A snuffle mat helps keep a dog entertained by allowing them to sniff out tasty morsels. The food-friendly vessels are designed with pockets, flaps, folds, and holes where you can sprinkle in treats or your dog’s favorite kibble. We tested 17 snuffle mats with real dogs, and the best snuffle mat for your dog will provide an enjoyable challenge suited for their size and will be easy for you to clean.
“Snuffle mats are helpful with crate training, decompression, and keeping pups busy, especially on days where their outdoor activity is limited,” says Judy Duhr, director of Speak Rescue and Sanctuary in St. Louis, Missouri. “They also help slow down dogs that eat too fast.”
This giant snuffle mat by Stellaire Chern has all kinds of nooks and crannies to hide kibble and treats. Part of it is a traditional snuffle mat with fleece strips on one side. The rest of the mat has pockets, flaps, and cup-like creations.
Sprinkle in food, and then tuck surprises in all the little extra areas. It should take your dog quite a while to find them all. While fostering an Australian Shepherd puppy (featured in photos below) who was conditioned to eat quickly out of scarcity, the introduction of this snuffle mat increased the pup’s mealtime duration from 15 seconds to 15 minutes.
The mat comes in two sizes, and the large one particularly takes up a lot of space, both on the floor and when you store it. But they come with a built-in tie, so you can roll them up and stash them away. It’s still very big, so make sure you have a spot in the pantry or some other roomy space.
Don’t expect mealtime prep to be quick. It can take quite a bit of time to fill up all the hiding spots. I use this mat for particularly food-driven puppies, and sometimes I will prepare it while they wait nearby in a crate. It helps them learn patience, and the payoff is big because it takes them a long time to explore and sniff out all the kibble.
The mat has an anti-skid backing, which helps keep it in place when your pup is foraging with passion. It’s also machine-washable on a gentle, low cycle. This is Duhr’s absolute favorite because it can keep puppies and adult dogs entertained for a long time and encourages them to use their nose to find all the hidden spots.
Available in two sizes
For a pup that is just starting out in the world of snuffle feeding, this is a great mat. It doesn’t have pockets or flaps, but there’s plenty of room to bury and sprinkle food in the fleece fabric strips. It’s relatively easy to figure out and comes in three color combinations.
One of the best features is that the mat has small hooks on the base so you can attach several mats to create one that is the best size for your dog and their meals. As with all mats, your dog should be supervised when using this mat. Some pets may be tempted to eat the hooks or gnaw off parts of the plastic backing.
Although it’s pretty straightforward, without little pockets or crannies to stow treats, the mat offers variety because you don’t put food in the same exact place each time. Our tester thought it was good quality and easy to clean, and liked that you can attach more mats to make it bigger.
Available in one size
Snuffle balls like this Ablechien Interactive Foraging Ball allow you to fill all the felt layers of the toys with treats or kibble, and then roll it to your pet. Your pup can nose it around, letting the snacks fall out, or they can nose through the layers to find the tasty prizes.
The ball comes in two sizes, 6 inches and 7.8 inches. You can customize how easy or hard it is for your dog to find treats by cinching the ball tighter or looser.
The ball can get dirty quickly while it’s rolling around on the floor filled with food, but fortunately, it’s machine-washable. Our testers washed it several times, and even after rough play sessions, the balls came out clean in one piece. When the treats are all found, the ball can double as a soft toy, as long as your pup isn’t a serious chewer.
One of our testers loved that the ball doesn’t take up a lot of floor real estate. They like that when the ball rolled, it moved quietly and gently “without the ruckus some of my dog’s other toys cause.”
Available as a ball in two sizes and as a snake in one size
More We Recommend
Unroll this DogNMat Taco Snuffle Dog Toy, and there are all sorts of hiding spots for treats and kibble. Tuck them into all the fabric cheese and greens, or inside the middle section that is secured with sturdy Velcro.
There are crinkly spots and a squeaker, so it doubles as a toy. The mat comes gift-wrapped to look like a real taco.
The taco is relatively small, so it might not be very challenging for big dogs or pups that are pros at puzzle and snuffle toys. One of our testers said their dog got through it pretty quickly, but thought it would be a great gift for a dog owner.
There are many designs from this seller, including sushi, fortune cookies, and a picnic spread. They can all be customized with your pet’s name and can be machine-washed and tumble-dried. They have closures to roll them up when not in use.
Available in one size
The shaggy Pet Parents Forager Bowl is kind of a combination puzzle bowl and snuffle mat. The material absorbs slobber and small amounts of liquid and has a non-slip backing to keep it from skidding while your pup eats. The bowl is machine-washable and has a drawstring to make it easy to take on the road.
