Much like ourselves, dogs often enjoy having a job.
Dogs are happier and healthier when they experience mental and physical stimulation. One of our favorite ways to keep pups active is with snuffle mats!
Snuffle mats are essentially fabric mats that you fill with food or treats, allowing your dog to stimulate his natural foraging instincts.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the main benefits of snuffle mats, share some of our favorite picks, and explain how to make your own DIY snuffle mat from the comfort of your own home.
But if you’re in a hurry, just check out our favorites!
Snuffle Mats: Quick Picks
- PAW5 Wooly Snuffle Mat — A machine-washable snuffle mat with lots of deep nooks and crannies, this is our favorite model of the bunch!
- Sunflower Snuffle Mat — This affordable snuffle mat is not only adorable, but it also provides a ton of tiny places for your dog to search.
- AWOOF Interactive Feeding Mat — The best option for owners on the go, the AWOOF Feeding Mat folds up for easy storage and transport. Plus, it’s simply too cute for words!
What is a Snuffle Mat?
A snuffle mat is a puzzle toy and dispenser designed to mimic grass and other outdoor areas.
Instead of getting the treats or kibble immediately, your pup must work to forage through the many strands of the mat to find their reward.
I absolutely love feeding my dog via a snuffle mat because is encourages him to use that epic nose of his to sniff out his food. Sniffing burns tons of energy for dogs — and Remy is one rambunctious canine, so the more energy I can burn off him, the better!
Snuffle mats are commonly used to encourage slower eating habits to avoid risks of bloat, but they also serve as a great way to keep your pup’s mind engaged and healthy.
In fact, many pets prefer working for their food, as the sniffing and foraging process stimulates the pleasure centers in their brains.
The 5 Best Snuffle Mats for Dogs
Ready to set your dog to sniffing mode? Let’s jump into our favorite snuffle mats.
1. PAW5 Wooly Snuffle Mat
About: The PAW5 Wooly Snuffle Mat is a sleek, gray enrichment mat that will engage your pup as he forages through the mat’s grass-like strands.
One thing I appreciate about this snuffle mat is how large, dense, and thickly-packed the felt pieces are. Some cheaper snuffle mats use very thin fleece that has large gaping gaps, making it too easy for my dog to find his dinner.
With it’s wide and dense felt pieces, this snuffle mat will have your dog workin’ hard!
This snuffle mat is machine washable, so if your pooch is known to slobber, you can keep the toy looking fresh. It’s made out of sustainable, non-toxic fabric sourced by PAW5’s partners in Thailand and Ghana.
To fill this snuffle mat, all you have to do is sprinkle kibble on top of it. The crevices of mat are deep enough so that your pet is inclined to get up close and personal with his snout, without you having to spend a lot of time adding more kibble.
Pros
- Fabric pieces are dense and thick, forcing your dog to work harder to sniff out food
- Machine washable means its easy to clean
- Solid quality and a decently sized mat
Cons
- Not very colorful (not that your dog cares)
- Due to higher quality of fabric, it’s a bit pricier than some others
2. Pet Parents Forager Bowl
About: The Pet Parents Forager Bowl is a modern, cleverly-designed snuffle mat that comes in a rounded container that can be cinched via the drawstring.
Features: This snuffle mat actually comes in three different versions: the “Meadow Ponds”, “Meadow Natural”, and “Forest Grey”.
- Meadow Ponds: The Ponds is the easiest, incorporating bright blue colors into sections of the grey mat where you place the food to make those pockets easier to find. Those blue pocket sections are also cut lower to make those areas easier for sniffing out food.
- Meadow Natural: This is similar in structure to the Ponds, but doesn’t have the blue with grey color scheme, making it a bit tougher and classifying it as “intermediate”.
- Forest Grey: This is considered the hardest snuffle mat in the Pet Parents Forager line since the entire mat is grey and all the fabric pieces are the same length.
Remy tested out the Meadow Natural (aka intermediate) version and didn’t have too tough of a time with it!
