Dogs and puppies love to play and they like to use their senses. Dogs have a great sense of smell and they like to spend their time sniffing out different things. There are some ways to amuse a dog with a toy and allow them to use their sense of smell. A snuffle mat is a great toy that can be homemade. This mat is made from fabric strips that are used to look like grass and treats can be hidden in the fabric pieces. The snuffle mat can be made from many different types of DIY materials and is washable for easy cleaning. There are many snuffle mats on sites such as chewy but they are easy to make at home.
DIY Material for a Snuffle Mat
There is an easy way to make a homemade snuffle mat. This mat is washable since it will be made from fabric and other soft materials. To make the snuffle mat a person is going to gather up some material. They are going to need a pair of scissors that are sharp enough to cut fabric and a measuring tape or a ruler. A plastic sink mat will also be needed. They can be purchase at the dollar store. A yard of the fleece of other material is needed. This material should not fray.
Once all of the supplies are gather the fabric needs to be cut into strips. The strips should be around 1.5 inches by 8.5 inches. There are going to be a lot of strips needed to make this mat. Around 120 strips should be cut. This should be enough to cover the mat. The fabric can be all types of colors and patterns. Old shirts can also be used to make the snuffle mat. This is a great way to recycle fabric that is already around the home.
Once the fabric is cut take it and put it through the holes n the mat. It can be done from just about any angle. The strips should be tired so they will be held into place. If the dog likes to pull and tug double know it so they do not come out easily.
The mat should be filled all the way. Different patterns can be made and colors can be mixed up. A person should start in one corner and work their way until the entire mat is filled. If there are open spaces they are easy to see and they can go back and be filled. If a person wants to make it thick they can add additional layers of the fabric material. A person will use the end of the snuffle mat with the fabric hanging so that a dog can play with it.
Once the mat has been completed little pieces of dog food or treats can be hidden in the mat. The dog will then have fun trying to find it. They will sniff around the mat and the fabric to look for the treat.
If the dog is having trouble finding the treat the human may need to demonstrate how the mat works. In no time the dog will get used to it and will have fun searching for treats. The snuffle mat is great for any dog. Even deaf and blind dogs can have fun playing with this mat.
The snuffle mat can be purchased on pet sites or pet forums like https://catdogs.pet such as chewy but it is easy to make one at home and less expensive. All that is needed is some DIY materials and a little time. A person can take the time to make the snuffle mat and allow the dog to have hours of fun searching for the treats.