Best Lick Mats for Dogs – Thoughts from a Professional Dog Trainer
Recently a well-known lick mat company found themselves in hot water when they made the unfortunate choice to share some social media content featuring a trainer known to use harmful and aversive methods. While this was upsetting for lots of reasons, it inspired me to embark on a journey of testing out a variety of lick mats from other companies to get a better sense of what is out there!
I reviewed six lick mats for dogs from five different companies, considering cost, durability, my dog’s enjoyment of them, how easy they are to clean (especially if you don’t have a dishwasher, like me), and any company history or ethics information I could find. I was delighted to discover that there are a ton of different options available that meet a range of needs in terms of cost, cleaning ease, and supporting businesses both big and small! Read on for my reviews.
What are lick mats for dogs?
Lick mats are textured silicone or similar material enrichment feeding toys for dogs. They are typically used with spreadable food items like peanut butter, canned dog food, yogurt, and pumpkin puree, but can be made as simple or as creatively as you please.
They come in a variety of sizes and with varying textures to smoosh food onto, from small nubs to deeper waves and wells. Lick mats are often incorporated into an enrichment routine as a calming and relaxing boost, but can also just be given to dogs as part of their normal feeding routine as a fun food activity.
What to know before using a lick mat
Customize your lick mat fillings to suit your dog and their dietary needs! Some dogs like their lick mats at room temperature, while others enjoy them after they have been filled and frozen for a longer-lasting cooling treat. I love experimenting with different options to see what my dog most enjoys! For more lick mat fillings ideas, check out my free Dog Enrichment eBook here.
Although some of the lick mats I reviewed here are more durable than others, I generally recommend picking up mats when your dog has finished the food in them to prevent chewing/destroying/ingesting any lick mats pieces. Even durable lick mats are not intended to hold up to heavy chewing! When you see your dog has finished (or if they have started to nibble on the mat), use a high value treat like a piece of hot dog or chicken to trade them for the mat and put it away until next time!
Things you’ll find in these lick mat reviews:
- Lick mat prices and where to purchase them
- Durability/lick mat material information
- Notes on how easy each mat was to clean by hand and whether it is dishwasher-safe
- A “Molly Score” based on observations of my own dog’s behavior while using the lick mat (how quickly she finished it, if she relaxed while enjoying the lick mat or got frustrated if she couldn’t get into all the nooks and crannies, and how much food was left behind when she was finished)
- Any information I was able to find on company ethics and history
Things you WON’T find in these lick mat reviews:
Pretty photos of prepared lick mats that look fancy and aesthetic, because I just don’t have the skill for that! If you want to see examples of lovely aesthetically-pleasing lick mat and other food enrichment toys, I recommend checking out these Instagram accounts:
A note on discounts: All but one of these lick mats was purchased by me, and the one that was gifted is noted below. None of the lick mats came with any expectation of a favorable review. Any affiliate links or discount codes that I can share with you are also noted within individual reviews.
Keep reading for reviews of all five lick mats, but here are the overall winners across categories:
Messy Mutts Framed Silicone Therapeutic Licking Bowl Mat
Option 1: Coomazy Lick Mats multipack with mini spatula and cleaning brush
Price: $9.99 for a 2-pack or $14.99 for a 4-pack
Size: 8 inches diameter (also available in medium and large sizes)
Where to buy: Available on Amazon, with several color combinations to choose from
About the manufacturer: The only information I could find about this company was from their Amazon shop listing, which says that the company was started in 2018. They make lick mats, slow feeder bowls, and cat window perches. Lick mats are listed as being made of “environmentally safe silicone” but I couldn’t find more information on what that means. Some but not all of the listings indicate that the lick mats are free of BPA and phthalates and there was no expanded safety or manufacturing information available.
Pros: Budget-friendly and ships to a lot of places so could be a good option to start with if you are new to lick mats and don’t know if your dog will like this activity. Suction cups on the back will hold the mat in place on the floor or on the side of the bathtub. The mini spatula that it came with has also become my go-to tool for spreading fillings on all of my lick mats. Molly ate most of the food of this mat quickly as the grooves aren’t very deep, but to my surprise she then got into a nice groove (pun intended) of slower-paced licking to finish the leftover bits. This was also one of the easiest mats to clean since the small nubs didn’t hold onto much food. Top-rack dishwasher safe.
