Looking for a simple way to give your dog something useful to do at home? A DIY snuffle mat is an easy enrichment activity that encourages your dog to sniff, search and work for small pieces of food rather than finding everything in a bowl.
You can make one using a suitable mat base and strips of fleece, so it is also a practical way to create enrichment from materials you may already have nearby.
Snuffle mats were one of the early enrichment tools introduced to me while I was training Murphy at puppy school. What I like about them is their simplicity. You can start with an easy search, see how your dog responds and adjust the activity rather than assuming every dog needs the same level of challenge.
They can also be useful for dogs who tend to eat quickly, because spreading food through the mat encourages more sniffing and searching during the activity.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to make a snuffle mat for dogs step by step, what you need and how to introduce it safely. And if you like the idea of a snuffle mat but would rather skip the cutting and tying, I’ll also show you some ready-made options.
The best choice is not necessarily DIY or store-bought. It is the option that suits your dog, fits how you actually use enrichment and is practical enough that you will keep using it.
What Is a Dog Snuffle Mat?
A dog snuffle mat is an enrichment mat made with strips, folds or pockets of fabric where you can hide small pieces of kibble or treats for your dog to find.
Instead of eating everything from an open bowl, your dog has to use their nose to search through the material and work out where the food is hidden.
Some dogs will carefully sniff through every section of the mat, while others may paw at it, push the fabric around or lose interest once the easiest pieces are gone. How your dog uses a snuffle mat will depend on their individual play style, confidence and interest in food.
That is why I prefer to start simply. Hide a few easy-to-find pieces first, watch how your dog responds, then make the search more challenging if they are enjoying it.
A snuffle mat can also spread food out over a larger area, which may help slow down dogs who would otherwise finish a meal very quickly.
The aim is not to make the activity as difficult as possible. It is to give your dog a practical sniff-and-search activity that suits the way they naturally engage with it.
What You’ll Need to Make a DIY Snuffle Mat
You do not need expensive supplies to make a basic snuffle mat, but having the right materials ready makes the project much easier.
- Fleece fabric: soft, easy to cut and simple to thread through the mat base
- A non-slip mat base: look for a sturdy rubber bath or shower mat with holes that you can thread the fleece through
- Sharp scissors: fabric scissors make cutting lots of fleece strips much easier
- A ruler or measuring tape: helpful for keeping your fleece strips reasonably consistent
- Dog treats or kibble: to hide throughout the finished mat once it is ready to use
- Zip ties or string: optional, depending on your design and whether you need to secure anything away from the areas your dog can reach
- Old fleece blankets or fabric scraps: a useful alternative if you already have suitable material at home
You can keep your first snuffle mat very simple. A sturdy base, fleece, scissors and some of your dog’s usual kibble or suitable treats are enough to get started.
If you are reusing old fabric, check it carefully first and avoid anything that is frayed, damaged or likely to come apart easily. Supervise your dog while they use the finished mat and remove it if they begin chewing, tearing or pulling pieces off.
Need the Supplies?
If you are missing a few of the basics, I’ve grouped together fleece, suitable mat bases, fabric scissors, measuring tools and other useful supplies for making this DIY snuffle mat.
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How to Make a Snuffle Mat Step by Step
Once your materials are ready, making the snuffle mat is mostly a matter of cutting the fleece and tying it securely through the holes in the base.
| Step | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | Prepare a clean, sturdy non-slip mat base with holes for threading the fleece. |
| Step 2 | Cut the fleece into strips approximately 2 cm wide and 15 cm long. |
| Step 3 | Thread each fleece strip through neighbouring holes and tie it securely to the base. |
| Step 4 | Continue adding strips and filling the gaps until you have plenty of places to hide food. |
| Step 5 | Check the knots, base and loose fabric before adding kibble or treats and letting your dog use the mat. |
Step 1: Prepare the Base
Start with a clean, dry non-slip mat base with holes large enough to thread the fleece through.
If needed, trim the base to the size you want before you begin. A smaller mat can be easier for a first project, while a larger base will simply require more fleece and more tying.
