What to put on a lick mat
The best lick mat toppings are simple, single-ingredient and part of your dog's normal daily food. Variety keeps it interesting; restraint keeps your dog's waistline intact.
Everyday options
Your dog's own wet food. Soaked kibble mashed into paste. Plain unsweetened yoghurt. Pumpkin purée (plain, not pie filling). Mashed banana. Bone broth without onion or salt. Cottage cheese in small amounts. Blended cooked chicken. Mashed sweet potato. Xylitol-free peanut butter, sparingly.
Combinations worth freezing
Wet food with a layer of broth frozen on top. Yoghurt with blueberries pressed in. Pumpkin and a thin peanut butter swirl. Chicken blended with a little broth. Banana and yoghurt in layers.
Freeze in two stages for a mat that lasts twice as long: spread, freeze an hour, add a second layer, freeze again.
Never use
Xylitol or any sweetener-containing product, chocolate, grapes or raisins, onion or garlic, macadamia nuts, alcohol, cooked bones, or anything heavily salted. Check every peanut butter label — xylitol is genuinely dangerous to dogs.
Watch the calories
Toppings count as food. Take the amount out of the daily ration, and be especially careful with small breeds where a tablespoon of peanut butter is a significant part of the day's intake.
Frequently asked questions
- Is yoghurt safe for dogs?
- Plain, unsweetened yoghurt is fine for most dogs in small amounts. Skip anything with sweeteners or fruit syrup, and skip it entirely if your dog reacts badly to dairy.
- How much peanut butter is safe?
- A teaspoon for a small dog and a tablespoon for a large one, occasionally — and only xylitol-free. It's high in fat, so treat it as a garnish rather than a base.
