Recently a message was sent out to volunteers for the Hearing Dogs for the Deaf charity to ask for help putting together snuffle mats for dogs. Having been given one by the breeding team when my brood had her puppies I know how much fun the dogs get when a snuffle mat is loaded with a handful of kibble or treats. The frantic searching and tail wagging makes them a very entertaining way of watching your dog have its' food. It's pretty stimulating for the dogs too as they have to sniff out the food rather than just dive into a food bowl.
Being willing to give it a go I decided I'd take up the challenge and have a bash at putting a few together so that the next time I'm visiting The Grange, The charities head office in Buckinghamshire I can drop them off for handing out to other volunteers fostering a dog in training or as part of the breeding team.
Armed initially with what I thought were some sharp scissors I soon realised that if I was going to complete the task without using some of the language that my family would prefer I didn't, I should invest in some dressmaking scissors to make the task easier. A wise investment and thankfully no inappropriate language despite the cost. But I now have a much better pair of scissors right?
Once strips of fleece have been cut, the hardest task I decided, weaving them through a sink mat and tying a knot to keep them secure is rather therapeutic. It started off being slow progress but once a rhythm has been worked out the task sped up nicely.
Hopefully Roo, my brood will not sulk too much when I drop them off!
If you have any questions about volunteering for this wonderful charity so that you too can be prompted to do something you've not done before then see these FAQs
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