You have ordered one of our lick mats but now you’re asking yourself “what to put on a dog lick mat?” Worry not! because today we will answer this question for you.

Before we dive into what to put on dog lick mats, it is first important to know why these lick mats are used in the first place and what benefits they hold for your furry little friends. 

Bone-ifits of Lick Mats 

Lick mats have many physiological and psychological benefits for the dogs:

1. Licking is a soothing and stress releasing activity for the dogs: which releases endorphins (the happy hormones)  in their brain that can make them feel relaxed and stress-free. It is also their way of expressing love for their owners. One of the research study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior proved that dogs often lick themselves as a signal of peace and understanding with their owners

2. Encourages slower eating habits in fast eaters: The textured surface of the lick mats don’t allow fast eater dogs to gulp the food all at once. As the food is stuck to the mat, it becomes a little challenging for them and they can only eat it by slow licking motions. This encourages slow eating behaviors in the pet which helps in better digestion also. 

An article by Karin Spicer in Dayton Daily news talks about a fast eater cat named Pip who used to sometimes gag due to gulping down dry kibble. But when the lick mat was introduced in his routine, he was trained with various methods. After some time there was a big change seen in his eating behavior i.e. he started eating his food at a measured pace.

3. Improves Dental health: The differently designed textures on the lick mat help clean the dog’s teeth and give a message to their gums which ensures there is no plaque or bacteria buildup on teeth. Moreover, the continuous licking results in saliva production which washes away most bacteria and debris on the teeth.

4. Reduces anxiety and self destructive behaviors: When dogs are anxious and are full of energy that is not being channeled into the right place, they tend to engage in self destructive and undesirable behaviors. Lick mats help them calm that energy while their attention is fully on licking the spreaded food on the mat. 

What to put on a dog lick mat?

Before you ponder on this question. First ask yourself “what does my dog like to eat?” Every long term dog parent knows the likes and dislikes of their dogs and every dog’s likings may vary. But there still is a long list of common food items that most dogs like to eat and some of those few things might be:

• Peanut butter
• Yogurt
• Banana
• Apples
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Ground/minced meat
• Chicken
• Sweet potato 
• Broccoli
• Cooked eggs 
• Oatmeal  

The list can go on but not everything can be put on a dog lick mat just as it is. It is recommended and sensible to put liquid or semi-liquid items on the lick mat. Basically, any food item that can be spread on to the textured surface of these mats. So, this food item can be something already in liquid or semi-liquid form or it can be a solid food turned into that form through boiling or cooking. 

With that sorted now you can move to that actual question “what to put on dog lick mat?” Here’s how you can categorize the food according to food groups:

Meat:

• Ground Beef
• Dehydrated Liver 
• Canned Salmon
• Plain Cooked Chicken or Turkey
• Homemade Bone Broth 

Fruits (Mahsed or pureed):

• Bananas
• Blueberries 
• Canned Pumpkin
• Strawberries
• Orange 
• Pineapple

Vegetables (Boiled and/or mashed)

• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts 
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Green beans
• Lettuce 
• Peas 
• Sweet Potatoes 

Dairy:

• Cottage cheese
• Plain Greek Yogurt

Other Good Boy Treats

• Dog Treats
• Baby foods
• Peanut Butter
• Oatmeal 
• Honey
• Cheese Bites 

There are numerous things dogs can eat. But these are the specialists and nutritionists recommended list of things that you can give to your dog. But while preparing their lick mats there should be some things you should keep in mind. 

Things to remember 

• When starting with Lick mat routines take first couple of weeks to trial and test everything in small amounts
• Remember to keep in check your pets sensitivity towards different foods for example, some dogs are sensitive towards lactose so make sure to keep a check on their dairy intake.
• The calorie check is not only crucial for humans, but it is important for pets and dogs also. So whatever food routine you set for your dogs keep a check on their calories too. Here is a calorie calculator for dogs to make your work easy!
• Prioritize foods that are easy for them to eat off the mat
• Adjust according to your dog’s likes and dislikes
• If something doesn’t seem fine such as their eating behavior or a change in their diet, consult the vet or specialists without a delay.  

Now You’re All Set for Your Dog’s Lick Mat 

Planning a food routine on a lick mat is not a difficult task. Once you start with these basics and just start with making the food that your dog already likes spreadable, you’re good to go. It’s like any other dog related task. You just have to take care of your dog’s needs, likes and dislikes and you’re all set for their lick mat routine. 

Every dog parent wants to pamper their dogs in the best way possible. And why wouldn’t they? Dogs are the most loving and pure hearted creatures to ever live on this planet and we at PawPup want to make want to make mealtime fun and easy going for them with our PawPup Lick Mats!