Where a treat ball gives a dog a single puzzle, a mat gives them a whole field of them. Scatter a handful of kibble across the plush, ruffle the strands until it has disappeared, and a dog will spend a long stretch working methodically over the surface with their nose down and their breathing loud, doing the one thing they were actually built to do.

How it is made decides how long that lasts. Deep plush folds hold food down inside them rather than letting it sit on top where it can be hoovered up in a single pass, and there are sound elements sewn in so the mat rustles and squeaks as it gets worked over. It rolls up for storage, which is the practical difference between a mat that gets used and one that lives under the sofa, and it machine washes.

• Deep plush folds that swallow kibble and treats
• Hidden sound elements built into the mat
• Rolls up for storage or for taking away with you
• Machine washable
• Available in brown, white or pink
• Low-impact activity for crate rest or rainy days

Supervise it, and wash it. Snuffle mats are not chew toys, and a dog who starts pulling at the strands rather than sniffing through them should be interrupted, because swallowed fabric is a vet visit. Food left in fabric also goes stale and greasy, so run it through the machine on a regular schedule rather than waiting until you can smell it.

Who it's for: Dogs on restricted exercise, fast eaters, and clever dogs with too little to occupy them indoors.