9 Best Snuffle Mats for Dogs For Enrichment in 2022

9 Best Snuffle Mats For Dogs For Enrichment in 2022

What do you do when you’re bored? Watch tv, read a book, go for a walk, play video games? Dogs get bored too and need mental stimulation just like us.

There are many great options to provide enrichment for your dog such as going on walks and playing fetch. But if you’re looking for something that requires less physical activity, interactive dog toys such as a slow feeder, puzzle toy and snuffle mats are a great idea.

Snuffle mats are an easy way to provide mental stimulation by encouraging your dog’s natural foraging instincts. Made from a variety of non-toxic materials such as fleece and cotton, a snuffle mat can be used to slow down fast eaters, provide mental stimulation to physically challenged dogs, and battle boredom by supporting a dog’s natural foraging instincts.

For pet owners, the many great options on the market may make it overwhelming to choose the perfect snuffle mat for your dog’s needs. Along with sharing reasons your dog needs a snuffle mat, I break down what to look for when purchasing a high-quality snuffle mat and review the best snuffle mats on the market. With this knowledge, you can pick the best option for your dog.

What Is A Dog Snuffle Mat?

A snuffle mat is an interactive dog toy that is designed to resemble the outdoors where dogs would naturally forage for food.

They are made from soft materials such as fleece, cotton, and polyester. Different designs such as flaps and layers of petals provide hiding places for tasty treats so dogs can use their sense of smell and brain to forage without going outside.

Dogs enjoy nose work as it’s a great way to provide mental stimulation. Now that you know what a snuffle mat is, keep reading to find out why your dog needs one.

Reasons Your Dog Needs A Snuffle Mat

Encourage Slow Eating At Meal Time

Some dogs inhale their food within seconds. This can cause a serious health condition called gastric dilation volvulus. This occurs when your dog inhales excessive air while inhaling their food which can lead to the stomach or intestines expanding and twisting. This condition can be fatal.

Slow-feeders, puzzle toys, and snuffle mats can encourage a slower pace at mealtime. Simply scatter and hide their regular meal onto the snuffle mat. This forces your dog to slow down and forage for its food.

Provide Mental Stimulation To Dogs That Are Physically Challenged

Dogs that are senior dogs, blind, or post-surgery can benefit from the mental stimulation provided by playing with a snuffle mat. These dogs can not get the physical stimulation that they require. Snuffle mats only require the dog’s nose to forage for treats and dog food. They use their natural instinct to get mental enrichment   

Cure Rainy Day Boredom By Providing Mental Stimulating

On Rainy days it can be hard to get outdoors for a walk, hike, or a game of fetch. Some dogs will act out when they they have excess energy and do not get physical stimulation by chewing, barking, or destroying things.

Instead of normal exercise, rainy days are a great time to use a snuffle rug to allow your dog to sniff out dog treats for mental stimulation. This mental enrichment improves mental health and cognitive function in dogs by providing confidence, releasing stress, and ultimately living a happier life.

What To Look For When Purchasing A High-Quality Snuffle Mat

Pet parents want the best for their dogs. But with so many dog snuffle mats on the market, it can be overwhelming to know which is a high-quality design and will fit you and your dog’s needs. The following design aspects are what to look for when purchasing the perfect snuffle mat.

Non-slip Bottom

Look for a snuffle mat that has a rubber backing or suction cups to provide a non-skid bottom. The mat will be less likely to slip while your dog uses it.

Washable

Dogs drool a lot especially when there is food involved. All that drool can make a snuffle mat dirty pretty easily.

Look for a washable snuffle mat design that allows you to clean the rug by shaking it outside. Or even better, a snuffle rug you can put into the washing machine to ensure it’s clean. Consider putting the snuffle mat into a laundry wash bag on a delicate cycle to protect it in the washer. Hang to dry. 

Difficulty Level

Snuffle mats come in different sizes and different levels of difficulty. The ease of use of a snuffle mat is something to be considered. Dogs can get frustrated and give up trying if they can not figure out the puzzle to get the tasty treat.

