"FLAME! What in Hagrid's name are you doing?" Shaking my head at my naughty, crazy pet, I went over to the mountain of fabric Flame was hiding anything gold in. All of a sudden, I knew just what I was going to do for this month's project article for SOUP. I was going to make Flame a place where he could find and hide things. That way he would perhaps stop hiding things all over the cave, and making messes with my crafting supplies.
First, let me tell you about my wonderful pet, Flame. You see I was visiting Hagrid last month, and one of his pets, Knutsy, had just had a litter of babies that were ready to be weaned. Hagrid needed a hand with them, as he is a very busy man. He was right in the middle of pumpkin season. Anyway... I showed up with a soft blanket I thought the little things would like. This little bright orange and brown one scurried up to me and stole it, then went and hid it. I never did find where it was hidden, and neither did Hagrid. Apparently, the little creature now known as Flame, only stole and hid things that he wanted. "That lil 'ne is br'ken I t'll yer," Hagrid had exclaimed. While watching and playing with the babies I fell in love.
When it was time for me to go home, we couldn't find Flame anywhere. Saying my goodbyes, I headed home. Once home, I heard a chittering coming from my tail, and, spinning around I saw Flame clinging on tightly to the fluffy end. "Hey you aren't supposed to be here, Flame." Grasping him in my paws, I flew him back to Hagrid, but would you believe it? Hagrid told me once this type of pet bonds with someone, it's basically a lifetime bond that can't be broken. So that's how I ended up with a new pet!
Looking around as I put Flame gently on the floor to play, I saw an OWL fly through the cave entrance. I had my monthly assignment and luckily, as if my lovely darling editors knew I had a new pet, this month's theme was pets! I was so excited that I could make Flame a new Snuffle Mat. I had heard of such things for dogs, but thought it would be the perfect way to entertain the new baby.
Supplies
1-2 yards of fleece
A rubber mat with drainage holes
Scissors- if doing it without magic
Wand- if using magic
Diffindo- Severing/cutting charm
Directions
1. You can buy the supplies or repurpose items you already own. A DIY snuffle mat for your magical or non-magical pet, is quite simple to make and entirely customizable.
1-2 yards fleece: You can buy new or use an old fleece throw. For a visually striking snuffle mat use 2-3 different colours
A rubber mat with holes: This can be an anti-slip bath mat, a floor mat. It just needs to be made of rubber and have lots of holes! 12in x 12in (30cm x 30cm) is a good size for small animals, 14in x 14in (36cm x 36cm) works well for larger animals.
Scissors: Ideally, fabric scissors (but any will do)
2. Cut the fleece into strip. Make the strips 1 in (2.5cm) wide and 6-8 in (15-20 cm) long. You don't need to get out a measuring tape since the strips don't need to be perfect! It's fine to eyeball it. You'll need as many strips as there are holes in the mat (plus a few extra, just in case). For a super dense mat cut the strips 2 in (5.1 cm) wide. The longer and thicker the strips are, the longer it will take your pet to find the hidden objects.
3. Tread the fleece strip through 2 mat holes. Start in the top left so you can work systematically. Poke the first fleece through the top left hole in the mat. Then, thread the same strip through the hole right next to the first hole.
4. Tie the end of the strip in a tight knot. You can tie a single knot or a double knot to tie the strip. It really doesn't matter what kind of knot you use for this, just make sure the knot is tight against the mat so your pet can't untie the fabric and remove the strips.
5. Tie fleece strips in the remaining holes. Continue threading and knotting strips until all the mat holes are filled. If you're using multiple fleece colours alternate them to create a colourful, eye-catching design. If you cut your strips to be different thicknesses and lengths, alternate them to create more variation in the game.
6. Sprinkle your pet's favourite treats on the mat. Make sure the treats are buried in the fleece strips. If you don't want to use treats, feel free to use your pet's food or small toys instead.
7. Give your pet the snuffle mat. Your pet will use its sense of smell to forage for the treat. Snuffle mats are a wonderful way to add enrichment, excitement, and stimulation to your pet's day. Just place the mat in front of your pet and watch their sense of smell take over as they enjoy themselves.
I hope you had as much fun as I did making your pet their very own snuffle mat. Until next time, enjoy your pets! -- Little Dragon
