Enrichment Idea - The Hugsmart Ice Cream Lick Mat
- The Fluffing Dog Shop
- Jul 5
- 3 min read
Where to start?
These posts are purely here to give you some enrichment inspo. I know it’s easy to get in your own head and not know where to start. But enrichment doesn’t have to be complicated. Seriously, don’t overthink it.
Today I’m using the Hugsmart Ice Cream Lick Mat. This is one of three adorable designs from Hugsmart. We also have a donut and a pizza. I went with the ice cream one because, honestly, it just feels right for this scorcher of a summer we’ve been having.
All three Hugsmart mats are on the smaller side, which I really love. So many lick mats out there seem to be aimed at big dogs, and it's nice to have something made for the little fluffers. The smaller size is also perfect if you’re not looking to give a full meal, just a light treat or something to keep your pup occupied.
How Difficult Is It?
I’d say this feeder sits somewhere in the middle of the difficulty scale. It has plenty of little nubs to spread toppings on, but it’s not so intricate that i would class it as hard. It also has suction cups on the bottom, which is great for dogs who like to shove their food around the room.
What did i use?
As always, I start with a wet base. This helps everything else stick, and it’s especially useful if you’re freezing it. This time I used four different wet ingredients, but that’s completely unnecessary. Just one works perfectly. I like to prep a batch of enrichment feeders for the week or two ahead. It gives me a chance to use a variety of ingredients and avoid waste. By the time it gets to the last few, I’m usually using up all the bits and bobs that are left. For the base from top to bottom - First up was Nutriment Fish Liquid Bone Broth, followed by some kefir. Then I added Canumi Green Lipped Mussels and finished it off with Meaty Licks Strawberry Jelly Peanut Butter, which smells amazing by the way.
Toppings?
Once the base was down, it was time to add some toppings. I usually just go with bits and pieces I know Otti enjoys. My partner Matt always jokes, “Mmm, fish with peanut butter, I’m sure she’ll love that,” and even though he’s being sarcastic, the truth is she absolutely does. She doesn’t care if it’s a mix of fruit and fish, she’s all in. This time I added some Canumi Green Lipped Mussels, which might not look the most appetising but are always the first thing she goes for. I followed that with a mix of fresh and freeze-dried fruit, then stuck with the fish theme and threw on a Mr. Bones Whole Anchovy. I used some Greens baby food and carrot baby food to help everything stick, they work great as a kind of 'glue'. Then I finished it all off with a few fruit salad treats and crumbled a Waita Quail Egg yolk over the top like sprinkles.
Into the freezer...
After everything was assembled, it went into the freezer along with the rest I had prepped for the week. One of the things I really appreciate about the Hugsmart mats is how sturdy they are. A lot of lick mats are super floppy, which makes them messy and annoying to carry to the freezer. These ones are thicker and hold their shape really well, so you don’t end up spilling everything on the way.
I like to keep my freezer stocked with enough enrichment feeders to last about one to two weeks. Then when I need one, I just grab it and hand it over. It makes the perfect frozen treat on a hot day, and I’m pretty sure Otti appreciates the nice cool treat!
Here’s What I Used (with links so you can check them out!):
A few extras I used that you can pick up from your local super market.
Kefir
Baby Food
Fresh Raspberries
Fresh Apple
Fresh Kiwi
Its easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
Hope this post gave you a bit of inspo! If you ever have any questions, feel free to pop me a message. I love helping people get started on their enrichment journey.
Paige
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