Why should you be incorporating lick mats into your dog or cats routine?
Lick mats are usually flat products (but can come curved) that have lots of ridges in a variety of patterns that are designed to encourage your pet to lick rather than bite or use their teeth. They are widely associated with reducing anxiety and acting as a great boredom breaker. But there are lots more benefits that a lick mat can bring to your pets life which we will look at now!
1. Slows down eating
We all know the struggle of trying to slow down the dogs or cats that wolf down their food in a few seconds. As lick mats encourage the animals to lick rather than bite, it will increase their eat times. The licking will promote more saliva production which will improve the break down of their food and help their digestion. So you can say goodbye to the bloat and hello to better digestion!
2. Relaxes & calms
Licking is an instinctive action of both dogs and cats. The action of licking is associated with happiness as it causes the secretion of endorphins. Endorphins are the happiness hormone that are released to help soothe and calm them. Lick mats can then be used to help distract from slightly stressful situations like unfamiliar people coming into the home or when you are about to leave the home.
3. Supports oral health
The action of licking stimulates saliva production which keeps their teeth and gums healthy. The licking motion on the ridges of the mat help to clean your dogs tongue by removing bacteria particles which, over time, will improve your pet's overall oral health. Lick mats can be used as a tongue brush if you spread pet toothpaste onto the mat.
4. Boredom breaker and enrichment
As you can see from the points above, lick mats are a great way to pass time and reduce stress for your pet in a fun and stimulating way. Mental exercise can be just as importan as physical exercise. Top tip: Freezing your lick mat is another very popular way to increase the length of time it takes your pet finish them.
Need some ingredient Inspiration? We've got you covered:
Something spreadable: Natural yoghurt, greek yoghurt, pet friendly peanut butter (free from xylitol), flavoured pastes/patés, wet food, pureed vegetables, bone broth.
Fruit and vegetables: Any fruit and vegetables that are safe for dogs and cats are a great addition whether they're sliced, shredded, mashed etc.
Treats: Treats are another good topping for a lick mat, in moderation of course. For fussier pets, these can be used to get your pet intruiged in the lick mat and encourage them to use them.
Toppers: We like to add a topping of something that will help boost or support their health. For example, Canident can be added to help support their teeth, BioFunction8 can be added to help support their gut health and digestion or Oculus Prime to help with weepy eyes.
Visit our instagram for more inspirational ideas:
