7 Best Lick Mats for Dogs
Are you looking for an easy and inexpensive way to relieve some of your dog’s anxiety or boredom?
If you’re looking for something to keep your dog entertained, a dog lick pad (aka dog lick mat) could be the solution. Some of these companies sell food such as peanut butter to use with the mats. If you do use peanut butter, make sure that it’s safe for dogs.
While many of the lick mats available on the market offer the same major health benefits, they do vary in shape, size, colors, and price. I’ve included the 7 best lick mats for dogs that are easily available, so you can decide what works best for your dog.
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Table of Contents
1. Hyper Pet IQ Treat Mat (Best Warranty)
The Hyper Pet IQ Treat Mat is one of the best lick mats for dogs. It’s 7.8 x 7.8 inches, a good fit for any size dog. It features different raised patterns with different textures with four separate quadrants. This thoughtful design provides just enough variety for your dog to fully enjoy each quadrant.
The mat focuses on keeping your dog licking, which has lots of health benefits. They claim that more licking increases endorphins, and even keeps your dog distracted during stressful times. Since it takes longer to lick food completely off the mat, it works as an alternative to slow feeder bowls.
You can also treat it like a game. If you put treats or special snacks such as peanut butter and yogurt, your pet gets to enjoy using them.
It’s a great option for crate training or more anxious dogs. You can put their treats on the mat right before you leave and let your dog enjoy it with less separation anxiety.
This mat comes with a 90-day limited warranty. It’s not recommended to use as a chew toy, but the warranty covers pet chewing. The mat is also easy to keep clean since it’s top-rack dishwasher safe.
Standout Features:
- 90-day limited warranty for pet chewing
- Three different pattern options
- Top-rack dishwasher safe
2. LickiMat Slow Feeder for Dogs (Best for Multipurpose Uses)
The LickiMat Slow Feeder mat comes in a two-pack with green and orange colors. They’re sized 7.87 x 7.87 inches each.
They have different textured surfaces on each square. They both trap food onto the mat’s surface and encourage dogs to lick the texture to get all the food particles.
The mats can be used for wet or dry foods, and are perfect for any kind of treats. The Buddy mat has a thicker texture, which is better for raw, wet, or chunky foods. This could include peanut butter, raw food, and regular pet food.
The Soother mat has a slightly lower texture, which is better for soft foods. Good treats for this mat include baby food, yogurt, and pumpkin puree.
The mats aren’t ideal for whole meals since the mats are small. But they’re good for a short distraction in a stressful situation, such as the vet’s office, storms, fireworks, or separation.
Encouraging your dog to lick on this mat encourages saliva, which is good for tooth and gum health. It’s especially comfortable for flat nose breeds, who may struggle with different treat-delivering options.
Standout Features:
- Two different pattern options
- Food-grade rubber
- Dishwasher safe
3. Dog Slow Dispensing Treater Mat (Best for Sticking to Walls)
This Dog Slow Dispensing Treater mat has 37 suction cups that allow it to attach to hard surfaces. It’ll attach to tile, polished wood, glass, and plastic. This makes it ideal for dogs who like to spill their treats and food.
It’s also convenient as a distraction during otherwise stressful situations. This could be the bath, the vet, nail trimming, and separation. When you distract your dog with a treat on their treater mat, they’ll be too distracted to be stressed.
The Slow Dispensing Treater Mat is easy to wash. Just slip it in the top rack of the dishwasher. It’s also freezer-safe.
The 5.9 inch diameter mat is ideal for soft, sticky food. The cute dog bone pattern will best trap foods like peanut butter, yogurt, and baby food. It’s made out of 100% food-grade silicone, so it’s completely safe for your dog to lick.
Your dog will have to lick longer to clean the mat texture clean. Eating slower improves your dog’s digestion and reduces bloat.
Standout Features:
- Bright blue dog bone pattern
- 37 suction cups allow it to stick to any hard surface
- 100% FDA-grade silicone
4. Lickimat Tuff Heavy-Duty Dog Slow Feeders (Best for Heavy Chewers)
The Lickimat Tuff slow feeder was created for the naughty puppy in mind. Heavy chewers will have a harder time destroying this lick pad due to its thick, rubber design. It also comes with four heavy-duty suction cups to keep it secure on a hard surface.
The slow feeder dog mat comes in three different colors and measures 7.9 x 7.9 inches. Its features include rigid human-grade polypropylene and soft food grade TPR rubber. Together, they withstand tough chewers and mouthy puppies.
