Lick Mat Recipe Kit
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The mat is the easy part. Everyone buys one, uses peanut butter for a week, runs out of ideas and then the mat lives in a drawer. This kit is the other half of the problem. A trio of our treats picked because each one behaves differently in a groove, a pouch of broth to bind them together, a mat carved deep enough to hold a frozen load, and a suction holder so the whole thing stays where you put it.
Three textures, not three flavors
A load that is all one consistency gets cleared in a straight line. What makes a mat last is having something that softens, something that crumbles and something that stays crunchy, so the dog keeps changing tactics. That is why the trio is built the way it is rather than as three bags of the same thing. Our lick mat enrichment kit covers the hardware side if you are starting from nothing, and every kit we publish is indexed on the bundle guides hub.
The Lick Mat Topper Trio is ours, and it is Cheddar Cheese Bites, Freeze-Dried Beef Heart in the 1.5 ounce size and Freeze-Dried Sardine Heads. Crush a few pieces, press them into the pattern, and add a splash of water if you want it to set. Cheddar softens as it thaws, heart crumbles into the fine stuff that fills the bottom of a groove, and sardine heads sit proud of the surface and give the dog something to chip at. All three are made in Malvern, Pennsylvania in small batches. Our freeze-dried treats ship from us, and the rest of the range is at freeze-dried treats or sorted by protein on Explore.
Broth is the binder
Dry crumbs do not stick to a mat, they fall off it and end up under the sofa. Liquid is what turns loose pieces into a coating you can freeze flat. The Family Pet describes the 12 ounce pouch of Open Farm Beef Bone Broth as a mealtime topper and hydration add on for both dogs and cats, not a stand alone meal. Pour a small amount over the pressed in crumbs, tilt the mat until it spreads into the corners, then freeze it level. A pouch does a lot of mats. The Family Pet items are sold and shipped by The Family Pet through Shopify Collective, not made or shipped by Sniff and Shift.
Why this mat and not a flat one
SodaPup describes the Jigsaw Puzzle eMat as a lick mat with an interlocking puzzle piece pattern, made for dogs, puppies and cats, in blue, pink or green. SodaPup says it is made from TPE, measures about 8 by 8 inches, and that the puzzle piece grooves hold peanut butter, yogurt, wet food or kibble softened with broth. SodaPup also says it can go in the dishwasher on the top rack and can be frozen for a longer session. Groove depth is the whole argument. A shallow pattern holds a thin film that a dog clears in three minutes, and an interlocking one holds enough volume that freezing it actually buys you time.
The holder nobody buys until the second week
A mat without suction cups travels. It goes under the couch, into the hall, and eventually onto a rug. SodaPup describes the Hold 'em as a suction cup holder made from TPE, in light blue, built to secure a SodaPup eBowl, eTray or eMat to a smooth surface. SodaPup says the suction cups stick it to tile, glass or tub walls so the bowl or mat it holds stays in place while a dog eats or licks. SodaPup says to supervise play and size up for strong chewers. Stuck to the side of the tub it also turns bath time into something the dog walks towards. SodaPup/True Dogs, LLC items are sold and shipped by SodaPup/True Dogs, LLC through Shopify Collective, not made or shipped by Sniff and Shift.
What we left out
No peanut butter and no yogurt, which is what every list under this search is made of. We left them out because you already have them, and because a page that tells you to buy peanut butter is not telling you anything. The things worth ordering are the ones that change the texture of a load rather than repeat it. There is also only one mat here. The Garden of Eatin' Tipsy Bowl is the alternative in the drawer if you want the version that moves, and SodaPup describes it as a lick mat built into a rounded bowl base that rocks and tips as the pet licks.
Four loads worth making
- Crumb and broth: heart crushed fine, broth poured over, frozen flat. The default, about fifteen minutes for a medium dog.
- Layered: cheddar pressed in first, broth, then sardine heads scattered on top so the crunch is the last thing found rather than the first.
- Half and half: one side loaded, one side bare. Useful for a dog that gets frustrated and gives up, since there is an easy win on the plate.
- Bath version: light load, no freezing, stuck to the tub wall at shoulder height.
Thaw a frozen mat for about ten minutes before you give it to a small dog or an older one. Wash it on the top rack rather than leaving it in the sink, since a mat that has been sitting is the reason most people stop using theirs.
What it replaces
A jar of peanut butter every two weeks and a mat that gets used twice. One trio and one pouch will cover several weeks of loads, and the holder is the difference between a mat that lives on the floor by the back door and one that lives in a drawer.
Questions
How long should a loaded mat last
Ten to twenty minutes frozen for most dogs, and three or four minutes unfrozen. If yours is finishing a frozen load in five, the layer is too thin rather than the mat being wrong.
Can I use the broth straight from the pouch
Yes, cold and poured. Keep the open pouch in the fridge and use it within the window on the label rather than leaving it in a warm kitchen.
Does the holder work on any mat
SodaPup builds it for its own eBowl, eTray and eMat range, so it is a match for the Jigsaw in this kit. A mat from another maker may or may not sit in it.
Related guides
The rest of the loading and recipe kits are grouped under lick mat recipes.
