This sniffing puzzle will provide entertainment and stimulation to keep your dog occupied. Plus, it is fun and really easy to make! You can even modify it to your liking or whatever your dog enjoys.
Momo just got neutered few weeks ago. I decided to make him this sniffing puzzle mat to give him something to do that doesn’t require him to run or jump. He is a very active young puppy and he usually likes to chase his toy around but because he is still recovering from the surgery, I’m advised to restrain him from any vigorous activity during his 2 weeks post-surgery.
Right: He’s doing better with UFO collar 🙂
He has been feeling gloomy too! It must be because of the UFO collar he has been wearing to avoid licking the incision site. By the way, although the UFO collar is restricting his movement, it is so much better than using the infamous “cone of shame” from the vet. Momo really hates wearing that cone. He seemed very uncomfortable and it made him difficult to drink and eat. He would keep whining and he didn’t want to move at all until after I changed it to this UFO collar.
Anyway, this sniffing puzzle mat has been the perfect activity to keep him from being bored with mild physical activity, as well as stimulate him mentally. It is also a great idea if you are looking for an affordable interactive solo game for your pooch.
For this project, I bought my main materials from Daiso. It only costs me $6, but you could get it even cheaper if you only buy one felt instead of two like me. You probably already have the rest of the materials in your home too.
Materials
- Floor rug/mat (choose washable floor mat with the material that can be sewn)
- Felts
- Thread and needle
- Scissor
- Ruler
Directions
- Cut felts into shape.
- Sew the felt pieces into the floor rug/mat.
- Stuff your dog’s favourite treats in between the felt pieces.
- Enjoy!
The fun part about making this puzzle is that it allows you to be creative as you can design the game however you like it. Experiment with many different shapes and have fun with it. Try sketching out any ideas you have in mind first before cutting the felts to find the best design.
Basically, you’re just need to design a shape or pattern that can hide treats in between while keeping in mind on how your dog is going to play with it. For example, you can make flappy pieces where your dog has to flip it in order to get the treat or slice the centre of the felt to hide the treat, just experiment with many different shapes and have fun with it.
Make sure you don’t make the design too tricky so when your dog sniff it, he or she is still able to get the treats out and not be frustrated because he or she can’t get the food out of the pieces.
To define the size of the felt pieces, use ruler to help with the measurement so you can cut and place everything more accurately. You can also make the puzzle mat as big as you want by using bigger floor rug or combining more floor rugs together.
I sew the felt pieces entirely by hand but you can also do it with sewing machine if you have. Just make sure that you make the stitches strong enough to hold the felt pieces together to avoid accidental swallow.
This puzzle mat is also washable so if there are any messes, you can just wash it and it’s as good as new.
Caution: Please supervise your dog while playing this puzzle mat. This game is not be suitable for dogs with extreme chewing style.