One of this mat’s features is that it’s microwave safe. You can spread your dog’s soft food and treats on it, then stick it in the microwave to warm it up. It’s also safe for the dishwasher and freezer.
As your dog licks the mat, it’ll distract them and calm them. Simply place chunky, wet, and raw food onto the textured square pattern. Some examples of what you can use include pet food, raw food, and even canned fish.
Note that even though the lick pad is safe for heavy chewers, it’s not a chew toy. It should always be used with supervision.
Standout Features:
- Microwave safe
- Recyclable
- No silicones, BPAs, or PVAs
- Made out of rigid human-grade polypropylene
5. LickiMat Classic Soother Slow Feeder (Best Budget)
You can tell the difference between the LickiMat Classic Soother Slow Feeder and other mats because this one is light blue, and it has a texture that’s lower and closer to the mat. It’s designed that way so soft food will settle closer to the mat, which slows your dog’s eating time.
Slowing down your dog’s eating time is helpful if your dog deals with bloating, or throwing up from eating too fast. It’s made to easily spread soft foods on, such as smashed pumpkin, yogurt, and baby food.
Since the food settles down on the mat, your dog has to lick longer to fully enjoy each bit of food. If your dog gets anxious or stressed out in certain places, taking this mat with you may help ease their anxiety. All you have to do is bring a soft treat and spread it on the mat.
It can also be used as a good training tool when you’re crate training your dog. It’s small, measuring at 7.87 x 7.87 inches, so it will easily fit in a crate.
As the least expensive mat on my list, it’s also the best budget option.
This mat doesn’t have any silicone, and it’s dishwasher safe. However, it’s not a chew toy and isn’t meant to be used as a toy. LickiMat recommends supervising your dog while they have access to the mat.
Standout Features:
- Non-toxic food-grade TBR
- No silicones, BPAs, or PVAs
- Freezer safe
- Microwave safe
6. Slow Dispensing Treater Mat (Best for Hanging)
The Slow Dispensing Treater Mat comes in a two-pack with two colors, blue and red. It’s designed for cats and dogs but was mainly intended for a slow-feeding peanut butter treat.
The peanut butter settles into the mat’s texture and makes your dog lick longer and slower to enjoy their treat.
This mat comes with sticky mats on the backside so you can stick it to a hard surface. It’s easiest to use on tile, glass, your refrigerator, and even the bathtub.
Sticking the mat to the wall distracts your dog so you can bathe them, take them to the vet, or clip their nails.
One notable feature of this mat is that it also comes with a mini hanging hole. You can set up a hook, and use this mat on any wall that’s convenient for you. That makes it the best mat for hanging on my list.
The mat is made out of food-grade silicone. Because of this, it’s easy to clean. It’s also dishwasher and freezer friendly.
Standout Features:
- Mini hanging hole for regular walls
- Food-grade silicone
- 37 suction cups
7. Mighty Paw Dog Lick Pad (Best Overall)
The Mighty Paw Dog Lick Pad is unique. Unlike the other lick mats on the list, it includes four different textures on one lick pad.
Each different texture is designed to give your dog a fun, unique experience while they’re using it. That’s why I’ve listed it as the best overall lick pad in my review.
They designed each quadrant for a specific purpose. The top left one is for distraction when you need your dog to stay busy.
The top right one is for stress relief when your dog is anxious. The bottom left one is supposed to be easy to use for a quick reward. The bottom right one is fun, which is meant more for play and to cure boredom.
The lick pad also has strong suction cups on the back of the pad, which will hold it steady on the floor or wall when your dog is using it.
The lick pad has a unique modern design. It’s 9 x 5 inches in a unique design shape. You can get this pad in green or orange.
Standout Features:
- Multiple quadrants
- Eco-friendly silicone
- BPA-free
- Dishwasher safe
Conclusion
Well, I hope you enjoyed my blog post on the best lick mats for dogs.
You can find all of these on Amazon. While many of them have similar functions, the features are different. You may find one option works better for your dog than another one.
Remember that lick mats are meant to be used to lick off of, they’re not a chew toy. Always supervise your dog while they’re using one.
I have never seen such a thing. I might have to look into this for our newly adopted Greyhound, Ziggy. She is a very anxious pup, thanks for the info!
Yes, I just recently found out about them also.