Start with a simple design if it’s your dog’s first time working with puzzles in general. Increase the difficulty level by picking a mat that has different types of hiding places for a more seasoned dog. 

Also consider the size of the snuffle mat. Smaller mats are great for smaller or older dogs. While a large snuffle mat is a good idea for a furry friend that is large-sized or over advanced.

Easy To Store

Consider where you will store the snuffle mat when your dog isn’t playing with it. Pick a design that can be folded or rolled up into a basket or bin after playtime.

Non-toxic Materials

As dog owners, we should want the best for our dogs. Especially when it comes to what ingredients and materials we give our dogs. Find a snuffle mat with safe materials that your dog will not chew. This is especially true for heavy chewers that may eat strands of the mat.

Look for non-toxic materials that are soft when purchasing a snuffle mat such as cotton and fleece. Keep in mind that dog treats can easily get stuck to fleece, felt, and wooly material versus cotton and polyester.

How To Use A Snuffle Mat.

Lay down your snuffle rug on the floor. Scatter dog treats or dry food onto the mat. To make it more challenging hide the tasty treats in hiding places such as under the fleece strips or layers of petals. Dogs that are heavy chewers will need to be supervised to not chew up the snuffle mats. 

Keep Them Clean

Shake out the mat outside after your dog is done foraging for treats to remove any leftover dog treats. If your snuffle mat is excessively dirty and machine washable, throw it in the washing machine using a laundry wash bag on a delicate cycle and hang to dry. If the snuffle mat is not machine washable, wipe down the areas that are dirty.

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9 The Best Snuffle Mats For Dogs In 2022:

Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat

The Paw 5 Wooly Snuffle Mat is one of the top picks on Amazon with over three thousand reviews from dog owners giving it 4.5 stars. 

Pros:

The design is simple making it a top choice for all-sized dogs and breeds. It’s easy to use by pouring tasty treats or dry food on the top of the mat for mental stimulation or to slow down fast eaters.

It is handmade using non-toxic materials cotton and polyester, making it high quality, durable, and easier to clean than fleece. The safe materials are soft making them gentle on all breed’s noses, even flat-faced breeds.

Cons:

Doesn’t have a non-slip bottom or suction cups allowing it to move as your dog does nose work. Laying the mat over a rug does help it stay in place better.

Some larger dog breeds can simply shake out the mat to get the treats.

Awoof Pet Snuffle Mat

The Awoof snuffle mat has a few different mats on the market. The most popular one has over seventeen thousand reviews on Amazon giving it 4.5 stars! This mat has two ways to use the mat; it can be closed in a bowl shape or laid down with the petals out. 

Pros:

Having two ways to use the mat allows pet parents control over ease of use. Start easy with the petals down. To increase the difficulty level, close it in a bowl shape to make it challenging to forage for treats. It’s a great option for beginners and expert-level dogs alike.

Easy to store by simply using the drawstring to fold the mat up and store it.

It has an anti-slip bottom and is made from soft material.

One of the more affordable snuffle mats on the market. 

Cons:

This mat is made from soft polar fleece petals that aren’t as durable as polyester mats. Some reviews state the petals came off in the washing machine. 

Sniffiz SmellyMatty

The Sniffiz SmellyMatty Snuffle Mat is a large mat designed to keep your dog mentally stimulated for a long time. The design resembles the outdoors with 11 layers of petals and grass along with five additional puzzles: a ball pocket, book, handkerchief, wallet, and puzzle board. You can purchase this snuffle mat without the additional puzzles if desired here.

Use it as a dog feeding mat. All the hiding places will slow your dog down, making it a long feeding time.

Pros:

The included puzzles add a level of difficulty, making this snuffle mat challenging even after days and weeks of usage. This snuffle mat is a great option for dogs of all difficulty levels. For beginners, start by using the center layers of petals. As your dog learns to sniff out the treats in the center, make it more challenging by hiding treats in the different puzzles.

