Snuffle Mat Basics
There are many benefits to using a snuffle mat to feed your dog. In this article we explore these and explain how they can help your dog.
In our last blog post I listed all the dog products on Amazon that I recommend, which included a Snuffle Mat. After that post I received so many questions about what a snuffle mat was. So I decided to do a whole article dedicated to the wonders of this amazing tool.
A snuffle mat is a tool to feed your dog that activates their sense of smell, encourages their natural foraging instincts and stimulates their mind. It is essentially just a rubber mat with strips of material, but the benefits are huge for your dog.
Your dog’s sense of smell is one of their greatest super powers! And as dog owners we often times don’t encourage them to use their sense of smell enough. A snuffle mat is one way we can help do that. This means your dog will have to work to get their food. They have to use their nose to find every last bit of kibble. Nosework in dogs has been shown to improve a dog’s self-reliance and increase their positive judgment. (Science Direct)
Dogs have a natural drive to hunt or forge for their food. In making your dog work for their food through either training or enrichment tools like a snuffle mat, helps your dog feel as though they have earned their meal. Pairing a snuffle mat with training cues is a great way to engage their forging behavior and also helps teach your dog impulse control as well.
To introduce your dog to their new snuffle mat first sprinkle some treats on the top of the mat so your dog will get use to this new toy. Once they have successfully eaten all their treats from the top of the mat, place a higher value treat like cheese or chicken onto the mat and ruffle the mat to ensure the treats are deeper down. Then once your dog has gotten use to this new tool you can start to place their kibble onto the mat for each meal.
Let me know if you or anyone you know currently use a snuffle mat and what your thoughts are on how it effects your dogs behavior? I hope you found this article informative and helpful.
Top Tools and Recommended Products
As someone who has been in the professional pet space for over 5 years now, one of the most common questions I am asked is ”What products do you recommend?” So I have compiled a list of the top items that, over the years, I have found work the best with dogs and make pet ownership fun and rewarding.
As someone who has been in the professional pet space for over 5 years now, one of the most common questions I am asked is ”What products do you recommend?” So I have compiled a list of the top items that, over the years, I have found work the best with dogs and make pet ownership fun and rewarding. Below are the names and links for these products. To see our complete list on Amazon click here.
Collar
Harness
Kwik Klip Adjustable Nylon Dog Harness
Leash
Fairwin Braided Leather Dog Leash
Grate
MidWest Contour Double Door Dog Crate
Toys
Outward Hound - Interactive Puzzle Game
Treats
Travel Water/Bowl
Poop Bags
Pet Hair Remover
Thank you for checking out my latest post. I’d love to hear what some of your favorite products are in the comments below!