Should You Get Your Dog a Snuffle Mat?

Dogs are often bursting with energy, and hyperactive breeds, in particular, could be hard to deal with, especially for pet owners working from home.

This is where snuffle mats come in. They are the perfect boredom-buster to keep your dog occupied with some fun and interactive activity. They’ve become popular among canines and their human parents, who’ve both been enduring long hours indoors during the pandemic.

If you still haven’t bought one for your dog, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up some of the best snuffle mats for your furry companion. But before we get to that, let’s first explore what’s made them such a hit.

Why Does My Dog Need a Snuffle Mat?

There are plenty of reasons to get your dog a snuffle mat. It’s perfect for engaging them both physically and mentally. A mat with hidden treats could appeal to all doggie senses. And remember, dogs love hunting and have a strong sense of smell.  They also love exploring their surroundings and will enjoy a good puzzle with their instinctively curious nature.

A snuffle mat can even help calm hyperactive canines. After all, playing around with these mats could be exhausting. They’ll be the perfect choice to keep your dog busy, so you could get some time for yourself. There are other indirect benefits, too; some pet owners use them for training fast eaters. It’s a great toy to teach pups to get a hold of their impulsive behaviors around food and practice some self-control.

What Can I Put in My Dog’s Snuffle Mat?

Snuffle mats will engage your dog by mainly appealing to their sense of smell. You can hide treats inside the mat’s pockets to encourage your dog to investigate. For a snuffle mat to work, you need to hide your dog’s favorite snacks. You can even try fruits and veggies if that’s what your dog likes. But ensure that you use dry food so it doesn’t get too messy.

Can You Put Snuffle Mats in the Washing Machine?

You can! Just remember to machine wash cold and stay off strong detergents and chlorine bleach. Since you’ll be hiding food inside it, you shouldn’t use any harsh chemicals. Use a delicate cycle and a quick tumble dry to avoid damage. Hand washing, however, is a better option if you’ve got the time. But again, stick to cold water and avoid harsh detergents, similar to a machine wash.

Snuffle mats use different materials and constructions, so they will usually come with washing instructions. So remember to follow them, too. They will help avoid unnecessary damage and ensure your dog’s safety.

The Best Snuffle Mats for Dogs

Now, it’s time to go through our top 10 list of the best snuffle mats for dogs. We’ve reviewed each one for quality, functionality, and design. And of course, we’ve considered customer reviews as well to understand how they fare in practical use.

Snuffle Mat for Large Dogs Washable Stress Release Mat

This is a super cute snuffle mat with plenty of nooks and crevices to hide lots of dog treats. It comes in two sizes, so it’s perfect for both small and large breeds.

This snuffle mat is made of polar fleece and upcycled materials and is machine washable and easy to care for. Plus, it’s pretty durable, too. When your dog’s done playing, just roll it up and store it away in the cupboard together with all their other toys.

Here’s what one happy customer had to say about it: “My Maltipoo is very energetic….With fetch being his favorite game, I needed something that would hone in on a skill that wouldn’t require my full attention. This thing definitely does the trick. He absolutely adores this thing and jumps for joy the moment that he sees me pull it out.”

Love it? Click here to learn more.

Puzzle Snuffle Mat for Dogs by Vehipa

This is a bright, bold snuffle mat that comes with lots of fun places to hide treats and tiny toys. It’s guaranteed to keep your dog entertained for hours and make use of all that pent-up energy from staying indoors. This one’s slightly smaller, so it’ll be perfect for the smaller breeds and pups.

It’s handmade with upcycled polyester material and comes with a 100% warranty for quality. Plus, it’ll be pretty comfy for your canine to snuggle on when they’re all tired out.

“Kept my hyperactive Dachshund puppy happy for almost 45 minutes. Since she is all nose, I put very fine grated cheese into it. Wonderful!” explains one 5-star review. Clearly, it’s made not just dogs happy, but their owners too!

To read reviews, click here.

All for Paws Dog Feeding Foraging Mat

If you’re the proud owner of an exuberant pup, then here’s what you need. Made from premium material, it’s soft and comfy. But what’ll get the attention of your furry bundle of joy is the cloth log with the squeaky squirrel toy. It’s full of hiding places to keep your dog curious and engaged for hours. If you’re not convinced, take a look at what pet parents have to say!

Online reviews rave about this mat; “This was the second level up Snuffle Mat for my pup…She absolutely loves this thing like crazy. She is learning to slow down, use her nose, and think to find the hidden treats. It is a great quality mat. Super easy to clean.”

To see pricing, click here.