These snuffle mats are also machine washable (hurrah) and have a non-slip backing to prevent the snuffle mat from sliding all over the place — that’s especially handy if you’ll be serving this toy up to your dog on hardwood floors.
I personally really appreciate the Forager’s packaging. It comes in a nice, stylish little box. You could definitely give this as a gift if you wanted to.
Remy was super excited to test this snuffle mat out! He got to practice some impulse control sitting on his bed and watching me set it up and spread the kibble around.
The Forager’s long fuzzy threads are easy to push the kibble down between. The brown areas feature shorter material, so you can put kibble there to start if your dog is a newbie. But since Remy is a snuffle mat pro, I just spread his kibble all over the mat.
We also tested out tightening the drawstring. The cinching effect makes the snuffle mat a bit more challenging, since your dog has to work harder to get his nose down into the edges.
Pros
- Varying difficulty options depending on your dog’s mastery of snuffle mats
- Cinching drawstring makes it great for travel and allows for some added difficulty when needed
- Machine washable for the win!
Cons
- A bit on the smaller side
3. GoxRunx Snuffle Activity Mat
About: This snuffle mat is unique in that it features several sections with slightly different textures and styles of felt, as opposed to one giant felt forest.
It’s cute how this snuffle mat offers some different options for engagement. While it still has a large, standard-shaped snuffle mat in the middle section, it also has different little activities off to the side — like the squeaker paw.
This is likely a method for saving money — you’ll notice this snuffle mat has a lot of bare patches without any felt, unlike some of the thicker and more densely packed snuffle mats detailed above.
I felt like most of the side-quest activities weren’t really all that interesting. The squeaky toy is pretty meh, and I’m sure your dog already has plenty of squeakers. And two of the other side activities were just mini versions of the central snuffle mat. I would have rather just had them enlarge the main snuffle mat than add two tiny alternativs.
But, I did actually like the other side activity that had longer, tunnel-shaped pieces of felt. Remy had a harder time getting food from the bottom of those felt pieces, since they were longer.
It’s also worth noting that this snuffle mat leans a bit more affordable. While the bonus “activities” are kind of a wash, it’s still a solid snuffle mat with plenty to enjoy.
Pros
- Some of the side-quest activities are fun for variety
- Definitely fun to look at with all the bright colors and shapes
Cons
- Claims to be machine washable but “suggests” hand washing… doesn’t bode well!
- Most of the alternative activities are just tinier, less fun snuffle mats
5. AWOOF Interactive Feeding Mat
About: The AWOOF Interactive Feeding Mat is full of fun features to keep your pup engaged. This snuffle mat has added pockets, nooks, and crannies, so even the cleverest pups will be entertained.
- ❤ RICH FEEDING GAME – Look at the Big Orange Flower in the middle of the snuffle mat dog puzzle...
- ❤ EXTRA FUN ATTRACTS YOUR PUPPY – We are extremely positive of our snuffle mat. But in order to...
- ❤ EXCELLENT RELEASE BUCKLE DESIGN – Have you ever bought a snuffle mat for your dog that want to...
- ❤ THICK OXFORD CLOTH AND AMETABOLIC POLAR FLEECE – In order to provide high quality product and...
Features: This interactive play mat is large and is designed with larger breeds in mind. It has detachable buckles so that you can secure the mat to nearby furniture, preventing your pooch from flipping over the mat entirely. These buckles also act as a way to easily pack up and store the mat when not in use.
The mat is made out of fleece and has tiny pockets and crannies for your pooch to scour in addition to the traditional grass-like foraging center. There’s also a squeaker in the center of this mat and crinkly areas of the toy, so pups who love noisy toys will take to AWOOF’s offering.
You can machine wash this mat and it comes in one large size suitable for any breed and body type.
Pros
- The buckles are super handy for lathing to objects or folding up for travel
- Nice big size
- Has some really interesting extra activities, with little pockets and crinkly material too
- Machine washable
Cons
- On the pricier end of snuffle mats
5. Bonus Option: Make Your Own DIY Snuffle
Not interested in buying a snuffle mat? You can actually make your own at home. And it isn’t even all that hard!
