Summary: <p>We are obsessed with work-to-eat toys at School For The Dogs! Snuffle mats are one type of work-to-eat toy we recommend all the time. Made of fabric, they’re great for hiding dry food or treats. They pack well, are easy to wash, and you can even make them yourself. Annie talks about some of the ones sold at <a href="http://storeforthedogs.com/">storeforthedogs.com</a> and gives instructions on how to make your own.</p> <p>Products mentioned in this episode:<br> <br> <a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/collections/work-to-eat-toys/products/buster-activity-mat">The Buster Activity Mat</a></p> <p><a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/collections/snuffle-mats/products/wooly-snuffle-mat">Wooly Snuffle Mat</a></p> <p><a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/collections/snuffle-mats/products/activity-snuffle-mat">Fleece Activity Mat</a></p> <p><a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/products/holee-roller-dog-treat-toy">The Hol-ee Roller</a><br> <br> More Snuffle Mats:<a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/collections/snuffle-mats"> here</a></p> <p>Check out <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/DogNmat?ref=shop_sugg">DogNmat</a> On Etsy</p> <p>Get in touch on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/schoolforthedogs/">@schoolforthedogs</a></p> <p>--<br> Partial Transcript:</p> <p>Annie:</p> <p>Hey folks. Today, I just wanted to talk a little bit about one of my favorite kinds of work to eat toys. As you might know if you've listened to this podcast before, we are huge fans of toys that give dogs jobs. I like to joke that we're trying to solve the canine unemployment problem -- that if you can figure out a way to engage your dog’s brain and body, even if it's just their tongue or their paws during meal times, that it's a really good way to channel energy that might otherwise go towards activities that you might not be that into.</p> <p>So there are lots of different kinds of work to eat toys. And one of them is, the broad category would be called snuffle mats. Now this is kind of a newer sort of work to eat toy. I think I first saw a snuffle mat maybe five or six years ago when we first started carrying <a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/products/buster-activity-mat">the Buster Activity Mat</a>. Which I right away thought was like the coolest thing ever.</p> <p>It is a mat that is pretty heavy duty. It has snaps on it, with these components that you can snap on. And the components, kind of origami-style, can be folded and manipulated in different ways. They can be used separately from the mat. It's very, very cool. It also comes in this adorable little turquoise duffle bag, which I like to use for things other than the mat sometimes, just because it's cute. But it's neat because there are so many different ways you can use it, and it can travel really well.</p> <p>Now, snuffle mats in general are easy to pack, and some of them can be used in different kinds of ways, but the main component is that they're soft and you can hide dry food or dry treats in them in different ways. They're not great for use with wet food. Some of them you could even hide toys in them.</p> <p>So anyway, the Buster activity mat, I think, was my first introduction to the world of snuffle mats, or we sometimes also call them activity mats. And then, I think I was at a trade show when I first saw the <a href="https://storeforthedogs.com/products/wooly-snuffle-mat">Wooly Snuffle Mat</a>. And the Wooly is a much simpler product. It kind of just looks like a bath mat. Like a bath mat with really plush, long tendrils. It's gray, it -- you know, one thing I like about snuffle mats is they make me think of Snuffleupagus scoop is my favorite character on Sesame street...</p> <p>Full Transcript available at <a href="https://www.schoolforthedogs.com/podcasts/episode-72-theres-so-much-to-love-about-snuffle-mats-buy-or-make-a-fabric-work-to-eat-toy/">SchoolfortheDogs.com/Podcasts</a></p>
