The Many Benefits of Using Lick Mats for Dogs

Lick mats – also known as licki mats or lick pads – are textured rubber or silicone mats. These are designed to encourage licking behavior in dogs.

Your dog has to use their tongue to retrieve every last morsel from grooves and ridges.

You can find lick mats in different shapes and textures. Turpit’s  Silicone lick mats for dogs are suitable for all breeds and sizes. They’re 100% BPA-free and safe for your pups.

We explain the top benefits of using lick mats and give you tips on how to add them to your dog’s routine.

How Lick Mats Help

Mental Stimulation

Traditional food bowls don’t challenge your dog’s problem-solving skills like lick mats. Your dog has to put in some work to get the treats or food spread across the mat’s surface.

Boredom in dogs is known to be behind some destructive behaviors like excessive barking, chewing, digging, etc.

The mental exercise that lick mats encourage in your dogs prevents this boredom.

Positive Reinforcement Training

Lick mats can help in training. For example, let your dog have peanut butter or yogurt spread on it as a high-value reward for learning and progress. Adding this to the training makes it more fun for your dog and helps the training stick.

Setting the lick mat in front of your dog during training sessions keeps them from being distracted. This can be helpful when working on commands like "stay" or "leave it".

In crate training, lick mats can be the comforting item that’s inside and holding their favorite treat as they familiarize themselves.

Using a lick mat can help teach impulse control. Your dog will need to lick slowly and persistently to access the treat. They can’t gulp it down quickly, so there’s no risk of digestive issues like bloating or vomiting.

This can help build skills like self-control and patience at the same time promote saliva production, improving digestion.

Anxiety Relief

Dogs feel more calm when they lick. That’s because repetitive licking releases endorphins. This can help during grooming sessions and vet visits as both become less stressful.

If your dogs have notable anxiety issues as seen in situations like thunderstorms, fireworks, etc., these lick mats are worth giving a try.

Dental Health and Oral Hygiene

When your furry pal licks the rough surface, it gently scrubs their tongue. This gets rid of plaque and bacteria.

This action, along with making your dog salivate more, can help freshen their breath and keep their teeth and gums healthy.

How to Use Lick Mats

Now that you know the primary lick mat benefits, let's see how to use them right:

1. Select a lick mat that suits your dog's size and chewing habits. Smaller dogs may do better with mats featuring shallower grooves, while larger/more aggressive chewers may need sturdier, thicker mats.

2. If your dog is using them for the first time, go with some of their favorite treat or food. Challenge them a bit gradually with thicker or stickier substances. Give them enough time to be comfortable with the idea.

3. Freezing the lick mat can extend the duration of the activity. This ups the mental challenge for your dog. Spread the topping of your choice on the mat, then freeze it for a few hours before serving.

4. Always supervise your dog while using a lick mat. Keep an eye out for any potential choking hazards or destructive behavior. Introduce new toppings in moderation to avoid digestive upsets or allergic reactions.

     Also, switch up the toppings you use so that they always have something new and   

     interesting to do.

    Some popular and dog-friendly options to get you started are:

   - Peanut butter (xylitol-free)

   - Canned dog food

   - Mashed bananas or sweet potatoes

   - Plain yogurt

   - Pumpkin puree

   - Unsalted nut butter

   - Cream cheese

   - Bone broth (frozen)

   - Mashed cooked vegetables (e.g., carrots, green beans)

5. After each use, clean the lick mat thoroughly with warm, soapy water and a scrub brush to remove residues. If the lick mat is dishwasher-safe, cleaning is easier. We recommend keeping at least two so using in rotation gets easier.

Dog lick mats are quite popular and relatively less messy. You can add them to your dog’s routine easily. These have a bunch of benefits for your dogs and keep the feeding part fun and enjoyable for them. Why not give lick mats for dogs a try?