Dog Food Mats: A Simple Solution for Messy Eaters

No bones about it, dogs are messy. While some dogs are able to control themselves around food, most are not and meal times can leave your kitchen looking like a disaster zone.

If you’re looking for a simple way to contain your dog’s messes, consider buying a dog food mat. Keep reading to learn more about what dog food mats are for and about the different types.

What Are Dog Food Mats For?

Most pet owners keep their dog’s bowls in the same location – a place that becomes the dog’s designated feeding area. If you’re lucky, your dog’s feeding area will be in a place where cleanup is easy – a location with tile or hardwood floors versus carpet.

Even if your dog’s feeding area is in a place that is easy to clean, wiping up spills and slobber can be a hassle – especially if your dog is a messy eater. You could put a towel down under your dog’s bowls, but it will stain easily and absorb liquid, increasing the risk for damage to your flooring. What you really need is a dog food mat.

Also known as a feeding mat or placemat, a dog food mat is simply a mat that you put down under your dog’s food and water bowls. These mats come in many different forms but the main purpose is to absorb or contain spills, making post-meal cleanup a breeze.

Many of these mats come with a waterproof backing to protect your flooring and they are usually made with materials that are resistant to stains and easy to clean.

Some feeding mats have raised edges to contain spills while others are made from absorbent materials to absorb them. No matter what your needs and preferences may be, there is a dog place mat out there for you.

What Are the Different Types of Mat?

As is true for most supplies, mats come in a variety of shapes and sizes – they are also made from a variety of different materials. Here is an overview of some of the most popular types of feeding mats for dogs:

• Plastic Tray – Plastic feeding mats come in two main types – a flat mat and a mat with raised edges to contain spills. Not only is plastic a durable material for feeding mats, but it is lightweight and inexpensive.
• Silicone Mat – This type of feeding mat serves several purposes. Silicone is a durable material that is resistant to stains and it provides a degree of cushioning for your dog’s feet. These mats also come as a flat mat or with raised edges.
• Non-Slip Mat – If your dog has a habit of pushing his food bowls across the floor as he eats, a non-slip mat might be a good option to keep his bowls in place.
• Personalized Mat – If you want your dog’s placemat to have a greater aesthetic appeal, you can go with a personalized mat that has his name on it. These mats can be made from a variety of different materials.
• Fabric Mat – These are another type of feeding mat that primarily serves an aesthetic purpose, though they can help to absorb spilled liquid in many cases. Fabric mats come in all kinds of colors and patterns to suit your preferences.

Each type of mat offers its own unique benefits. While some feeding mats are primarily for aesthetic purposes, others actually help to absorb and contain spills to protect your flooring and to make post-meal cleanup easy. Keep reading to learn some tips for choosing a feeding mat.

Tips for Choosing a Mat

When choosing a mat for your dog, there are a number of different factors to consider. For one thing, you’ll want to think about the main purpose you want the mat to serve. Do you want a mat that will contain spills to prevent damage to your flooring or do you just want something that looks nice?

Are you looking for a mat that will keep your dog’s bowls from sliding around or do you want something that will cushion your dog’s feet as he eats and drinks? These are important questions to ask when you are shopping for a place mat for your dog’s bowls.

Once you’ve determined the purpose you want your dog’s feeding mat to serve, you can start to think about the specifics. Start by thinking about the different materials dog placemats can be made from. If you’re looking for something lightweight and inexpensive, plastic might be the way to go.

For a mat that cushions your dog’s feet, consider silicone or something with a little extra padding. Fabric mats can absorb spills to some degree, but their primary purpose is aesthetic.

The material you choose for your feeding mat will also determine how easy the mat is to clean, so think about that as well. You’ll also want to consider the design – mats with raised edges tend to contain messes more effectively.

Choosing a dog feeding mat is not a life or death decision, but it’s still something you should take your time with. Over the lifetime of your dog, small but frequent spills can damage your flooring and it can become a hassle to have to clean up after your dog following every meal. To make things easier on yourself, consider buying a dog place mat like the ones described above.