Some dogs are perfectly neat and tidy when they eat and drink, whereas others could spread food and water for miles. If your canine companion is a messy eater, you may find yourself constantly wiping or scrubbing the area around his bowls. However, with a dog feeding mat in place, you can catch all the drips and crumbs, saving your floors and cutting down the time you spend cleaning up after your pooch. Wondering what to feed your pup? Check out our reviews of the best organic dog foods and the best canned dog foods.
We reviewed dozens of dog feeding mats to identify the best of the best. We compared a range of features, including material, size, ease of cleaning, appearance, and average customer reviews.
Interested in dog water bowls or automatic feeders? Take a look at our pet bowls, feeders and waterers articles.
After searching far and wide for dog feeding mats, the Humble Pet Food Mat Feeding Tray stood out as the the clear winner. It might not look flashy, but it gives you everything you could need from a feeding mat. The raised edges mean that water won’t spill onto your carpet and the non-slip underside stops it from sliding around.
The 5 Top-Rated Dog Food & Bowl Mats
| Editor’s Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Humble Pet Food Mat Feeding Tray | 4.8 |
| Runner Up | Purple Pet by iPrimio Large Pet Feeding Bowl Mat | 4.6 |
| Best Budget Buy | Bone Dry DII Non-Slip Dog Food Mat | 4.6 |
| Best Plastic Dog Food Mat | Home-Man Multi-Purpose Dog Bowl Tray | 4.7 |
| Best Extra-Large Dog Food Mat | SHUNAI Extra Large Pet Feeding Mat | 4.5 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Our Top Pick: Humble Pet Food Mat Feeding Tray
A dog feeding mat doesn’t need to be fancy or decorative, but it should have a range of features that make it practical and functional. The Humble Pet Food Mat Feeding Tray certainly fits that bill.
First off, it’s made from premium FDA food grade silicone, so you can be certain it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that could make your dog sick. In fact, it would be safe for you and your human family members to eat off (not that we’re suggesting you do)! The generous 24- by 16-inch size is more than large enough to comfortably fit food and water bowls.
The back of the mat features raised bumps to prevent slippage, even on tile and hardwood floors. On the top side, you’ll see a raised paw print design, which is not only cute but also helps keep the bowls in place on the mat while you’re dog’s eating or drinking.
This silicone feeding mat is completely waterproof, so there’s no chance water will seep through onto your flooring, and the half-inch raised edge keeps water from leaking over the edge. It’s also stain-resistant and easy to clean—just pop it in the dishwasher.
With a retail price of roughly $20, it’s not the cheapest dog feeding mat out there, but it is long-lasting and even comes with a lifetime warranty.
Humble Pet Food Mat Feeding Tray Key Features:
- Made from food grade silicone
- Non-slip design
- Dishwasher safe
Our Runner Up Pick: Purple Pet by iPrimio Large Pet Feeding Bowl Mat
It was an extremely close call between out top pick and the Purple Pet by iPrimio Large Pet Feeding Bowl Mat. The slightly higher raised edge and larger size made us choose the Humble Pet as our number one, but you won’t go wrong with this feeding mat from iPrimio, either! At also retails for $16, so you can save a couple of dollars by opting for this one instead.
Let’s tackle those measurements first. The mat measures 21 3/4- by 14-inches, which is slightly smaller, but still a perfectly decent size for most. The raised edge is 0.3 inches high, which will catch most spills, but might not be quite tall enough for the messiest drinkers.
Both the top and bottom sides feature non-slip bumps, plus the top side has a fun design on it, with two large paw prints. If you’re worried about safety, note that this feeding mat is crafted from a heavy-duty FDA grade silicone.
While it’s easy enough to wash or wipe down by hand, it’s also dishwasher safe, which makes cleanup even easier.
Purple Pet by iPrimio Large Pet Feeding Bowl Mat Key Features:
- Durable construction
- Easy to clean
- Choice of 3 colors
Best Budget Pick: Bone Dry DII Non-Slip Dog Bowl Mat
Looking for a quality dog feeding mat that’s a little bit cheaper than our top pick and runner up? We’d highly recommend the Bone Dry DII Non-Slip Dog Feeding Mat as an alternative. With a price tag of just $7 for a small or $10 for a large, these mats offer exceptional value for money.
If you’re expecting something flimsy for this kind of price, think again! Constructed from 100% recycled natural rubber, these mats are super sturdy and kinder on the environment, too. The underside of the mat is textured, which helps to prevent it sliding around on the floor. The top features circular spots to help keep bowls in place, plus a raised paw print design, which also has non-slip properties.
The small version of these mats measures 10 by 17.5 inches and the large version measures 14 by 24 inches, so you can pick the one that best suits the size of your dog and her bowls. You can select from three designs of the Bone Dry DII Non-Slip Dog Feeding Mat. One says “hungry” on the food bowl side and “thirsty” on the water bowl side. One says “food” on one side and “water” on the other side. And the last design reads “good dog.”
