My 3 yr old female lab has begun ingesting socks and carpeting. Why and what to do

Don't enable her to eat said things.
How long has this been going on for? Has anything changed?
Please keep her out of areas where she can do this - we have seen so many socks block up dogs intestines..

my 3 yr old female lab has begun ingesting socks and carpeting. why and what to do

A dog which eats furniture and clothing and exhibits other destructive behaviour is USUALLY a dog which is accustomed to being the dominant member of the family and is not getting his way.

Let me ask you some other questions to determine if this is the case.

Does your dog growl at you when he is eating and you come close to his food?
Does your dog growl or try to bite when you disturb his rest or his activity?
Does your dog "hump" you or another member of the family?
Does your dog attack other dogs and/or people when walking on leash?
Does your dog get overly hyper/aggressive when people visit?
Does your dog get anxious and excited when you leave him at home alone?

If your dog exhibits any of these behaviours, then your dog thinks that you are his possession and will not change his behaviour until you show him that you are the boss and he is your subordinate.

To learn how to correct that relationship you might want to read one of these books...
Amazon.com: cesar milan pack leader (http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=cesar+milan+pack+leader&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=4307436527&ref=pd_sl_8y09vwd05v_e)

Or log on to:
Cesar Millan's Official Website | Achieving balance between people and dogs. (http://www.cesarsway.com/)