DIY Snuffle Mat for Dogs
Show your furry friend(s) some love with this fun and easy DIY Project that’s just for them: a Snuffle Mat! This mat is specially designed to stimulate your dog’s mind and senses. To use it, you just hide small treats or pieces of kibble in between some of the fringes, then your four-legged pal gets to sniff them out and enjoy! It’s also a great tool for slowing down fast eaters.
You’ll need:
a rubber sink mat (this is the one I used)
1.5 yards of fleece (I used 3/4 yard each of two different colors)
scissors or rotary fabric cutter and mat
ruler
Step 1: Cut your fleece into strips that are 6″ long by 1″ wide.
Don’t worry about making them perfectly exact, the fringe design is very forgiving and you won’t be able to tell once they’re tied.
Step 2: Tie the strips onto the sink mat.
My mat is made up of a series of circles, so I tied four strips onto each circle; top, bottom, left, and right.
If you are using multiple colors like I did, just alternate colors with each knot you tie, or you can tie in a random pattern if you prefer. One knot will be enough to hold each fleece strip in place. Continue tying until the entire mat is filled. This is a very simple project that doesn’t require any advanced skills, just some time. It’s a great thing to work on while you’re watching a movie!
Once the mat is filled, it’s time to put it to use! Hide some small treats inside and let your dog (or cat) sniff them out and find the tasty rewards.
My project cost less than $15; about $5 for the sink mat and $8 for the fleece. It’s an inexpensive and simple way to create something the dogs and cats in your life will really enjoy.
I tried to get a good picture of my dog, Pumpkin, sniffing out some treats, but he was moving his nose around so much, they all turned out as a blur. Take my word for it, the Snuffle Mat is a hit with him! If you try this project, I’d love to see how yours turns out! Be sure you’re part of the Amy Latta & Friends group on Facebook so you can share project photos and we can all be inspired…pet photos are always more than welcome too! See you there.
