Lick Mat Guide: Recipes and Benefits

Image: Stylish Hound

Lick mats: in a way, these dog accessories are self-explanatory. And, yet, in another way, there is more to lick mats than meets the surface—and we’re not just talking about dog tongues. Do you know how we’re always telling kids not to play with their food? Well, much like the silicone surface of a lick mat itself, this rule is bendy when it comes to dogs. And when you consider the prevalence of treat-based dog training, this makes sense.

In treat training, we encourage behavioural changes in dogs by using food as an incentive. With lick mats, the process is somewhat turned on its head. Why would we want to alter the way dogs gulp down their grub? Believe it or not, there are a few reasons, which we’re going to explore. Then we’re going to give you some lick mat recipe inspo! You won’t want to miss that, so be sure to read until the end.

Benefits

A lick mat brings benefits to humans as well as hounds. If you have a hyperactive pup who thrives on attention, they can be a godsend. At its essence, a lick mat is a slow feeder. Spread your dog’s regular food—or their favourite spreadable snack, like peanut butter—on the lick mat and they should be occupied for at least half an hour. How does a lick mat slow digestion? With its grooves. This silicon food bowl alternative consists of many tongue-massaging textures and nooks from which to nom their food. So long as the spread is spreadable, your dog will need to navigate their food with deliberation. They can’t just scarf this down like they could on their smooth, texture-free food bowl.

By using a lick mat, your dog will not be hounding you—pun intended. They will also reap the benefits of mental stimulation and slowed digestion—which, by extension, will lead to better nutrient absorption. If your dog suffers from anxiety of any kind in any situation, lick mats can also make for great distraction tools.

Recipes

Now that we’ve given our spiel, it’s time for the yummy part. Brief disclaimer: treats are great, but even doggos need to be treat-wise. We would advise against using the lick mat any more than once a week. Don’t rely on it too often and in the case of high-calorie snacks, adjust their mealtime portions if need be. Now, without further ado, let’s tuck into some lick mat recipes!

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Image: Stylish Hound

Let’s add a Spreadable Base

If you’re fixing your pooch a fancy recipe, you’ll want a good, spreadable base. Think of this as the base ice cream scoop you order at Cold Rock Ice Creamery. Popular lick mat staples include peanut butter, Greek yoghurt, pureed pumpkin, and cottage cheese. If you’re opting for peanut butter, it’s best to choose something unsalted, and—if possible—made specifically for dogs. Don’t go too heavy on the dairy or pumpkin, either, as a) not all dogs are exempt from lactose intolerance, and b) too much pumpkin or squash can make for an upset stomach. All things in moderation.

Let’s Sweeten the Deal

Anyone who’s ever been to Cold Rock Ice Creamery knows it’s all about the mix-ins, amirite? Sure, you can have chocolate ice cream, but isn’t it so much better with Oreo pieces mixed in? Doggy deserves the same treatment, surely—only not with Oreos. Once, Mom said chocolate isn’t good for dogs. (But they can have the rest of the milk.)

Healthy additions to sweeten the doggy deal: fruit (but heed caution! Some fruits are NOT dog-friendly, such as cherries. Keep them far away from cherries), applesauce, and honey (which should be used sparingly due to its high sugar content). You can also carb up with some pre-cooked porridge, which you could throw together with some berries. No one said this was a one-for-one deal! Take as many mix-ins as you would like.

Let’s Savour that Savoury Taste

If you’re after something more savoury, then perhaps you should swap those fruity toppings for vegetables. Again, not all vegetables are dog-friendly, so do your research before you dish up! (Here’s one for free: onions are absolutely not suitable for dogs.) One vegetable of note is potato—of either white or sweet variety. This can make a great base, too, because it can be very spreadable when mashed.

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Image: Stylish Hound

Other savoury mix-ins of note include ground meats, dog treats, eggs, or quinoa. Just be sure that whatever you add is served up plain. Dogs don’t need flavour to savour that savoury taste. Flavouring is usually bad for dogs, too, with all that onion and salt. It’s best to keep your food selections naked, the way nature intended.

Final Tidbits

The more flavours and textures in your concoction, the more interested your dog’s gonna be. Hey, if you want to keep things interesting, you could even mix ingredients from all of the above categories! Think this might not work? Think again. Which vegetable goes perfectly with honey? Carrot—that’s what! Honey-glazed carrots swimming in Greek yoghurt: yeah, we’re seeing it.

Lick mats are slow feeders, but if you want to slow things down even further, you can always take the mat away before they lick it clean. Pop the half-finished food receptacle in the freezer for half an hour to maintain freshness. Once half an hour has elapsed, serve it up to Pup again. This will encourage further mindful eating habits and encourage dogs to listen to their satiety cues even more than they were before. (Plus, it makes for pleasant snacking when the temperature is high.)

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Image: Stylish Hound

And with that, the remainder is in your paws. If you thought doggy diets had to be boring, you thought wrong. For further recipe inspo, be sure to check out these enrichment recipes at stylish-hound.com. Though designed for Stylish Hound’s Hercules chew toys, their spreadable consistency means they should also work a treat with lick mats. Happy licking, guys, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with.