CHOOBY Snuffle Mat

“Every dog needs one!”—that’s what one pet owner had to say about this product. It doesn’t have all the fancy hiding nooks of typical snuffle mats, but it’s made of chenille, so it’s extremely soft. If you’re worried about your pup hurting its mouth and nose from sniffing around too much on regular materials, then you’re going to love this one. Plus, it’s odorless and non-toxic, so you know it’s safe.

This snuffle mat has a grass patch design, so it’ll be easier to introduce to younger dogs familiar with playing outdoors. It’ll look great in your living room, too. As for care, the manufacturer recommends a once-a-week hand wash, although it’s also machine washable.

To learn more, click here.

Snuffle Foraging Mat for Small Dogs

What caught our eye about this mat is its unique design and the impressive reviews on quality. This one’s clearly durable and long-lasting, so it could stand all the high-energy onslaughts without tearing. The thick polar fleece material is also soft and comfy.

Overall, it’s about 28 inches x 28 inches in size. But keep in mind that its unique shape will give a smaller area for your pup to play on. Looking at the reviews, this doesn’t seem to be much of an issue, though. “Our dogs love this! I have a picky eater with a ton of energy, and this keeps her interested in her food. It also keeps her busy on the days where I cannot seem to keep up with her energy entirely,” says one excited customer.

Like it? Click here to buy now.

Cute Pizza Snuffle Mat Feeding Mat for Dogs

This is a super adorable snuffle mat shaped like a pizza. The bright yellow design will liven up your home and will most likely get your dog excited, too. It’s made of felt, so it’s odorless and perfectly safe for canines, even the younger ones. There’s a non-slip lining at the bottom to prevent skidding and moisture build-up. It’s around 20 inches in diameter, so best for smaller breeds.

To read the latest reviews, click here.

PETRADISE Snuffle Mat

With its dense grass-like design, this snuffle mat will keep your dog busy with snack hunting for quite a while. But don’t worry, the faux grass is soft and will be gentle on your canine. It’s kind of small, though, at just 12 inches x 18 inches. But the unique design will engage even the mid-sized dogs and bring out their natural foraging skills.

Cleaning is easy with a machine wash, and it’s made for fast drying. This is important since your pup will likely spend hours on it, so it’ll need a wash more frequently than you may think.

And what do customers say about it? Here’s one 5-star review: “Our doggo really enjoys using this! This snuffle mat gets 2 thumbs & 4 paws up!!”

To learn more, click here.

Small Dog Snuffle Mat by Dociote

Made from felt fabric, this one is soft and super comfortable. It’s available in three designs and colors: sheep, lion, and fox. Plus, it’s pretty durable, too, and you can machine wash it without any worry.

It’s got some great reviews from pet parents who use it to feed their fast and picky eaters. Some dogs even prefer to eat all of their food on this mat, and nothing else!

Ready to buy? Click here.

Pet Snuffle Mat by Maxgoods

This is a mat that made our list for several reasons. First, we loved the simple design with four cups in the corners and foliage in the center. It’s also available in two color options. The material is flannelette and Oxford cloth, so it’s comfy and safe for your pet. Plus, the durable design makes it long lasting, even with a high energy canine.

It’s got four suction cups to hold it in place, although we’re not really sure of its effectiveness looking at the reviews. But where it scores best is when it comes to cleaning. You can both hand wash and machine wash it once a week without compromising durability.

Love it? Click here to learn more.

Dog Snuffle Mat by Wz Pet

This mat is super cute with lots of colors and hiding places for all the doggie treats. Best of all, it’s made of high-quality thick fleece material, so it’s perfectly safe for your dog to spend hours sniffing about. It’s also pretty durable and won’t tear quickly. Plus, this snuffle mat is machine washable, so you can avoid all the hassle of hand washing.

Keep in mind that the size makes it best for small and medium-sized breeds. But overall, it’s got some high ratings for durability, ease of cleaning, and the suction power to hold it in place.

Here’s a review by a happy pet parent, which pretty much says it all: “Got this for our 50lb pit mix. She loves it! Good for sniffer training, perfect size. Durable and better quality than I expected. Lots of different pockets and such to rummage through!”

To read reviews, click here.

To Sum It Up…

If your dog is bursting with energy, then you need to get a snuffle mat. It’s great to engage their senses, exercise their cognitive functions and keep them foraging for hours. And it’ll be an excellent solution to train those fast eaters, too. Just hide your dog’s favorite dry treats and leave them to it. You can go get some work done while they start rummaging through the snuffle mat.

Check out our list of the best mats and pick what’ll work for your furry companion. They’ll love you for it, guaranteed!

Check out The Best Modern Cat Beds next!