How To Use A Snuffle Mat For Dogs

For the longest time I have wanted to try a snuffle mat for my dogs! For those who haven’t heard of a snuffle mat before, you might be wondering:

• What’s a snuffle mat for dogs?
• What are snuffle mats used for?
• What is a snuffle mat made out of?
• Why are snuffle mats good for dogs?

Snuffle mats are an excellent enrichment toy for your dogs that allows your dog to use their natural instincts and search for their food with their nose! If you’ve been following me for quite some time, you know I love any kind of dog puzzle, especially the Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Dog Puzzles!

In this post, I’ll go into more detail about how to use a snuffle mat, share my full review of this amazon snuffle mat from AWOOF, and share some additional options and DIY snuffle mats that you can do from the comfort of your own home! 

What Is A Snuffle Mat For Dogs?

A snuffle mat for dogs is a dog feeding mat (or dog puzzle) that is made out of felt, attached to a base like cardboard or rubber sink mat, and is designed to mimic grass to encourage your dog to use their sense of smell to find what’s inside. 

Snuffle Mats can come in all shapes and sizes and are perfect for dog breeds of any age and size! The dog snuffle mat featured in this post is from a dog brand called AWOOF and can be found on Amazon. What I liked about the AWOOF dog snuffle mat is that it was a great starter size in my opinion, it was super affordable (only $16!), had great reviews, and I loved that the bottom featured a non-slip grip fabric, making this snuffle mat work across multiple surfaces!

This snuffle mat also comes with a tie string so that you can have the option to keep it smaller or open it up big for more interaction. 

How Do Snuffle Mats Work?

Snuffle mats feature layers of felt or fabric material, making everything inside hidden from your dog. To find all of the tasty snacks inside, your dog must use their nose to search through the mat. 

I tested this out with both my rescue dogs Diesel and Annie. Both of my dogs have a really good nose (they sniff everything, and I mean everything when we go outside ha!) and so I was curious if one would enjoy it more than the other. I can say that they equally loved it and that the main difference between the two, was that Diesel every now and then would grab a hold of the felt and try to rip it up to almost move a piece out of the way to find what he was looking for. *Cue facepalm* ha!

I always watch my dogs with anything they chew on or play with regardless to ensure their safety, and since this amazon snuffle mat is made out of fabric, definitely make sure to watch your dogs since we don’t want them to swallow any of the material!

What To Put In A Snuffle Mat

You can put just about anything inside of this dog snuffle mat, just know that you will have to clean up after whatever you put in (aka I wouldn’t put in anything wet or actual meat). 

I like to either put in a handful of treats so my dogs can have fun with it as a dog activity mat, or I will put their actual meal in it so that it can double as a slow feeding dog bowl/dog puzzle. First, I sprinkle in the food or treats, and then I fluff everything throughout to ensure that nothing is all stuck in one place. With this one, you can also close it with the tie string, shake it around a little and then open it back up for your pup!

P.S. Looking for a new tasty treat to put in your dog’s snuffle mats and dog puzzles? Check out my reviews of Spot Farms dog treats! They are made in the USA, made with natural ingredients and 100% Diesel approved! Ha!

Where To Buy Dog Snuffle Mat?

You can find a dog snuffle mat just about anywhere! I found this AWOOF snuffle mat on Amazon, and you can find many more snuffle mats on amazon as well. Chewy.com also has two brands of snuffle mats on their website including Paw5’s Wooly Snuffle Dog Feeding Mat  (rated at 4 & 1/2 stars and can be thrown in the washer!) and Piggy Poo and Crew which is actually designed for pigs but there are reviews from dog owners too!

Another option that was shared with me from one of my Instagram followers was these snuffle balls from Schmoo Get and Things on Etsy. She had nothing but positive things to say about them and they have a ton of 5 star reviews. I love supporting smaller businesses, so definitely check them out too!

DIY Snuffle Mats

Now, for all my crafty, creative dog lovers, it’s time for some DIY snuffle mats! While there are a ton of DIY snuffle mat ideas on Pinterest, there’s one that I am so excited to share, because she’s a fellow dog blogger and amazing dog mama! Tori from WearWagRepeat has an awesome tutorial on how to make a DIY holiday snuffle mat for dogs (that of course can be changed to any time of the year with just a fabric swap!). She walks through how to make a washable dog snuffle mat by simply changing the base, what materials you need and how much time it takes (which it really isn’t too bad!). 

If you’re wanting to know how to make a dog snuffle mat, I highly recommend checking out her post!

P.S. Want to see four awesome snuffle toys for dogs? Check out my YouTube video below that shares all about four dog snuffle mats that your dog will love!

Incorporating dog puzzles or snuffle mats into your dogs feeding routine is a great way to stimulate their brain and prevent boredom and destructive behaviors. I know many people who try to use these for at least one of their dogs meals everyday. I think it’s great to incorporate dog puzzles at least 1-2 times a week! 

Are you a fan of snuffle mats now? I have already found so many more that I want to try and I can’t wait to try Tori’s diy snuffle mat project! If you loved this post, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below and it would mean the world to me if you subscribed to my newsletter (scroll down to see the pink box!). 

P.S. Don’t forget to check out more posts about canine enrichment like:

• Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles Level 1: Beginner Puzzles For Dogs 
• Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles Level 2: Intermediate Dog Treat Puzzles
• 3 Snuffle Toys For Dogs 
• 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Activities To Combat Dog Cabin Fever 
• 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother

Plus, don’t forget to check out some of my most recent posts below:

Photography: Kate Kelley Collection