worrying about replacing items she’s chewed up. If not, look into local certified trainers to help lend a hand in person.