I am the first to admit that I have a dog paraphernalia addiction. A collar or harness for every activity, and a matching leash of course, tech gadgets, food dispensing toys, I love them all! I have a nice collection and one of the newest additions is a snuffle mat. A snuffle mat is like a shaggy carpet that’s made to hide food in for your dog to scavenge for. Think of it as a washable shag rug. You can order a snuffle mat from Amazon and you can also Google some DIY projects if you like crafting.
If I fed Misa in a bowl, it would be empty in less than a minute of boring scarfing. I choose to feed her with various food puzzles like the Kong Wobbler, Outward Hound Slow Feeder and now we are both enjoying the snuffle mat. I timed her, and it now takes her 12 minutes to eat a meal using the snuffle mat. This time lapse video real time was just over 12 minutes of sniffing fun. She stays busy and is engaged the whole time.
Eating a meal out of anything other than a bowl must be so much more entertaining for a dog. I wish I had the time to do a training session with each meal but the reality is that is not going to happen. With a mat like this your dog will get to use its nose and brain. They are engaging in a very primal activity when they are hunting for food. I love scent work for dogs and that’s why I engage in activities such as K9 Nose Work with my two dogs. If you want to know more about nose work, we offer classes you can attend with your dog.
Now you can add an entire level of fun to meal times for your dog with a snuffle mat. The tufts of shaggy fleece are like washable big blades of grass that your dog will love burrowing their nose in. I recommend you see what new activities you can introduce to your dog around meal time. Your dog will appreciate the challenge of using their nose!
