Who is this trick for?

Taking off socks – a great trick for home! And the best part: it doesn’t matter how old or how big your dog is. This trick is suitable for every furry friend, even those with handicaps. However, if your dog has issues with teeth or gums, you should opt for a different trick. Otherwise, there’s nothing stopping you from enriching your bag of tricks. Taking off socks can be seamlessly integrated into your daily routine and mentally challenges your dog while providing an entertaining activity. If your dog also enjoys carrying or picking up objects, even better! So, let’s get started!

How do I teach my dog to take off socks?

Before you start the actual training, a few preparations are in order. This includes creating a relaxed and quiet training atmosphere. It can be the living room or another room, as long as you’re not distracted by other family members, noises, etc. It should also be comfortable for you. Either sit on the floor with your dog or practice on a more comfortable surface together.

Have some tasty treats ready for training. They don’t need to be particularly large; the essential thing is that your dog likes them and is motivated to want them. If you have been working with a clicker before, you can also use it for training to precisely confirm your dog’s actions.

Step 1

The goal of this trick is for your dog to learn to take a sock off your foot on your signal. To make the sock interesting for him, sit with your dog and hold the sock and treats in your hand. At the beginning, you can put a treat in the sock. This increases your dog’s motivation to be interested in the sock. Now it is important to confirm every interaction with the sock – whether just a glance or a nudge with the nose, praise each time.

Step 2

If your dog now shows interest in the sock, he will try to pick it up in the next step. After all, the sock smells like the treat, and he surely wants to get it. Perfect! At this point, it is crucial to praise your dog thoroughly because this is the moment we need in the further process. As soon as your dog takes the sock into his mouth, we can introduce a signal.

You should have already thought of a signal for this trick. “Sock” would be one possibility.

For your dog to now make the connection between picking up the sock and your signal, timing is crucial. You must say your signal “Sock” exactly at the moment before your dog picks up the sock. He will know that he should do it when you present him with the sock. The signal is introduced before holding out the sock. Repeat this step several times until your dog reliably takes the sock into his mouth on the “Sock” signal. Only then does the next step follow – taking off the sock.

Step 3

Now put on the sock. At the beginning, it is advisable to only half-put the sock on your foot. Let a little bit of the sock hang loosely over the toes. This makes it easier for your dog to successfully take off the sock. Furthermore, your toes are protected from the dog’s teeth. Repeat this several times and praise your dog extensively when he succeeds.

Step 4

If Step 3 works well, you can now properly put on the sock. Over time, your dog will become more routine and accurate, making putting on a fully pulled-up sock no longer a problem.

Also, pay attention to your toes at the beginning. It takes several training sessions until your dog develops enough finesse and can gently take off the socks.

Train in small steps and for a maximum of five minutes a day. Intensive training challenges your dog, and a few minutes each day are entirely sufficient. Never forget the fun factor. You and your dog should enjoy the trick. If either of you has a bad day, simply postpone the training.