Best Lick Mats for Dogs, Plus What to Put on Them

What are lick mats used for?

A lick mat is a flat mat covered in grooves, nubs and ridges. You spread soft food into the texture and your dog licks it out, which stretches a quick snack into a longer activity. The American Kennel Club’s guide to lick mats lists several jobs for them.

Slowing fast eaters is the most practical. The AKC notes that some lick mats double as slow feeders, preventing dogs from gobbling their food in seconds, and that slower eating may reduce the risk of bloat. A mat can also keep a mouthy or teething puppy busy, or help build a good association with the crate.

Baths and grooming are the other big use. A mat stuck to the tub gives your dog something to do during a bath, and the AKC says spreading a favorite treat on a lick mat could make trimming fur or cleaning ears easier. LickiMat lists vet visits, injections, bath time and nail clipping among the stressful moments its mats are made for. Our guides on how often to bathe a dog and trimming dog nails at home pair well with one.

For noise, the AKC suggests a lick mat with frozen chicken broth can soothe an anxious dog during fireworks or thunderstorms. Keep expectations realistic: LickiMat says repetitive licking helps release endorphins, but that is the maker’s claim, and we couldn’t find published research testing lick mats directly. For real noise phobia or separation anxiety, a mat is a distraction, not a treatment; our guide to dog calming aids covers what else to try, alongside a talk with your vet.

Are lick mats safe for dogs?

There’s no such thing as a “leave-it-and-forget-it” dog toy.

Colt Dodd, American Kennel Club

Yes, with three habits. First, supervise. The AKC says to step in if your dog tries to eat or destroy the mat. Treat any rubber or silicone mat as a feeding tool, not a chew toy, because a dog that tears off pieces can swallow them. Cornell’s Riney Canine Health Center calls gastrointestinal obstructions emergencies that often need surgery; signs include vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration and lethargy.

Second, buy food-grade and retire damaged mats. The AKC explains that non-food-grade mats may leach dyes and chemicals into food, and that eroding material, punctures and jagged ridges can threaten your dog’s health.

Third, read every label for xylitol. The FDA warns that this sweetener, also called birch sugar or wood sugar, turns up in some peanut and nut butters and in many sugar-free products, and that it can drop a dog’s blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes. Our list of foods dogs can’t eat covers the other ingredients to keep off the mat.

How we picked

We favored mats with clearly stated materials (food-grade, FDA-compliant or BPA-free), clear cleaning and freezer guidance, and some way to stop sliding. We wanted one strong option for each common job: everyday enrichment, baths and grooming, chewers and fast eaters. Specs come from the maker’s or retailer’s product page, and prices are what we saw at Chewy when we checked.

Woof LickMat Best overall

This is the easiest mat to live with. It is an 8-by-8-inch mat of BPA-free silicone, it is dishwasher safe, and its suction cups anchor it to hard floors, tub floors or any flat surface, which makes it our pick for baths and nail trims as well as everyday snacks. Chewy’s Q&A says it can be frozen and is microwave safe.

Two caveats: one reviewer found the suction didn’t hold on hardwood, tile or a crate floor, so test it on your own surfaces, and like any silicone mat it isn’t for a dog who chews. It was $9.99 at Chewy, with a 4.6-star average from 418 ratings.

LickiMat Classic Buddy and Soother Best two-pack

LickiMat’s Classic Soother is an 8-by-8-inch square of non-toxic, food-grade TPR rubber, with no BPA, PVC, silicone or phthalates. Chewy sells it with the Classic Buddy as a pair, two designs whose soft rubber nubs and crosses hold food, so you can rotate textures or fill one while your dog works on the other.

LickiMat says the Soother is freezer safe and microwave friendly. The trade-off is cleaning: both mats are hand wash only. LickiMat also asks owners to supervise and train all dogs, and for teething puppies or dogs that chew everything it recommends its separate Keeper holder. The two-pack was $18.99 at Chewy.

SodaPup eMat Best made in the USA

SodaPup’s Jigsaw eMat is designed and made in the USA from an FDA-compliant, non-toxic material, according to Chewy’s listing. It is 8 by 8 inches and a quarter inch thick, goes on the top rack of the dishwasher, and Chewy’s Q&A says it is microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe.

It has no suction cups, so it works on the floor rather than stuck to a tub wall. Chewy suggests peanut butter, canned food, plain yogurt or spreadable treats made for dogs. It was $15.99 at Chewy, rated 4.0 stars from 44 ratings.

Feedoo Stainless Steel Lick Mat Best for chewers

If your dog chews through rubber or silicone, change materials. Feedoo’s mat is two welded layers of 304 food-grade stainless steel, which Chewy’s listing calls bite-proof, on four non-slip feet. The large size is 9.65 inches square, holds 2 cups and is dishwasher safe on a gentle cycle.

Steel has its own quirks. One reviewer found it can scoot during enthusiastic licking, and bite-proof is not the same as safe to leave alone. It was about $17 at Chewy for the large, rated 4.7 stars.

Outward Hound Lickin’ Layers Best for fast eaters

For a dog who inhales whole meals, a bigger layered design does more than a flat mat. This Nina Ottosson puzzle combines a lick mat, a slow feeder and a puzzle game: spinning, textured layers hold up to 2 cups of wet food, kibble, raw food or spreads, and your dog licks, sniffs and paws to reach it all. It is free of BPA, PVC and phthalates and measures about 10.35 inches across and 2.5 inches tall.

Two notes from Chewy’s page: the description calls it top-rack dishwasher safe but the instructions say hand wash, so we would hand wash it, and it has no suction cups or non-slip base. Chewy’s Q&A says it is designed for larger dogs. It was $20.96, with a 4.6-star average from more than 1,100 ratings. If your dog empties it fast, our best dog puzzle toys roundup has harder options.

The five lick mats at a glance

What to put on a lick mat

Start with food your dog already eats. The AKC suggests wet food and kibble; softening kibble with a little low-sodium broth makes it easier to spread. Plain, unsweetened yogurt is great in moderation, the AKC says, as long as it has no added artificial sugars or flavors.

Peanut butter is the classic, but use it sparingly. The AKC warns it can contain syrups and oils that lead to obesity, and some brands contain xylitol, so read the label every time, even on a jar you have bought before. Low-sodium chicken, beef or vegetable broth is another AKC suggestion and the easiest one to freeze.

Freezing makes a mat last longer. The AKC suggests pouring broth onto a mat and freezing it for a few hours, which also gives your dog a cold treat on a hot day, and LickiMat suggests freezing food and treats on its mats for slower feeding. Whatever you use, count it as part of the day’s treats and trim meals to match, and leave off anything from the foods-to-avoid list above.

How to clean a lick mat

Wash it after every session. The AKC says to clean a lick mat after each use, even if the surface looks clean, since warm soap and water can prevent mold and bacterial growth. The Woof, SodaPup and Feedoo mats can go in the dishwasher (SodaPup on the top rack, Feedoo on a gentle cycle), while LickiMat’s Classics are hand wash only.

Some owners boil mats, but the AKC notes heat can melt or warp some materials, so check the maker’s instructions first. Each time you wash, look for the eroding material, punctures and jagged ridges the AKC flags, and replace a mat that has them.

Frequently asked questions