Cons: Very floppy material so take care when carrying these with filling that could drip easily. Material is also not very durable and may not last long with dogs who tend to nibble on lick mats while using them. Cleaning brush is small and kind of unnecessary to use on these particular mats since they don’t have deep grooves. I prefer larger handheld cleaning brushes like these, but the tiny brush did come in handy for cleaning some of the other lick mats with deeper grooves (like the SodaPup ones). Although Molly spent some time in relaxed licking mode, she did request additional activities after this lick mat which told me it didn’t totally satisfy her needs.
Coomazy Lick Mat Scores
- Cleaning 5/5
- Price 5/5
- Durability 2/5
- Molly Score 3/5
- Company Ethics 1/5 simply because I couldn’t find a clear answer about product info
Option 2: Top Paw Slow Feeder Licking Mat
Price: $8.99 at Petsmart
Size: 8 inches diameter
Where to buy: Available at PetSmart and on Amazon
About the manufacturer: Top Paw is a trademark owned by PetSmart, so I am using PetSmart company info for this review. While PetSmart is an accessible place for many pet guardians to get supplies, there are a few ethical issues that come up for me when assessing this company. Along with selling aversive gear including prong collars, choke chain collars, and ecollars, this company also supports breed discrimination under the guise of safety in PetsHotel and Doggie Day Camp services – they do not accept dogs of the “bully breed” classification or mixed breeds that have the appearance or characteristics of one of the breeds included in that list (the list can be found under the “Additional Requirements” section here). Breed discrimination has not been found to be a reliable or effective solution for increasing safety (as noted by the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the ASPCA, among others), so it is disappointing to see a large and well-known pet store chain still adhering to an ineffective and discriminatory policy. Anecdotally I have found that adherence to that policy varies by store location, but the fact that guardians to bully breed-type dogs may be denied access to services simply because of their dog’s physical appearance is grossly unfair. As someone who has both lived and worked with bully breed dogs of many shapes, sizes, and behavior needs, I personally would choose to support a different business if given the choice.
Pros: Accessible price point for a lick mat and being able to buy it both in stores and online could lend it to being an easier-to-find option for some folks. Material is BPA free. The grooves on this one weren’t abundant but did have slightly more depth than the Coomazy mats, but interestingly Molly spent less relaxed time licking this one. The smaller grooves also made this lick mat fairly easy to clean by hand, with a light soak and a little brushing with a cleaning brush proving sufficient. Top-rack dishwasher safe.
Cons: This material is quite floppy so lick mat filling may drip off of this mat, similar to the Coomazy mats. This is also not one that I would call particularly durable as nibbles or a few chews would likely damage it. I could only fit a light/medium smear of food on this mat since it doesn’t have many grooves to hold fillings, and Molly still looked for more activities after finishing.
Top Paw Lick Mat Scores
- Cleaning 4/5
- Price 5/5
- Durability 2/5
- Molly Score 3/5
- Company Ethics 2/5
Option 3: Messy Mutts Framed Spill Resistant Silicone Therapeutic Licking Bowl Mat
Price: $20.00 on Messy Mutts website with free shipping on orders over $50, $19.99 on Amazon
Size: 9.5 inches x 9.5 inches
Where to buy: Available online at Messy Mutts website, on Amazon, and at some small local pet stores. Comes in three colors (blue, grey, watermelon), and there are other lick mat designs available as well.
About the manufacturer: Messy Mutts is a small business based in Canada. I couldn’t find much specific information on the founders but the company blog posts encourage dog guardians to consider their dog’s individual needs (age, breed, favorite activities, etc.) when choosing enrichment items. I did not see any aversive tools or gear appear on their website or social media, and they have products and advertising that promote multi-species enrichment for both dogs and cats.
Pros: This mat is a generous size, which was great for making a lick mat that was more meal than snack or for spreading out fillings with less spilling. Messy Mutts products are BPA and PVC free and the food-grade silicone is safe to use in both the freezer and microwave. This mat had a few different textures but all were easy to clean with a light soak and scrub, and Molly left minimal amounts of food behind. Top-rack dishwasher safe. I also loved the shallow bowl in the center of this mat that holds up to a half cup of liquid. I put broth in the “bowl” section, froze it, and then spread small amounts of food on other areas of the mat for a refreshing treat for Molly on a particularly hot day, and it was nice to worry less about broth spilling before it froze. By far my favorite feature of this lick mat is that it has a stiff nylon frame to help prevent spills while carrying. I was able to carry this full lick mat by one corner, in one hand, down two flights of stairs and into my yard without spilling a drop, while also carrying other things!
