What treats can you put on a licking pad for dogs? Try plain yogurt or wet food for a fun and healthy snack.

So, I decided to get one of those licking pads for my dog. Heard about them, figured why not give it a shot. My dog, bless him, gets a bit antsy, especially when he sees me getting ready to leave the house. Pacing, whining, the whole routine. Thought maybe this could keep his mind off things for a bit.

Trying Things Out

First thing was figuring out what to actually put on this rubbery mat thing. I grabbed the peanut butter first. Read the label like five times to make sure there was no xylitol – heard that stuff is really bad for dogs. Okay, safe. Smeared it on. He went absolutely nuts for it, which was great, but wow, the mess. It was everywhere. On his nose, his paws, somehow even on his ears. Cleaning him up took longer than the licking did. Not doing that again unless I'm desperate.

So, next attempts:

• Canned dog food (his usual stuff): He liked it, obviously. But it made the pad kinda slimy and smelly afterwards. Plus, I felt weird using his meal food as just a treat smear.
• Plain yogurt: This worked way better. Less sticky, easier to spread, easier to clean. He seemed to like it okay.
• Pumpkin puree: Got a can of plain pumpkin. Spread that on. Success! He enjoyed it, and cleanup was pretty simple.
• Cream cheese: Tried a tiny bit. He liked it, but it's a bit rich, so I only use a super small amount occasionally.
• Mashed banana: Had some bananas going brown. Mashed one up. He loved it! Good way to use up overripe fruit.

Basically, anything smearable and dog-safe is fair game. You just learn quick what’s too messy or what they don’t care for.

My Routine Now

Okay, so after trying a bunch of stuff, I've settled on mostly using plain yogurt or pumpkin puree. Sometimes I mix them together. If I know I need it to last longer, like during bath time (which he hates) or if there's a storm rolling in, I'll spread the stuff on the pad and then stick it in the freezer for maybe half an hour. It makes him work harder and longer to get it all off.

Prep is easy. Just spoon some stuff onto the pad, spread it around with the back of the spoon, getting it into all the little grooves. Then I press it down firmly onto the floor tiles or the side of the tub. Those suction cups usually hold pretty well, though sometimes he manages to pry it loose if he gets really determined.

Did it Work? Yeah, Kinda.

So, the verdict? It definitely helps. It gives him something else to focus on besides whatever is stressing him out or boring him. I get maybe 15, 20 minutes of peace, sometimes longer if the filling is frozen. It’s not a cure-all, he still has his moments, but it’s a useful tool in the toolbox.

Cleaning the pad itself is usually simple. Hot water, a bit of soap, and a scrub brush get most stuff out. Way better than cleaning peanut butter out of fur. It's just another gadget, really. You buy all this stuff for your dog, half of it ends up ignored under the sofa. This licking pad thing, though? It actually gets used. It's simple, cheap, and does what it's supposed to most of the time. It’s funny, the things we do for our pets. But seeing him focused and quiet for a little while makes it worth the small effort.