I adopted a 4-year-old rescue terrier mix named Milo about eight months ago, and he has developed the strangest little nighttime ritual.
Almost every evening around 9 p.m., after dinner and our final walk, Milo disappears into the bedroom. A few minutes later, he comes trotting back into the living room carrying one of my socks.
Not a pair. One sock. Always one.
At first I thought he was simply stealing laundry, so I started keeping the laundry basket behind a closed door. Somehow, he began finding socks from places I didn’t even realize I’d left them. Then I noticed something even stranger. He doesn’t chew them or destroy them. He carries one over, drops it next to me, and sits there staring at me.
If I throw it toward his toy basket, he retrieves it and brings it right back.
My husband thinks Milo wants attention, but I’m not completely convinced. The behavior seems especially strong on evenings when my husband works late. Milo will bring me a sock, curl up beside my feet, and stay there until I go upstairs.
The funny thing is that I have never intentionally rewarded this behavior. But now I secretly find it adorable, and I’m worried that I’ve accidentally created a very strange sock-based bedtime tradition.
Could he be using my scent to comfort himself, or is this simply a quirky way of asking for attention? Has anyone else’s dog developed a bizarre little ritual like this?
and then
This made me laugh because my dog used to do something remarkably similar, although his obsession was with my slippers instead of socks.
I eventually realized that the object itself wasn’t really the important part. My slippers smelled strongly like me, and he would usually bring one over when he wanted to settle down for the evening. He wasn’t interested in playing with it. He just seemed to want something familiar nearby.
Your description of Milo sitting beside you after bringing the sock makes me wonder if it’s become part of his comfort routine. Rescue dogs especially can develop unusual rituals around familiar people and predictable nighttime routines. Of course, every dog is different, so I wouldn’t assume there’s one definite explanation.
I also think it’s perfectly reasonable to find the habit cute while still setting boundaries. I eventually gave my dog an old slipper that I didn’t mind him carrying around, and that became his designated “comfort slipper.” It worked surprisingly well.
If Milo isn’t chewing or swallowing the socks, and there aren’t other concerning behavior changes, it may simply be one of those wonderfully strange things that makes him him.
Honestly, I’d probably keep one old sock aside just for him. Some dogs have blankets. Some have stuffed animals. Apparently, Milo has chosen laundry. 😂
Those quirky little rituals often become the memories we treasure most. 🐾❤️