Bone Dry DII Non-Slip Dog Feeding Mat Key Features:
- Slightly raised edge helps prevent spills
- Waterproof
- Easy to clean
Best Plastic Dog Food Mat: Home-Man Multi-Purpose Dog Bowl Tray
If you’d prefer a ridgid option for your dog feeding mat, the Home-Man Multi-Purpose Dog Bowl Tray is a fantastic choice. Made from 100% recycled polypropylene, this dog bowl tray features 1.2-inch raised edges that can contain a lot of liquid. This makes it perfect for extremely messy dogs, or dogs who intentionally knock over their water bowl. Plus, since it’s made from rigid plastic, it’s easy to transport the whole mat to the sink to empty it, without spilling water en route.
It comes in three sizes, with the one pictured here measuring in at 24- by 15-inches. You also have the option of buying a value pack of two trays. With nearly 1,000 reviews and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, we’re confident that this is a high quality dog feeding mat.
Home-Man Multi-Purpose Dog Bowl Tray Key Features:
- Made from 100% recycled polypropylene plastic
- Multiple sizes available
- Easy to clean and transport
Best Extra-Large Dog Food Mat: SHUNAI Extra Large Pet Feeding Mat
Sometimes a standard dog feeding mat just isn’t large enough to fit the bill. Perhaps your dog is so messy that you don’t trust him to keep his spillages within the confines of a more compact mat, or maybe you have a multi-dog household and want to feed all your pups on the same mat. If big is what you’re after, the SHUNAI Extra Large Pet Feeding Mat is what you need!
Measuring a whopping 35- by 25-inches, it’s ideal for protecting large areas of flooring. This mat is slip-proof as well as waterproof, making it a practical choice for any dog parent. While the large size can make it a bit awkward to clean in the sink, it’s designed to be easy to clean. In fact, it can even be used for litter trays, so you can rest assured it can be cleaned without any troubles.
At $19, it’s also a great price. If you like the sound of this mat but don’t need a mat that big, it also comes in a 24- by 16-inches size.
SHUNAI Extra Large Pet Feeding Mat Key Features:
- Made of high-quality, non-toxic PVC material
- Sturdy raised edge
- Non-slip design
Who Needs a Dog Food & Bowl Mat
You might not know it now, but we think any dog owner could benefit from a dog feeding mat. You can’t expect your pooch to be perfectly neat when eating his food and drinking his water, so some spillage is inevitable. If you feed your pup on carpeted floors, the water can sink in and cause issues with mold and the food can get trodden into the pile, making it a pain to clean up. It’s not such a huge issue on non-carpeted floors, but nobody wants to step in a puddle of water with socks on or squelch their bare foot into a chunk of wet dog food. Plus, hardwood floors can warp if they’re constantly getting soaked.
A dog feeding mat contains any mess your four-legged friend might make while chowing down or quenching his thirst, preventing any damage to your flooring and making cleanup easier.
Important Features to Consider
A feeding mat for dogs should have a few important features. Here’s what to consider when selecting a feeding mat for your dog:
- Material. Common dog feeding mat materials include silicone, rubber, plastic, and absorbent fabric. There’s no best or worst material for a feeding mat, so as long as it fits all your other requirements, don’t worry too much about the material. Of course, if you have a preference for one material over another, that’s fine, too.
- Waterproofing. A quality dog feeding mat should be 100% waterproof, not just water-resistant. If it’s not waterproof, liquids can seep through the mat and onto the floor beneath, causing issues over time.
- Size. Make sure your chosen feeding mat is large enough to accommodate your dogs bowls, with some room around them to catch any mess that might be flying around!
- Ease of cleaning. If you want a dog feeding mat that’s exceptionally easy to clean, look for one that can go in either the dishwasher or the washing machine. Otherwise, you’ll need to wash it by hand in the sink.
- Color and pattern. While the color and pattern of your chosen feeding mat won’t matter one bit to your dog, you may want to choose something that goes with your decor or that matches the color of the floor, so it will blend in
- Raised edge. A raised edge on a dog food mat helps to keep spillages on the mat, where they belong, rather than running off onto the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a dog food mat keep water off of my floor?
The vast majority of dog feeding mats are waterproof and therefore should keep water off your floor. If your four-legged friend is an extremely messy drinker, absorbent mats or those with reasonably high edges will do a better job keeping your floor dry.
How do you keep a dog bowl mat from sliding on the floor?
Sliding generally isn’t an issue on carpeted floors, but it can be on wooden floors, vinyl, or tiles. Most dog food mats are either made from non-slip materials or have non-slip feet. Unless you have carpeted floors, avoid any dog food mats that aren’t non-slip. If you already own a dog feeding mat that slides on your floor, you can buy your own non-slip feet to stick to the bottom.
Are silicone dog food mats safe for dogs?
Quality silicone food mats are completely safe for dogs. However, there’s a very small chance that poor quality silicone dog food mats could be made with some potentially toxic materials. If you’re concerned, look for one that’s made from FDA grade silicone.
How do you clean a dog feeding mat?
Plastic, rubber, and silicone dog feeding mats simply need to be wiped down or scrubbed with a food-safe cleaning product, such as dish soap, and left to dry. That said, some are dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning even easier. You can put most fabric dog feeding mats in the washing machine.
