Does my dog need a lick mat?
If your dog gets bored, fidgety or scared when they are being groomed or cleaned, a lick mat could come in handy. They can stick to flat surfaces such as bathroom walls or baths so your dog can easily access them, and they won’t move.
Have you tried cutting your dogs claws and realised it is a two-person job as someone has to also hold the dog? A lick mat could cut out the need for your partner or child joining in, which will cut down on stress for your dog.
It can also be good to distract them while you do other things. Really need to vacuum or sort the laundry but Barney wants 100% of your attention? Keep him occupied while you sort out everything else by sticking it on an internal door.
They’re also a good tool for soothing anxiety. Say there are fireworks, or you’re having work done to the house and they don’t like strangers – if the pull of food is stronger, that is the issue solved. It can also eliminate boredom if they are fed up with their other toys.
It also helps promote fresh breath by scraping off bacteria and undigested food particles from the tongue, as well as stimulating saliva production which aids digestion.
Can I use lick mats with dry food?
No, they’re just for liquid or sauce based wet foods. But if you want to slow your dogs eating down or they’re on a dry food-only diet, a slow feeder bowl or snuffle mat could work.