The large-sized mat has a non-slip bottom and is difficult to flip over because it has four removable black poles inside that encourage your dog not to flip the mat over.

It is made from durable Oxford and soft polar fleece making it durable and machine washable. Remove the black poles prior to putting the mat in the washing machine and use the delicate cycle.

Cons:

It is difficult to store this large-sized mat and its attachments since it can’t be rolled up nicely.

One of the more expensive snuffle mats on the market.

 

Livekey Pet Snuffle Mat

The Livekey Pet Snuffle Mat comes in a simple design best suited for small dogs or toy breeds due to the small size of the mat. You can connect multiple mats together to create a larger snuffle mat for larger dogs.

Pros:

This mat is made from safe, non-toxic soft polar fleece material. Making it machine washable.

Cons:

The size of the mat is too small for most large dog breeds and you would have to purchase multiple to connect them together to create a larger snuffle mat.

Although it has a non-skid bottom, reviews claim it still slips on some surfaces. Using the mat on a rug helps keep it in place.

 

Schitec

The Schitec Snuffle Mat is a great economical choice with multiple fun designs and different colors on one mat, allowing many different places to hide food; messy grass, petals, and pockets.

Pros:

All the different types of hiding places for treats makes it more challenging for dogs so they don’t get bored easily. 

The non-slip bottom effectively holds the mat on the floor.

The soft and durable polar fleece allows it to be washed in the washing machine and hung to dry.

It can be easily stored by rolling it up with an attached tie and stored in a bin or storage bag. 

Cons:

Some dogs can flip the mat over to get the treats and can tear or shred the petals.

Some reviews state the soft polar fleece strips shrunk or got destroyed in the washer. A garment bag and gentle cycle may help from destroying the mat.

Stellaire Chern

The Stellaire Chern Snuffle Mat comes in two sizes, making it great for large dogs and medium-sized dogs. The larger mat has a few more hiding places than the medium-sized mat.

Pros:

This mat offers multiple designs on one mat; ruffles, overlapping strips, cups, flaps, and hidden pockets. The different hiding places will challenge your dog and keep him from getting bored.

Easily fold or roll up the mat for storage using the attached ties.

The rubber backing makes it easier to keep the mat in place.

Cons:

Some dogs can flip the mat and tear the different designs.

Piggy Poo And Crew

The Piggy Poo And Crew is made for pigs (hence the name!) but all pets are welcome to use their snuffle mats! They have a wide range of snuffle mats with different colorful fun designs.

Pros:

The snuffle mats come in different sizes and difficulty levels making them pet, breed, and size-inclusive.

Most of the snuffle mats come with a rubber backing to keep the mat from slipping while your dog forages for treats. 

Easily clean the snuffle mat by shaking it out or putting it in a washing machine.

Depending on which snuffle mat you choose, it can be easily rolled up and stored. Some even come with a carrying case.

Cons:

The soft polar fleece petals are not as durable and can easily come off in the washing machine.

Ak Kyc Snuffle Mat

The Ak Kyc Snuffle Mat is approximately a 16-inch square snuffle mat made from hand-woven polar fleece. Although a smaller size, they can be connected together to form a larger snuffle mat if desired.

Pros:

The simple design makes it easy for dogs of all difficulty levels to enjoy.

The strands are made of anti-pilling polar fleece attached to a plastic backing. The company states you can machine wash or hand wash the snuffle mat.

The plastic backing gives the snuffle mat a non-skid bottom.

Cons:

This snuffle mat is most likely too easy for advanced dogs who would not be challenged by the simple design.

Runda Snuffle Mat

The Runda Snuffle Mat is a simple design that resembles tall strands of grass. Simply scatter dry food or tasty treats onto the top of the mat and let your dog forage for it.

Pros:

The bottom has a non-slip backing along with 2 suction cups to prevent the mat from moving while your dog forages.

Clean the mat in a washer or by hand washing.

Roll or fold up the mat to easily store it.   

Cons:

The simple design may be too easy for advanced dogs who need a harder difficulty level.