Place the mat flat on your work surface and check for any rough, damaged or sharp areas before adding the fabric.
Step 2: Cut the Fleece
Cut your fleece into strips approximately 2 cm wide and 15 cm long. They do not need to be perfectly identical, but keeping them reasonably consistent will make the finished mat easier to fill evenly.
If you are using more than one fleece colour, separate the strips into small piles before you begin so you can alternate colours as you work.
You will need quite a few strips, so it can be easier to cut a batch first and then return to cutting more if you need them.
Step 3: Tie the First Strips
Take one fleece strip and thread it through two neighbouring holes in the mat base so both ends come back up through the top.
Tie the two ends together in a firm knot. The fleece should stay securely attached without pulling the base out of shape.
Repeat this across the first section of the mat. You can tie strips in the same direction at first, then add more in the opposite direction as the mat begins to fill.
If the holes are tight, a capped pen or blunt tool can help guide the fleece through without forcing your fingers into the opening.
Step 4: Fill the Gaps
Continue tying fleece strips across the mat until the base is well covered.
For a fuller mat, add additional strips in the opposite direction or into any larger gaps where the base is still easy to see.
You do not need to make the mat extremely dense. Start with enough fleece to create plenty of places to hide food while still allowing your dog to move through the strips easily.
Once the mat is filled, gently tug a few of the strips to check that the knots are holding securely.
Step 5: Check It Before Your Dog Uses It
Before adding food, inspect the entire mat carefully.
- Check that the fleece strips are firmly tied.
- Trim any unusually long or loose pieces.
- Make sure the mat base is not cracked, torn or damaged.
- Remove any loose threads or small pieces of fabric.
- If you used any optional fasteners, make sure your dog cannot reach or chew them.
For the first use, scatter a few pieces of kibble or suitable treats near the top of the fleece so they are easy to find. You can hide them deeper once you have seen how your dog interacts with the mat.
Supervise your dog while the snuffle mat is being used. It is an enrichment activity rather than a chew toy, so remove it if your dog starts tearing, chewing or swallowing the fleece or mat material.
Prefer to Watch the Process?
If you find it easier to see how the fleece is threaded and tied through the base, this short DIY snuffle mat video from Proud Dog Mom demonstrates a similar method.
This is an external video from Proud Dog Mom. Pawtal is not affiliated with the creator.
Want to Make More Than a Snuffle Mat?
If making this snuffle mat has you looking for more inexpensive enrichment ideas, I created the DIY Dog Toy Planner for exactly that problem.
Instead of scrolling through endless DIY ideas and trying to work out which ones you can actually make, you start with the materials you already have nearby. From there, you can refine the results by play style and where you want to use the activity.
- 30+ DIY toy and enrichment ideas
- Start with materials you already have such as towels, fleece, cardboard, old shirts and balls
- Refine by play style including puzzle and sniff, tug, fetch and calmer activities
- Choose where you want to use it at home, in the backyard, near a bed or crate, at a campsite or during a travel stop
- Follow step-by-step instructions for each activity
- See practical safety guidance and any extra items needed before you begin
- Save your favourites so you can return to useful ideas later
- Print the activities you want to keep for easy reference
The aim is simple: spend less time searching for ideas and make better use of the materials you already have around your home or travel setup.
See How the DIY Dog Toy Planner Works
Start with something you already have, then refine the idea by the type of activity and where you want to use it.
Knotted Towel Treat Puzzle
A reusable sniff, search and unravel activity for dogs who enjoy working towards something hidden.
What you need: A clean old towel and part of your dog's normal kibble allowance.
How it begins:
- Lay the towel flat.
- Scatter small pieces of kibble across it.
- Roll the towel into a long fabric log.
- Tie it into a loose central knot.
30+ practical activities • Use again anytime • Save favourites • Print useful results
How to Use a Snuffle Mat With Your Dog
When you first introduce the snuffle mat, keep it simple. Scatter a few pieces of your dog’s usual kibble or suitable treats near the top of the fleece so they are easy to find.
Let your dog investigate the mat at their own pace. Some dogs will start sniffing straight away, while others may paw at the fabric, look to you for help or lose interest quickly.
