Using LickiMat® with Dog Food

Wet dog food on Lickimat

You know we love to have fun with LickiMats making up fun recipes to spoil your dog. Dogs love trying out different flavours so it's quite fun watching them enjoy different fruit and vegetables. To use the LickiMat as a regular dog feeder or as a slow feeder for small dogs or cats is something that many of you are already doing. And yes, that works really. For wet food and raw food I like to use LickiMat sometimes because I find my dog eats certain foods just a bit too quickly. The small LickiMat is way big enough for those small cans or foil containers of food you find in the supermarket.

Raw beef and carrot on Lickimat Buddy

My dog loves raw beef mince and grated carrot. Some people like to make a blend with stuff like probiotic, omega-3 oil, mint, hemp or other doggy supplements. LickiMat is perfect for making those recipes.

Dry kibble on a Lickimat Playdate lightly coated with yoghurt

What about dry food? Can you use LickiMat for that? Well, the answer is yes as long as the pellets are small. Use LickiMat Playdate or Buddy with dry food, and any of the three inc LickiMat Soother for wet or raw food. The trick with dry food is to add a bit of wet, for example yoghurt or a cream cheese, even milk or water. Just something for the crumbs to stick to so your dog has a lovely treat to lick at after their meal, like a dessert.

Doggy pâté made from dry pet food, carrots and blueberries

Dry dog food is already designed as a well-balanced diet for your pet but you can still have a bit of fun with it. The dry kibble is great for your pet's teeth giving them something hard to chew on every day. But using it wet for a few treats won't do your pet any harm. Soak dry food in water, milk or coconut to make a tasty pâté. Perfect way to make a Lickimat treat without the hassle of buying fancy ingredients, or you can get a bit creative with it by adding vegetables or fruit.

Cover and soak 1/2 cup of dry kibble in boiling water for about 15 minutes. In a food processor chop up about 5cm/2 inches of carrot and a small handful of frozen or fresh blueberries. Add the soaked kibble and blend some more to make a doggy pâté. Spread on to Lickimat Soother and serve immediately. It will taste too good for them to wait!

Cookies and Cream on Playdate

With dry food I also like to make a doggy cookies and cream ice cream. For this simple recipe, the ingredients are:

1/4 cup dry food
3/4 cup coconut milk or natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon pure peanut butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until most kibble is broken down into crumbs. It's OK to leave some pieces whole. Scoop onto your LickiMat. Because of the cream cheese, if you leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes it will thicken up or freeze for an hour. Sprinkle extra kibble on top before serving, take a photo and share!
Hope I've inspired you enough to get creative with your pet's food. Please share your results with us on Instagram #lickimat. Enjoy!

To buy Lickimats, visit our website to find your local stockist www.lickimat.com/collections

LickiMat Disclaimer
These recipes are not a daily balanced diet. They are not designed to replace a dog’s daily meal. Like all dog treats, serve only as part of a healthy balanced diet. Check with your vet first to ensure these food suggestions are suitable for your pet.

Kindly written by a lovely vet Merliza Cabriles