In honor of it being my dog Ollie's birthday month, I wanted to share a fun dog DIY snuffle mat that we made!
This DIY Snuffle Mat is a great way to add some enrichment into treat time. Sniffing is hugely beneficial for dogs. I read somewhere that just 20 minutes of sniffing is like an hour of walking time. It's good for their brains and is very stimulating for them.
Then and now! Look at this baby when I first made him a snuffle mat!
Supplies:
Fleece fabric (I used about 2 yards total)
I used two different colors of green fleece but you could totally do one solid color throughout, colors that match your decor, or a rainbow of colors!
Directions:
Using your rotary cutter, self-healing mat, and ruler, cut your fleece into strips that are about 7- 8 inches long and 1 inch wide.
This is the type of DIY that can also be done with scissors if you don't own or don't want to purchase a rotary cutter. I just find the rotary cutter to be a much faster and cleaner way to make your cuts. However, this project doesn't have to be perfect and scissors will work just fine.
2. Take a strip of your fleece and tie it to your sink mat. I double-tied mine to just make sure they were secure since my dog was going to be digging around in the finished product.
3. Repeat these steps, tying fleece in the areas between each hole. If you're making a colorful or two-toned mat, make sure you swap the colors up to create a pattern.
4. Once you've tied all your strips, and covered all the spaces between the holes, your mat will look something like this.
To use the snuffle mat, tuck small treats into and around in the flaps of fleece and let your dog have fun using his nose to search out the goodies! Ollie's favorite treats are these Zuke's Turkey and Cranberry Holiday Trees but your dog's favorite small treats or pieces of treat will be great!
We like to use our snuffle mat when we're home but can't be very engaging. It's good for when I'm having to do work. This also makes a fun gift for dog lovers in your life!
