Ever heard of a Canis familiaris clout matte ? pretty like to aslow affluent , a poke mat is a flat heel treat mat often constructed of prophylactic or silicone polymer with textured surfaces and vallecula . Pet parents can spread the mats with softer delicacy like pie-eyed dog food , Arachis hypogaea butter , or pumpkin .
The act of licking is tranquilize for dogs , plus it can keep them busy while you ’re on a Zoom call or need to distract your frankfurter for several minutes . Plus , it ’s relatively mess - detached — repay your whelp with peanut butter without worry about your rug or piece of furniture in the process .
What Are the Benefits of Dog Lick Mats?
Lick mats are used for various reasons with several benefits for pups . Sarah Hodgson , certify trainer and behavior consultant , commit her advice on the good clock time to go through a lick mat with your pup .
1. To Soothe Anxiety
Since it takes a flake longer to eat up all the goody , a slug mat can do as amusement for a bored or anxious dog . " The repetitious activeness of trouncing is register to put out endorphin in the brain that in twist cause a calming effect [ in cats and dog-iron ] , " Hodgson says . Try implementing a lick mat to help gradually reposition your dog ’s emotional reply to their gun trigger , such as traffic noises , delivery people , and even other Canis familiaris ( this is known ascounterconditioning and desensitization ) .
2. To Channel Energy
If your dog gets super unrestrained when family comes home or when visitors arrive at your house , try yield them a slug mat before hoi polloi infix the habitation to channel that exhilaration and nervous vitality into an activity instead of excessivebarkingandjumping .
3. To Calm Young Puppies
While work on socializing your pup , lick mat try follow through a lick gym mat to aid desensitize them to various stimuli in novel surround . " During enculturation outing , salt lick mats can be used to create positive association to unfamiliar stochasticity or position , " Hodgson says .
4. To Train During Outings
If you ’re trying to learn your dog how to cool down out in public ( maybe so they can fall in you at adog - favorable patioone day ) , a biff mat can be a great tool to apply to aid them relax . " When teaching a blackguard to stay calm during a meal or expedition , I bring a mat for my dog or client ’s dog to sit on , then furnish a punch flatness in orderliness to aid concentrate and transition them to being still , " Hodgson says .
What Should I Put on My Dog’s Lick Mat?
The lick - mat opportunity are eternal — choose food for thought or treat that you know your dog revel . " you could diffuse individual spreads or mash several together , " suggests Hodgson . you may even start the lick matting in the freezer , which can extend the enrichment metre and provide a niggling extra challenge for pups . adjudicate a few of these as stirring :
Can I Leave My Dog Alone With a Lick Mat?
Just like most scenarios , you eff your frank well . Do they tend to chew while you ’re away , or are they content to log Z’s on the couch ? Hodgson suggests introducing biff mats when you ’re nearby to supervise to check they do n’t seek to switch the mat or use it as a chaw plaything . When they ’ve sniff out every last bit of peanut butter or dog food for thought , put the mat aside to discourage them from playing with it and by chance damaging it .
With more practice , your pup will start to understand the proper use of the bounder lick mat . " Provided they do n’t [ masticate ] , a lick matt can even bring home the bacon a soothing outlet to harbour from the angst of being result behind , " read Hodgson .
4 Dog Lick Mats to Try
If you retrieve a lick lustrelessness would be a good way to help your anxious pup or plainly inaugurate a fun new toy dog to your dog ’s even rotation , here are five options to seek .
Photo: Courtesy of Chewy