Our tester said the material was very soft and easy on a dog’s nose, and the mat was high-quality. It was simple to prepare at mealtime: Just dump in the kibble and mix it around with your hand.
Three bowls offer different levels of difficulty. The Meadow Ponds is for beginners, offering shorter areas where kibble can be collected. The Meadow Natural is a little more difficult, and the Forest Gray is the most challenging, with no colors or easy spots.
Available in one size
This colorful AWOOF Pet Snuffle Feeding Mat has a built-in drawstring so you can close it up all the way for storage, open it part of the way to create a bowl, or flatten it for a regular snuffle mat. The smaller size is great for a smaller pet or if you just want to keep kibble and treats contained, as if your pup were eating out of a dish.
Snuffle mats get grungy and need to be cleaned often. This one should be washed by hand, according to the instructions. It has a helpful non-slip bottom that keeps it from sliding across the floor. Because it can be cinched up with the drawstring, it’s easy to store and takes up less room than some of the other mats.
One of our testers was quite impressed with how long it took her dog to find his snacks. “Because of the density of the grass, it was challenging enough for him to stay occupied for a long time.”
Available in one size
Handmade from organic cotton, this mat is different from most because it has curled shag strips that can make it even more challenging to find treats, which is great for large dogs. Just bury treats in the mat, including in the curled folds, or sprinkle them on the surface. The mat is machine-washable and durable.
The Paw 5 Snuffle Mat is made in Ghana with ethically sourced materials, and the company supports factories that promise equality for women. The materials are made from pre-consumer fabric left over from the industrial textile industry. The mat is a little smaller and a little more expensive than most.
Our tester had tried many ways to slow down a food-obsessed pup and said this mat was the only thing that actually helped. It was easy to clean with just a quick shake, and the only negative was that it didn’t stay in place very well.
Available in one size
We didn’t test this Awoof Snuffle Dog Feeding Mat, but nearly 3,400 Amazon buyers gave it a five-star rating, so it’s safe to say that pet parents love it. One reviewer, who has a smart Australian shepherd with a talent for figuring things out quickly, said the dog “has yet to outsmart this mat.”
Measuring 28 x 28 inches, this snuffle mat is loaded with hiding places for food. Four large layered petals embedded with crinkly paper, three bells, and a squeaker are at the center, surrounded by a perimeter of dense grass, and there are four different feeding games at the corners. The interior snuffle side is made of soft yet durable fleece, while the exterior is constructed of thick Oxford cloth, with buckled packing straps attached.
Although this snuffle mat does not have an anti-slip underside, it does come with four strings you can button up through the release buckles on the backside and tie to furniture to prevent your dog from flipping it over. However, you should watch your dog to ensure that they don’t chew up these buckles. Overall, it’s a great snuffle mat to use with supervision.
Available in one size
How We Tested
We selected 17 bestselling and highly rated snuffle mats for real-world testing for several weeks. Tests were conducted with dogs of all sizes and ages, and snuffle mats were evaluated on how fun and challenging they were, how easy they were to clean, size, materials, price, and extra features.
Throughout testing, our volunteer testers followed a methodology created by our research team to ensure we received consistent notes from tester to tester. Testers provided feedback in the following categories: size, design, portability, ease of cleaning, quality, and value. Equipped with their first-hand observations and scoring feedback, our editors then ranked and categorized our top picks for the ideal snuffle mat that suits your needs.
What to Look For in a Snuffle Mat
Washability
Because snuffle mats are filled with food and dog slobber, it’s important to wash them often. “First and foremost, when choosing a snuffle mat, it needs to be machine-washable,” Duhr told The Spruce Pets.
It’s best to wash as the label suggests, which is usually warm water on a gentle cycle. Check to see whether the mat has to be air-dried or can be placed in the dryer.
You’ll want to wash it regularly, because food and drool are quite a messy combination. Wash it alone or with other dog laundry, like towels and blankets, so your personal items don’t smell like dog food!
Difficulty
In addition to the traditional snuffle part that looks like fleecy grass, some mats have added challenges like pockets and flaps where you can hide more food. Dogs can learn very quickly how to root treats out of the normal mat, which is when you can bury the food into the strips instead of just sprinkling it on top.
“I look for ones that will keep the pups entertained the longest; so, those with different textures and activities,” Duhr said. “Some come with toys that are inserted in pockets.”
Size
If you have a large dog, you don’t necessarily need a large mat. And vice versa with a small pet. Larger mats typically take longer for pups to find food, so they can keep your dog occupied longer. However, they can be harder to store. Smaller mats might take less time, but they are easier to store and can be used for travel. “It’s a bonus if it is easy to take along on trips,” Duhr said.