Watch how your individual dog interacts with it before making the activity harder.
The goal is not to make the puzzle as difficult as possible. Start with something your dog can work out, then gradually hide the food deeper or spread it through more of the mat if they are enjoying the search.
- Start easy: keep the first few pieces of food visible or only lightly hidden.
- Use suitable food: choose kibble or treats that suit your dog and are small enough to hide through the fleece.
- Supervise the activity: stay nearby while your dog is using the mat.
- Watch their approach: notice whether your dog sniffs, paws, pulls at the fabric or quickly becomes frustrated or uninterested.
- Adjust the challenge: make the search easier or harder based on how your dog responds rather than following a fixed difficulty level.
A snuffle mat should be treated as a supervised enrichment activity, not an unsupervised chew toy.
If your dog begins chewing the fleece, tearing at the base, pulling strips loose or trying to swallow pieces of material, remove the mat and try a different activity that better suits the way they like to play.
Choosing Food or Treats for a Snuffle Mat
You do not need a special type of treat to use a snuffle mat. The most practical option is something that suits your individual dog, is small enough to hide between the fleece and is reasonably easy to clean up afterwards.
If you use a snuffle mat regularly, you can also use part of your dog’s usual food allowance rather than adding a separate handful of treats every time.
- Small pieces that can disappear between the fleece strips
- Food or treats that are suitable for your individual dog
- Dry or low-mess options that will not coat the fabric
- Pieces you can spread across the mat rather than placing in one spot
Small Training Treats
Small training-style treats can be practical because they are easy to scatter through the fleece and you can use several pieces without needing to break up a large biscuit each time.
Freeze-Dried Treats
Freeze-dried treats are another option if the pieces are an appropriate size for your dog and can be broken into smaller portions where needed. Check how crumbly they are before scattering them through fleece.
Small Treat Pieces
If you plan to use the mat regularly, look for treats that are already small or can be divided easily. The important part is choosing something suitable for your dog and accounting for it within what they normally eat.
Your Dog’s Usual Kibble
Your dog’s regular kibble can be one of the easiest options because it is dry, simple to scatter and already part of their normal food. You can set aside part of a meal and use it in the snuffle mat instead of adding extra treats.
If you are comparing everyday feeding options separately, you can also see my guide to the best dog food in Australia.
Soft Foods and Spreads
Soft or wet foods are usually less practical in a fleece snuffle mat because they can become trapped in the fabric and make cleaning harder.
If your dog enjoys spreadable food, a washable lick mat may be a more practical choice than working it into fleece.
Keep it simple: start with a small amount of your dog’s usual kibble or another suitable dry treat, keep the first search easy and see how your dog uses the mat before changing anything.
Why Make Your Own Snuffle Mat?
One of the best things about making your own snuffle mat is that you can keep it as simple as you like.
- It can be inexpensive: especially if you already have suitable fleece, fabric scraps or an old blanket you can reuse.
- You can customise the size: make a smaller mat for a first attempt or a larger one if that better suits your dog and the space you have available.
- You can adjust the difficulty: use fewer fleece strips and keep food easy to find at first, then add more hiding places if your dog enjoys the search.
- You can reuse materials: suitable household fabric can often be given another purpose instead of buying something new.
- It is a satisfying DIY project: once the cutting is done, the rest is a simple repeat-and-tie process.
- You learn more about how your dog likes to play: watching whether they prefer sniffing, pawing, pulling or quickly moving on can help you choose future enrichment activities more thoughtfully.
That last point is the part I find most useful. The aim is not to collect as many enrichment ideas as possible. It is to notice which types of activities your own dog actually enjoys and will use.
If DIY enrichment works well for your dog, the DIY Dog Toy Planner gives you another 30+ ideas to explore without starting from a blank Google search each time.
Don’t Want to DIY? Ready-Made Options Are Easier
Making your own snuffle mat can be worthwhile, but sometimes you just want something ready to use.
You can browse a collection of snuffle mats, lick mats, slow feeders and other practical dog enrichment options on Amazon and compare different styles in one place.
