Are snuffle mats really good for dogs?

Any tool that encourages natural foraging skills is perfect for our pack. I’ve tried and reviewed a lot of puzzle toys, and this one remains among our favourites. It fits easily fits into our routine. Using enrichment tools like this means that when the dogs are bored, they don’t look for ways to entertain themselves and get in trouble. I just fill up the snuffle mat with treats and each dog gets their turn. The mat can take about 10 minutes of focused play. It may seem expensive for a toy, but I’ve found that it’s stood the test of time over countless hours of use. It’s a great tool for older dogs. My 13-year-old dog Bruiser loves this mat too. Since his walks are a little shorter due to achy joints, the mat is an important enrichment tool for him.

Gives them an opportunity to use their amazing sense of smell. Your dog's sense of smell is highly important because it’s one of the main ways that they discover the world. With a snuffle mat, the treats are hidden so it encourages your dog to use their sense of smell to find out where the treats are. Not only does this give them an opportunity to use their sense of smell to find food it’s enriching for them too. Helps reduce anxiety. Dogs need a lot of mental and physical stimulation, or they can become restless or even develop problem behaviours. As we mentioned before, when they are playing with a snuffle mat, their natural foraging instincts help them find the treats – which in turn, doesn’t just give them a yummy food reward but the success also stimulates the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, which in turn helps to boost their mood and reduce anxiety. Burns energy. Often brainwork is more tiring than physical exercise and a session with a snuffle mat, can often use as much canine energy as a walk – and improve their mood at the same time. Slows down eating to avoid stomach pain and bloating. Some of our dogs are fast eaters, which can cause issues like regurgitation, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and bloating. Because snuffle mats can increase the length of time it takes them to eat, it can reduce these risks.