Definitely check the measurements on the mats. Some really large ones might come with ties or velcro strips, but you still have a log-like roll that has to be stored somewhere.
Other Snuffle Mats We Tested
In addition to our winners and recommended snuffle mats, we also tested:
Frisco Pizza Snuffle Mat: This pizza-shaped mat is really cute. It’s very big and doesn’t have a load of hiding spots. But if you have multiple pets, our tester liked that you can use a slice for each pup at mealtime. It’s also reasonably priced and machine-washable.
Frisco Vending Machine Snuffle Mat: One of our testers called this the Cadillac of snuffle mats because it’s so large and has more than a dozen different places to hide treats. But the back of the mat was very slippery, causing the humans to nearly wipe out. Enclosed suction cups didn’t keep it in place.
Lambwolf Collective Berry Pie: This clever pie-shaped mat is certainly unique and fun to look at. Our tester’s dog found it challenging, but it’s small, so it might not work for big dogs. After a few sessions, stuffing was coming out of one of the berries.
LAMTWEK Snuffle Mat for Dogs: This is a pretty basic snuffle mat that just has what resembles plush blades of grass. It was pretty easy for the tester pup to quickly find all the treats, and the mat didn’t seem to hold up very well. This might be OK for a beginner, but there are other, more interesting and challenging options.
OurMiao Silicone Snuffle Mat for Dogs: This silicone mat is a good option if your pup is a chewer and has destroyed fabric mats. You can use it for dry food, soft treats, or even things like peanut butter or yogurt. It’s easy to clean, but the suction cups don’t really keep it in place on the floor.
Piggy Poo and Crew Rooting Snuffle Pig Mat: This colorful mat isn’t terribly big, but it has several areas to hide food, including strips of fabric and many-layered cups. After a couple of washes, the fabric started to pill, so we’re not sure how durable it will be in the long run. It’s about a medium challenge: not too tough but not just for beginners.
Spanomic Snail Snuffle Dog Mat: Shaped like a snail, this toy unrolls so you can hide treats inside it. One tester pup had trouble unrolling the snail and getting through the Velcro closure, but the pup had fun with it as a squeaky plush toy.
ZMUBB Pet Snuffle Mat for Dogs: This snuffle mat is very large with lots of compartments, making it easy for several friendly dogs in a home to use it at once. One of our testers said she plans on using it as a special reward during training sessions.
Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Activity Matz: This cute activity mat combines a snuffle mat with activity games. It rolls up easily for storage and has a non-slip mat. It’s a challenging mat for puppies and just the right size.
FAQ
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What is a snuffle mat?
A snuffle mat is a pad with strips of fleece or other material where you can bury your dog’s kibble or treats. Your dog has to use their nose to forage for the food. Some snuffle mats also have additional pockets or flaps where you can hide food to make it more challenging.
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Are snuffle mats good for dogs?
Yes. Snuffle mats keep dogs and puppies engaged and keep them from gulping down their dinner. Trainers and vets often recommend snuffle mats as an enrichment activity and to slow down pets at mealtime.
“If you have a pet that is known to swallow or shred things that they shouldn’t, I recommend supervising your pup to make sure that’s not the case,” Duhr says.
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How do you clean a snuffle mat?
Most machine-washable snuffle mats can be washed with warm water on a gentle cycle. Check the label to see whether it can be placed in the dryer or needs to be air-dried.
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Do snuffle mats make dogs tired?
Yes. Snuffle mats provide a lot of mental stimulation, and dogs expend a good amount of energy sniffing out the treats. All the mental exertion helps to tire them out and calm them down.
Best Dog Treats for Snuffle Mats
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Why Trust The Spruce Pets?
This article was written by Mary Jo DiLonardo, a contributor for The Spruce Pets, who has personally used dozens of snuffle mats over the years. She has a rescue dog and has fostered more than 75 dogs and puppies, and almost all have exclusively eaten their meals in snuffle mats or puzzle toys. She is always trying new products to keep the dogs in her care entertained, healthy, and safe.
DiLonardo recently fostered an Australian Shepherd puppy named Cobalt, who was utterly obsessed with food and conditioned to eat quickly. During the three weeks under her care—before he was adopted—Cobalt learned to sniff out each piece of food using the Stellaire Chern Snuffle Mat, our pick for best overall.
In addition to testing with real dogs, we consulted Judy Duhr, director of Speak Rescue and Sanctuary in St. Louis, Missouri, for advice on how to choose a snuffle mat for a dog.
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