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Who Let the Dogs Out

Expert Advice

Who Let the Dogs Out

Feb 20, 2025

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Trends in American Footwear…or Lack Thereof

For some people, going barefoot is a whole vibe. You might catch them “letting the dogs out” at the beach, around town, or even at work — and if they can’t let ‘em out, they’re likely rocking a pair of open-toed shoes whenever possible. 

To others, showing off your feet is like showing off your toilet: Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Meanwhile, many people find themselves somewhere in the middle: They might not mind your dogs hanging out a little in your favorite pair of Nike slides, but they’d really prefer not to hear them howling wild and free as you walk around the office barefoot. 

We decided to investigate how people really feel when somebody else lets the dogs out — and how often they do it themselves. Find out what our respondents had to say below.

Key Findings

  • 14% of Americans go barefoot in public at least once a month.
  • Men are more likely to do it than women, and millennials are more likely to do it than other generations.
  • 2 in 3 women wouldn’t date someone who regularly went barefoot in public, and 1 in 4 wouldn’t date someone who regularly wore open-toed shoes.
  • 1 in 5 parents would allow their child to go barefoot in public.
  • 25% of people we surveyed who wear open-toed shoes, and 41% of people who go barefoot, reported struggling with foot odor.
  • Just 16% of people who wear closed-toed shoes reported foot odor issues
Letting Your Feet Out In Public

Letting Your Feet Out In Public

So, how many people are actually letting the dogs out regularly, and who’s doing it the most? Here are the results of our survey:

Overall, about half of both the men and women we surveyed wore open-toed shoes in public. Meanwhile, an average of 14% went barefoot in public regularly. 

Men were significantly more likely to go barefoot in public, with 19% of men admitting to it vs. 11% of women. Millennials and Gen Z were also by far the most likely to embrace the barefoot life, with 21% and 20%, respectively — compared to just 8% of boomers and 11% of Gen X.

Perceptions of Feet In Public

Perceptions of Feet In Public

So, what’s the general consensus when it comes to public displays of feet? Our survey respondents told us this:

We discovered that almost everyone is cool with open-toed shoes like sandals and slides, with a mere 6% saying that open-toed shoes bothered them. But pull your shoes off completely, and you might expect to get some dirty looks from the nearly 3 in 10 who dislike seeing (and possibly smelling) other people’s feet in public. 

Context also matters. We asked people which places they would most want a dress code that prevented going barefoot. Unsurprisingly, restaurants ranked at the top, with 77% saying they’d like shoes to be required. Offices were the runner-up with 69% since no one wants to sit next to a foul-footed coworker with their shoes off all day.

Dating With Your Dogs Out

Dating With Your Dogs Out

Feet are one of those things that just give some people “the ick” — so if you’re the type to let your dogs out, be aware that it might tank your next date. Here’s what our survey respondents said about the idea of dating someone who regularly went barefoot or wore open-toed shoes.

Solid majorities of both men and women said they’d date someone who regularly wore open-toed shoes. Going barefoot regularly, however, was much more controversial, and men were more open to it than women. Over two in three women said they wouldn’t date someone who regularly went barefoot in public. 

Respondents also got specific about their foot-related “icks.” Men were most appalled by going barefoot on a plane, while women were grossed out by noticeably dirty feet (whether barefoot or in sandals). In fact, dirty feet scored high on the “ick” list for both genders — so maybe grab a pair of socks if you know your dogs aren’t the freshest.

Can Kids Go Barefoot?

Can Kids Go Barefoot?

Parents know that convincing a young kid to put shoes on can feel like the battle of the century. So, if a kid wants to let the dogs out, should parents let it happen?

Letting kids run barefoot in public isn’t exactly popular these days, with only 1 in 5 parents saying they’d allow it. However, 4 in 5 parents said they’d allow their kid to wear open-toed shoes in public. In the end, the real secret may be to find a pair of children’s shoes that your kid is crazy about.

Footwear at Home

Footwear at Home

Home is the place where we all agree it’s OK to kick off your shoes and let your dogs run free. But should you keep the dogs hidden when you’re in someone else’s home? 

On one hand, many people prefer not to wear shoes at home to avoid scuffing wood floors or tracking dirt into carpets. On the other, we’ve just seen how many people would prefer other folks kept their feet out of sight. Which instinct wins out here?

According to our survey, 37% of respondents said they preferred guests to wear socks in their house. Slightly behind that were 36% who have no preference, then 20% who would rather guests just kept their shoes on. It’s a safe bet, however, that you probably don’t want to bare it all, as just 5% of respondents said they preferred that their guests go barefoot.

Barefoot Benefits

Barefoot Benefits

While barefooting may offer benefits like improved balance, it comes with downsides: 40% of regular barefooters struggle with foot odor, compared to 25% of open-toe wearers. Interestingly, they also reported less tiredness (43%) than shoe wearers (54-60%), but lower productivity (46% vs. 59-61%). Regardless of preference, everyone needs shoes, and Hibbett Sports offers options from Air Jordans or Crocs slides — plus a variety of essential socks to complete the package.

Methodology

We surveyed 1,000 Americans in January 2025 about their footwear preferences and habits. Among them, 41% were men and 59% were women. Additionally, 23% were baby boomers, 39% were Gen X, 32% were millennials, and 6% were Gen Z. For parenting analysis, 25% of our respondents were parents.

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    Who Let the Dogs Out

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