Lick Mats: More Than Just A Treat
We’ve previously discussed how teaching your dog to settle and be bored without any stimulation is an important skill to learn. And I stand by this! That said, there are moments in life when you simply don’t have the time or patience to work on this skill with them, and that’s okay! We can’t all have perfect patience after a long day, or stressful event. Sometimes we need a little assistance to encourage calm behavior.
One simple way to encourage calm behavior is to give your dog something relaxing to focus on. Licking is a naturally soothing activity for many dogs, so something like a lick mat can be a great option! Spread a little canned dog food, pumpkin, plain yogurt, or dog-safe peanut butter across the mat and let them work on it at their own pace.
Bonus: If you plan ahead and freeze it before giving it to them, it occupies them longer and doubles as a cooling activity!
A lick mat can be especially useful during situations when your dog needs to settle: while you're working, when guests come over, during grooming, or even when you're getting ready to leave the house. Giving them a special activity can help redirect their attention and give them something positive to focus on instead of following you around wondering where the fun is going.
Of course, a lick mat isn't a magic fix for anxiety or other behavior problems. If your dog becomes extremely distressed when you're gone, that's something worth discussing with your veterinarian or a qualified behavior professional. But for a dog who simply needs a little help settling or gets bored easily, enrichment like a lick mat can be a really useful tool!
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