Meet your Laois celebrity – the 2024 Laois Nose of Tralee, Sockie.
Name: Sockie
County: Laois
Age: 8 months old
Breed: Chihuahua x Pomeranian mix
Special Skill: My special skill is standing up on my back legs doing my favourite “up” trick!
Favourite Food: I can be a little bit fussy on what I eat but I get extra excited for food like cheese, a cheeky chip and my raw dog food and treat brands like Tailer Pets, Harley & Marley and Soopa!
Favourite Toy: Out of all the toys I have, my favourite thing to play with has to be an empty toilet roll tube!
Favourite Place to Sleep: Some of my favourite nap spots are the back of the couch, the human’s bed and of course a cuddly lap!
Favourite Activity: I love hopping into the car for a quick spin, going on walks with off lead space for zoomies and playing with my favourite sibling who is a hairless cat, we’re a very funny & odd couple!😆
Favourite Place To Go For A Walk/Hangout: I love going on walkies anywhere where I can have crazy off lead zoomies!
Most Mischievous Thing You Have Ever Done? The human’s say that my middle name is mischief but to name one thing that I do on a daily basis and is one of my favourite things to do is to hop into the bathroom bin and take out an empty toilet roll holder to chew up & play with! (Even though I have countless toys!!🤭)
How Did You Come Into Your Owners Life? My humans rescued me from a not very nice backyard breeding situation where I was being sold as a “teacup Pomeranian”. When they took me home they noticed that I was covered in blood lice, scabs and bald spots from head to tail and at only 600 grams in weight my vet couldn’t prescribe me with any medication or parasite treatment. This meant that the humans had to take the long way around with daily baths, lathering me with creams and oils and painstakingly removing the blood lice one by one. After a few very long weeks they had successfully cleared me from all scabs and parasites, they had gotten my weight up to a healthy 1kg and my coat was starting to grow back healthily! The humans say that they rescued me but I know that I really rescued them!🤭
What Makes You The Most Pawtastic Pet Ever! I’m my human’s pocket sized best friend! I might be a tiny dog but I’m filled to the brim with love, cuddles and endless personality! I love spending everyday with my humans & fur-siblings, they never fail to stop my tail from waggling!
Why Did You Decide To Enter The Nose Of Tralee? I decided to enter The Nose Of Tralee to raise awareness around the horrible breeding situation in Ireland and highlight all of the dogs & puppies who haven’t gotten as lucky as I did, I also wanted people to see how incredibly rewarding it can be to have a rescue dog like me!
How Did You Prepare For The Contest And Get Votes? My amazing Instagram furiends were one of my biggest supports during the contest, I also took time to campaign around our local dog friendly areas and of course hung up lots of posters!
What Did You Enjoy Most About The Nose Of Tralee? The best thing about the competition was exploring and finding new places, meeting so many new friends and overall creating the best memories!
What Advice Would You Give To The Next Nose Of Your County? The only thing I would say to the next Laois Nose would be to have fun, make the most of it and don’t take it too seriously! It’s all about the experience, not the outcome!
How Are You Handling Your New-Found Fame? It’s hard to get away from the pup-arazzi at times🤭 But I love all of the attention & treats that comes with it!😆
If You Could Be Any Super Hero Who Would You Be? My humans say that I’m already a super hero, you can call me Tiny Tornado!🌪️🤭
Where Can Your Fans Follow You Online? You can follow me & my 16 siblings on Instagram : @the.imperfect.pack
Kate McQuillan is the co-founder of Pet Sitters Ireland, an award-winning pet sitting and dog walking company established in 2010 with her husband, Michael. Together, they support thousands of pet owners across Ireland with trusted, in-home pet care. With over 14 years of experience, Kate shares practical advice to help pet owners feel confident and prepared when it comes to their pet’s care.