Choose something that suits your dog’s size, habits and eating style, and supervise enrichment activities while they are being used.
As an Amazon Associate, Pawtal may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Other Easy Ways to Add Enrichment
A snuffle mat is only one way to give your dog something useful to do. You can often create simple enrichment with things you already have at home.
- Towel search: scatter a few pieces of kibble across a towel, then add loose folds for your dog to sniff through.
- Cardboard search box: use a clean cardboard box with loose paper and a few hidden pieces of food, provided your dog does not eat the cardboard.
- Simple tug toy: braid suitable strips of old T-shirt fabric or fleece for short, supervised tug games.
- Rolled towel puzzle: place a few pieces of kibble along a towel, roll it loosely and let your dog work out how to open it.
- Easy hide-and-find: place a few treats in obvious spots around one room or a small section of the backyard and let your dog search for them.
You do not need dozens of activities ready at once. It is more useful to notice which types of searching, pulling, sniffing or problem-solving your dog actually enjoys, then build from there.
If you would rather have a reusable way to find ideas based on the materials you already have, that is what the DIY Dog Toy Planner is designed to do.
Enrichment at Home (and Away From Home)
Some familiar enrichment activities can also be useful during quieter periods away from home, provided they suit your dog and the situation.
A simple sniffing or food-search activity may fit into campsite downtime, a quiet period at dog-friendly accommodation, a suitable travel stop, or time spent settling near a familiar bed or crate area.
The activity itself does not need to change much. What matters more is whether your dog is comfortable enough to engage with it in that environment.
Some dogs will happily investigate a familiar activity somewhere new. Others may be too distracted, tired or unsettled to be interested. That is useful information rather than something you need to push through.
Paying attention to what genuinely works for your own dog is useful well beyond enrichment. It is also how I approach travelling with dogs: do not assume something suits your dog simply because it works for someone else.
Before adding more activities, destinations or plans, start by looking at how your dog actually copes with the parts of travel you are considering.
If you are beginning to think about travelling with your dog, start with my dog-first guide to travelling Australia with your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Are snuffle mats suitable for every dog?
Not necessarily. Some dogs enjoy sniffing and searching through fleece, while others may try to chew, pull apart or ignore the mat altogether.
Start with an easy search and watch how your dog interacts with it. If they begin chewing the fabric, tearing at the base or trying to swallow pieces, remove the mat and choose a different enrichment activity that better suits them.
Q2. What can I put in a snuffle mat?
Small pieces of your dog’s usual kibble or suitable dry treats generally work well because they are easy to hide between the fleece and relatively simple to clean up afterwards.
Choose something that suits your individual dog and is small enough to scatter through the mat. If you use the activity regularly, you can also use part of your dog’s normal food allowance where appropriate.
Q3. Can dogs use snuffle mats unsupervised?
I would treat a snuffle mat as a supervised enrichment activity rather than something to leave with your dog unattended.
Stay nearby while your dog is using it and remove the mat if they start chewing the fleece, pulling strips loose, damaging the base or trying to swallow any part of it.
Q4. Is it cheaper to make or buy a snuffle mat?
Making your own can be inexpensive if you already have suitable fleece, fabric scraps or a mat base at home. If you need to buy every material from scratch, the difference may be smaller.
If you would rather skip the cutting and tying, you can browse ready-made snuffle mats and dog enrichment options on Amazon.
Q5. What other DIY enrichment activities can I make?
Simple options can include towel searches, cardboard food-search boxes, braided fabric tug toys and rolled towel puzzles.
The useful starting point is not finding the longest possible list. It is working out which types of sniffing, searching, pulling or problem-solving your own dog actually enjoys.
If you want a few more ideas to try next, see How to Make Simple DIY Dog Puzzles at Home.
Conclusion
A snuffle mat is a simple DIY enrichment activity you can make with a suitable base, fleece and a little time.
The most useful part is not making the puzzle as difficult as possible. It is seeing how your own dog responds, what they enjoy and whether this type of sniffing and searching suits them.
If your dog enjoys this kind of activity, the next question is what else you can make with simple things you already have at home.
