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@tortoise What is lick mats? I'm asking seeing how I have never heard of them.
I can honestly say Savage is doing really good with house breaking. I'm really trying to keep him on a routine of when it's potty time and rewarding him with puppy training treats when he does his business outside. Sometimes he even sits to get an extra treat. FH is leaving all Savage training up to me
 

tortoise

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A lick mat is like a bumpy silicone trivet. Smear a sticky treat (like peanut butter) on it and it takes a dog a long time to lick it off the mat. The kind with suction cups on the back is helpful for bathtime and nail trimming.

 

tortoise

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Snuffle mats are another way to keep a dog busy for a longer time with fewer treats. It's basically a long shag carpet for dogs. :gig Most people DIY them by tying fleece strips on a sink mat. You can also use a plastic basket/bin. The shelter near me has a couple big ones for cats that are made more like a rag rug. (I still haven't figured out exactly how they were made!) They are made out of vintage synthetic fabric scraps.
 

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TBH, I'm lazy, so sometimes I just shove paper packing material in a kennel and toss a scoop of kibble in there. Some people make "busy boxes" out of toilet paper tubes that have the same effect. Or save paperboard boxes and smear a little dab of peanut butter in there and let the dog shred the box to find the treat. Lots of free and cheap ways to achieve the same effect. I'm just partial to licky mats because they're easy to load, use, and wash.
 
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