What Is a Snuffle Mat, and Does My Dog Need One?

A snuffle mat for dogs is a mat thick with fleece strips, where you hide pieces of dry food. Your dog sniffs and noses through the strips to find each one.

It turns a meal that would vanish in seconds into a few minutes of searching with the nose.

The research on snuffle mats themselves is thin. What exists is interesting, though, and the basics of using one well are simple.

How does a snuffle mat work?

The design copies foraging. Instead of a full bowl, food is scattered and hidden, and your dog has to hunt for it piece by piece with the nose.

The ASPCA includes a homemade snuffle mat in its list of enrichment ideas for dogs. Its version is a high-pile bathroom mat, or fleece strips tied to a rubber mat, with kibble hidden throughout.

The ASPCA's aim with ideas like this is to satisfy a dog's instincts to play, chase, smell, chew and forage. A snuffle mat focuses on two of those: smelling and foraging.

The authors of a 2019 nosework study, covered below, point out why that matters. Pet dogs, they write, rarely get to choose their daily activities, or to use natural behaviors such as foraging by smell.

What does the research say about snuffle mats?

Honestly, very little so far. No published trial has tested whether snuffle mats change a dog's wellbeing over time. The studies that exist look at related questions.

Do dogs actually like working for their food?

Here's a surprising one. A 2024 study in Scientific Reports offered 38 pet dogs two dishes side by side: a plain tray of food, and a snuffle mat holding the same food.

Over ten meals, 22 dogs preferred to go to the tray first. Only one dog preferred the snuffle mat first.

But 30 of the 38 dogs still nosed into the snuffle mat while free food was waiting on the tray. In other words, most dogs were willing to work for food, even though they didn't prefer to.

The authors are clear that this doesn't mean snuffle mats aren't enriching. Their advice is for owners to learn their own dog's preferences.

Does sniffing make dogs happier?

There's a hint that it might. In a 2019 study by researchers Duranton and Horowitz, pet dogs practiced either nosework, searching for hidden food by scent, or heelwork for two weeks.

Afterward, the nosework dogs approached an uncertain situation faster, which researchers read as a more optimistic outlook. The heelwork dogs showed no change.

That study tested structured scent games, not snuffle mats. A snuffle mat uses the same skill on a much smaller scale, so the finding fits, but it doesn't prove mats do the same.

What do owners report?

A survey of 1,750 dog owners, published in Veterinary Record, looked at enrichment feeding as a whole. Mental stimulation was a commonly perceived benefit.

The authors note that a survey can't show cause and effect, and call for proper experiments.

So a snuffle mat is a reasonable, low-risk way to make a meal last longer and give your dog's nose a job. How much it does beyond that is still an open question.

How do I use a snuffle mat?

Start easy, so your dog wins quickly. Scatter a few pieces on top of the strips where they're easy to see and smell, and let your dog find them.

Once your dog understands the game, hide pieces deeper. Ruffle the strips over the food so it takes more searching.

Dry food works best. The Scientific Reports team used dry food in their snuffle mats because wet food sticks to the fabric. Small, firm pieces of kibble are ideal.

Use part of your dog's regular meal. The Merck Veterinary Manual says extras should stay under 10% of a dog's daily calories, and taking food from the bowl keeps the mat from adding any at all.

If you add a little something on top, the same small-amounts rule applies to dog food toppers.

When the food is gone, pick the mat up. Leaving it down turns a food game into a fleece toy.

Is a snuffle mat safe to leave with my dog?

Stay nearby, at least until you know how your dog uses it. Some dogs sniff gently. Others grab the mat, shake it, or chew the strips.

The ASPCA's advice for any enrichment item is close, active supervision. If your dog tries to swallow part of it, take it out of their mouth straight away. Replace a mat once the strips are torn or coming loose.

A snuffle mat also has limits. AAHA's behavior management guidelines note that many dogs with behavioral problems are too distressed for simple environmental enrichment alone to make a difference.

If your dog seems frightened, restless or upset much of the time, talk to your vet. A mat can be part of a plan, but it isn't the plan.

Call your vet promptly if your dog:

• swallowed fleece strips or a piece of the mat
• seems to be choking, gagging or pawing at their mouth
• starts guarding the mat or snapping when you come near it
• seems frightened or unsettled much of the time, even with play and enrichment

How do I clean a snuffle mat?

A snuffle mat is a food dish made of fabric, so crumbs and saliva collect deep in the strips. Treat it like a bowl.

The FDA's pet food handling tips say to wash food bowls and scoops with soap and hot water after each use, and to wash your hands before and after handling pet food. Shake the mat out after every session, then wash it regularly.

Follow the maker's washing instructions, and let the mat dry completely before the next use.

Snuffle mat or lick mat: which is better?

They suit different foods and different dogs. A snuffle mat is for dry pieces and uses the nose. A dog lick mat is for soft, spreadable food and uses the tongue.

A dog that gulps kibble may enjoy the search of a snuffle mat. For baths and nail trims, a lick mat has the edge. AAHA's guidelines describe spreadable food as a useful distraction during handling.

There's no reason not to use both, at different times. The research on each is similarly thin, so let your dog's interest guide you.

Merck recommends balancing active play with rest and solitary exploration through food puzzles and chew toys. A snuffle mat fits neatly into that quieter part of the day.

Questions new dog parents ask

Are snuffle mats good for dogs?

For most dogs they're a simple, low-risk way to slow a meal and let them use their nose. Research on snuffle mats specifically is still limited.

Can puppies use a snuffle mat?

Yes, with supervision, since puppies love to chew fabric. Pick it up when the food is gone. Our guide to puppy toys covers what suits each age.

How long should my dog use a snuffle mat?

Until the food is found. For most dogs that's a few minutes, and the mat goes away afterward.

Can I make my own snuffle mat?

Yes. The ASPCA's homemade version uses a high-pile bathroom mat, or fleece strips tied to a rubber mat. Check it often for loose strips.

Can cats use a snuffle mat?

Some do. The AAFP recommends puzzle feeders and putting food in different locations, so cats can forage and eat frequent small meals. A snuffle mat is one way to offer that.

Sources

• ASPCA: Canine DIY Enrichment
• Rothkoff L, Feng L, Byosiere SE. Domestic pet dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) do not show a preference to contrafreeload, but are willing. Scientific Reports, 2024
• Duranton C, Horowitz A. Let me sniff! Nosework induces positive judgment bias in pet dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2019
• Heys M, Lloyd I, Westgarth C. 'Bowls are boring': Investigating enrichment feeding for pet dogs and the perceived benefits and challenges. Veterinary Record, 2024
• Hammerle M et al. 2015 AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines. JAAHA, 2015
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Feeding Practices in Small Animals
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Social Behavior of Dogs
• FDA: Tips for Safe Handling of Pet Food and Treats
• AAFP: How to Feed a Cat Consensus Statement

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own dog — they know the animal in front of them.