Cons: A little pricier than some of the other options
Messy Mutts Lick Mat Scores
- Cleaning 5/5
- Price 4/5
- Durability 3/5
- Molly Score 4/5
- Company Ethics 4/5
Option 4: SodaPup Dog Enrichment Lick Mat, Yellow Duckies and Honeycomb patterns
Price: $15.99
Size: 8 inch diamater (Duckies design) or two size options for Honeycomb design (large = 8″ x 8″, small = 5″ x 7″)
Where to buy: Available from the SodaPup website, on Amazon and from smaller shops. I was generously gifted my Yellow Duckies lick mat from one of my favorite small woman-owned businesses, High Tail Hikes*! These lick mats come in tons of colors and designs and in multiple sizes to suit your dog’s needs.
*As a High Tail Hikes affiliate I can offer this discount code: save 10% on any High Tail Hikes order with the code RoverRehab10
About the manufacturer: SodaPup Dog Toys is a veteran-owned business, efforts to support sustainability by partnering with CarbonClick to give customers the option to add a small contribution for offsetting carbon emissions at checkout. Contributions fund forest restoration, tree planting, and renewable energy projects. Products are made with FDA-compliant, BPA and phthalate free material, and all toys and enrichment items are made in the U.S. Regularly donate products to shelters and humane societies as well as military/working dog organizations. Social media shows a focus on enrichment and providing dogs with fun and interesting food enrichment experiences. A scroll through their Instagram posts from at least the last year shows no dogs in aversive gear, and posts showcase dogs of a wide range of breeds.
Pros: Dishwasher (top rack) safe, BPA and phthalate free, made in the U.S. Molly behavior observations, settles into this one more than some of the other
Cons: Can be difficult to clean out all the little nooks and crannies, especially if food has gotten pushed into the corners. Since I don’t currently have a dishwasher I usually put my lick mats in the sink, drizzle on some dish soap, and fill the lick mat with hot water for 15-20 minutes before using a small brush to scrub out remaining food bits.
SodaPup Lick Mat Scores
- Cleaning 3/5
- Price 4/5
- Durability 5/5
- Molly Score 4/5
- Company Ethics 5/5
Option 5: West Paw Feast Mat All-In-One Slow Feeder and Lick Mat
Price: $27.95 on West Paw website with free shipping on orders over $50, $27.99 on Amazon
Size: 10″ x 10″
Where to buy: Available online at West Paw website and on Amazon as well as at local pet retailers. Comes in three colors (kelp green, marine blue, tropic red) and two pattern designs (bubbles and waves).
About the manufacturer: West Paw has been a family owned and operated company since 1996, B Corp certified with a general focus on sustainability and reducing their environmental footprint. A featured blog post about the Feast Mat promotes decompression, discusses the beneficial effects of licking as a species-typical behavior for dogs, and reminds pet guardians that enrichment should not be as challenging or long-lasting as possible but rather enjoyable and enriching for their dog. West Paw products are latex, BPA, and phthalate free, and items can be returned to West Paw for recycling into new toys instead of thrown out if they become damaged or worn. This company supports various Giving Efforts including pet food drives and other community volunteer efforts and employees are also paid for time volunteering in their communities.
Pros: Generous size, thicker and sturdier rubber-like material, seems more durable than many other lick mats I tried. Two-sided design can be used as a lick mat, slow feeder, or something in between. I feel that this mat is designed with enough space between design grooves that dogs are less likely to get frustrated trying to access food – Molly didn’t leave any bits of food behind but didn’t scarf everything down quickly either. Made of West Paw’s non-toxic Seaflex material, which includes recycled ocean-bound plastic and zero-waste Zogoflex plastic blend. Feast Mats are top rack dishwasher safe, freezer safe, and 100% recyclable by West Paw. I also found this mat to be very easy to clean by hand as the pattern grooves are wide enough that I could easily get a cleaning brush into all the nooks and crannies.
Cons: Most expensive of all the mats I tried, and also the heaviest. The weight isn’t necessarily a bad thing but something to be aware of if you find it challenging or uncomfortable to pick up weighted tems.
West Paw Feast Mat Scores
- Cleaning 5/5
- Price 3/5
- Durability 4/5
- Molly Score 4/5
- Company Ethics 5/5
Have you tried a lick mat as an enrichment activity with your dog? I would love to hear about it! Send me a message via Instagram @RoverRehabDogTraining or email me at RoverRehabDogTraining@gmail.com
If you want to learn more about enrichment and how we can use enrichment to support the health and behavior of our dogs, download my free Dog Enrichment eBook here. We also cover lots of enrichment strategies plus do customized enrichment planning for your individual dog in my private training programs! I specialize in helping fearful and reactive dogs blossom into their most confident and comfortable selves, so check out the Services tab for more information on how I can help you and your dog and send an inquiry form when you’re ready to get started!