All you need is a yard or so of fleece, a rubber sink mat or anti-fatigue mat with holes, and some scissors. You’ll cut your fleece pieces to size, weave through the mat, and then you’ll have your very own snuffle mat!
Our video below can show you exactly how it’s done.
How Do You Use a Snuffle Mat?
Snuffle mats come in all shapes and sizes, but they usually have some sort of ruffled strands or pieces of fabric mimicking grass.
Some fancier models may also include fun pockets or compartments to add to your doggo’s enjoyment.
Using these mats is super simple, which makes it easy to prepare a fun game for your pup when you’re running out the door. All you have to do is spread around your dog’s treat or kibble on top of the mat. Then, stand aside and let the fun begin!
Generally speaking, snuffle mats are designed so that the food slips into the cracks of the mat, thereby forcing your pooch to search, sniff, and forage for the goodies. Kibble and treat size vary, so you may have to spend a little extra time distributing the treats in your mat.
Try spreading some of your dog’s kibble on top of the mat and then running your fingers through the fibers to help shake the kibble down into the fabric crevices so it requires more effort for your dog to detect!
Some pups can be especially crafty and will try to shake the mat out for food instead of using it for its intended purpose. In this instance, some owners have had success by putting weighted items around the edges of the mat until their dog recognized the proper way to use it.
Other than that, snuffle mats are pretty straightforward. Many are also machine washable, so if it builds up dirt and grime over time, a quick wash will have it shining like new.
As with any toy or training tool, make sure you supervise your pet the first couple of times he uses the snuffle mat. You never know how your pet may react to a new stimulus, so it’s important to monitor him and ensure that he stays safe.
Advantages of Dog Snuffle Mats: Why They’re Good For Four-Footers
These tail-wagging toys pose many benefits for you and your pooch. Here are a few of the most notable ways a snuffle mat will improve both of your lives.
1. They Provide Mental Stimulation
As mentioned earlier, snuffle mats tap into your pup’s foraging instincts. Many pups prefer working for a reward and mental stimulation is an important part of maintaining good health. Interactive dog toys, such as a snuffle mat, are great for engaging your pup physically and mentally!
2. They Can Force Your Dog to Eat Slowly
For dogs who eat too quickly or have digestive issues, snuffle maps can force them to slow down a bit at chow time. Based on most user reviews, dogs took anywhere from about 5 to 25 minutes to find one serving of kibble hidden in a snuffle mat.
3. They’ll Reduce Your Pooch’s Stress
In addition to being generally healthier, mentally stimulated pups are less likely to be stressed and anxious. Completing tasks successfully helps dogs to build confidence, and makes them less likely to engage in nervous behaviors like chewing up the carpet.
Sniffing in particular has been shown to a dog’s pulse and help them relax and self-soothe, which is why it’s a great practice to encourage via a snuffle mat.
Check out this neat study by Dog Field Study which shows how much a dog’s pulse is lowered while sniffing outside.
4. They Help Keep Disabled or Mobility-Impaired Dogs Busy
If you have a disabled or mobility-challenged dog, snuffle mats are great ways to keep your pupper engaged from the comfort of your home. This way, he’ll still get the stimulation he may normally miss because of his mobility challenges.
5. They’re Awesome Dog-Management Tools
Sometimes, humans need a little break, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Snuffle mats can help your pup stay occupied while you’re eating dinner, doing tasks around the house, or trying to write an article about how great snuffle mats are.
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As a pet parent, it’s important to keep your pup engaged mentally and physically. Snuffle mats not only keep your pup happy and healthy, but they also give you a chance to focus on tasks around the house.
It’s not often that our doggo’s get to tap into their natural instincts, but acquiring one of these snuffle mats is sure to get your pup’s tail wagging.
Have you tried out a snuffle mat? Do you have any tips for busting doggie boredom? We’d love to hear about your experiences and ideas in the comments below!
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