- A lick mat is a textured surface your dog licks food off, the texture slows eating and extends the activity
- Licking is a well-documented self-soothing behaviour in dogs, useful for anxiety, grooming, vet visits, fast eaters, and travel
- The dental health claim is real but limited: licking only cleans front teeth, not the back molars where dental disease usually starts
- The one genuine safety risk: dogs that chew rather than lick can tear off and swallow pieces of silicone, which has caused real veterinary emergencies
- Lick mats come in flat, bowl-style, and wall-mounted (suction cup) designs, each suited to different situations
A lick mat is a flat, textured mat, most commonly food-grade silicone, designed for your dog to lick food from. You spread soft food across the surface, and the grooves and ridges make your dog work slowly through every section instead of gulping it down in seconds.
What does a lick mat actually do for a dog?
Licking is a well-established self-soothing behaviour in dogs. It's the same behaviour you see when a dog licks their paws, a surface, or themselves when stressed. A lick mat channels that instinct into something food-rewarding and constructive rather than repetitive self-licking, which some dogs develop as a stress habit.
The textured surface does the practical work: it slows down eating (a regular bowl can be emptied in 30 seconds; the same food on a lick mat takes 10-20 minutes) and extends the calming effect of the licking itself for long enough that it actually registers as a settling activity, not just a quick snack.
Are lick mats good for dogs with separation anxiety?
Many trainers recommend lick mats specifically for this use case: give your dog a lick mat right before you leave the house, so they associate your departure with something rewarding and calming rather than only noticing you're gone. This is a widely used technique among professional dog trainers for building a positive association with alone time.
Can I use a lick mat for crate training?
Yes, and it's one of the more practical uses beyond mealtime. Placing a filled lick mat inside the crate before closing the door helps a dog build a positive association with crate time rather than experiencing it purely as confinement. Start with short periods and a simple filling, then gradually extend the duration as your dog settles in. Many dogs come to genuinely look forward to crate time once it's paired consistently with a lick mat.
Is a lick mat useful for car rides?
For dogs that get anxious or restless in the car, a lick mat suctioned to a flat surface (or a wall-mounted style stuck to a window) gives them something to focus on during the drive instead of pacing or whining. It won't work for every dog, some are too motion-sensitive to eat while the car is moving, but for dogs who tolerate car travel reasonably well, it's a simple way to make trips calmer.
Do lick mats actually help with dental health?
Partially, and it's worth being precise here rather than overselling it. The licking motion does stimulate saliva production and can help scrape some residue off the front teeth. But it does not reach the back molars, which is where most periodontal disease actually starts, and it is not a substitute for regular tooth brushing. Think of it as a very minor, incidental benefit rather than a dental care strategy on its own.
What types of lick mats are there?
Flat mats are the simplest design, a single textured surface you spread food across. They're the most versatile option and work well for everyday use at mealtimes or as a standalone calming activity. Because they're thin and lightweight, they're also the easiest to store and travel with.
Bowl-style lick mats combine a slow feeder bowl shape with lick-mat texturing on the inside. These are particularly useful for wetter foods that would run off a flat mat, and for dogs who need slower mealtime pacing in addition to the licking enrichment itself. Our Ollie works this way, functioning as both a slow feeder and a lick mat in one product, which is a practical option if you want a single tool that does double duty at every meal.
Wall-mounted or suction-cup lick mats stick to a flat vertical surface like a shower wall, bathtub, or car window. These are specifically useful for bath time, grooming, nail trims, or car travel, situations where you want your dog focused on something at nose height rather than on a bowl on the floor. The suction needs a genuinely flat, clean, non-porous surface to hold properly; textured tile or a curved surface won't work as well.
How do I introduce a lick mat for the first time?
Start with a small amount of a high-value, easy-to-lick food, plain yoghurt or a thin smear of peanut butter works well, spread across the mat where your dog can easily reach it. Most dogs need no training at all and engage immediately, since licking requires no prior toy experience the way some puzzle toys do. If your dog seems unsure, tap the mat or point to it to draw their attention; a brief demonstration is often all it takes. Supervise the first several sessions closely so you understand whether your dog is a genuine licker or someone who tries to chew and flip the mat.
Are lick mats safe for dogs?
For dogs who lick rather than chew, food-grade silicone lick mats are safe, non-toxic, and dishwasher friendly. The real risk to know about: dogs that treat the mat as a chew toy rather than a licking surface can tear off pieces of silicone and swallow them, which can cause a dangerous intestinal blockage requiring surgery in serious cases. This is not a hypothetical risk, it's a documented reason for emergency vet visits.
Always supervise a new lick mat closely for the first several sessions. If your dog is a known chewer, look for a reinforced or thicker mat designed for heavy chewers, and never leave a chewer unsupervised with any lick mat until you're confident in how they interact with it.
How often should I use a lick mat?
Once a day is a solid baseline; you can use it at mealtimes, replacing the bowl entirely, or as a standalone calming tool during stressful moments, departures, thunderstorms, vet visits, or grooming. There's no real downside to daily use once you're confident it's safe for your specific dog.
What can I put on a lick mat?
Xylitol-free peanut butter, plain yoghurt, canned pumpkin, wet dog food, mashed banana, or low-sodium bone broth are all common choices. Freezing the mat after spreading extends a 10-minute session into 20-30 minutes. Full guide: 25 things to put on a lick mat for dogs.
Shop our lick mat collection →
Related: How do snuffle mats work? | What to put on a lick mat | Are lick mats good for dogs?