LEXINGTON — Adena Prill started a business venture after shopping for a Christmas present for her dog.
“My family dog Bowie is very spoiled,” she said. “My mom and I were looking for presents for him and she came across snuffle mats.
“They mimic foraging, so the dogs or cats sniff for their food or treats. It’s a puzzle. I’ve read that the mental stimulation dogs get from snuffling for 15 minutes is the same as an hour of walking.”
Prill’s snuffle mats are approximately one square foot made from a rubber mat and fleece fabric strips. The snuffle balls come in two different sizes, one for small breeds and one for medium and larger breeds.
The balls are made up of fabric circles with pockets for treats or food, while the mats are made from woven fabric strips.
“I buy fabric and cut them into strips myself,” Prill said. “I’m a perfectionist, so it can be a drawn-out process. If I see any frayed ends or anything, I have to trim them.”
Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies
Pets using Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies featuring Bowie in the top right corner. 
Kara Fairchild’s Chiweenie crossbreed dog named Brie. Prill said Brie comes with them to outdoor markets and helps demonstrate the toys. 
Prill’s dog Kiba plays with a snuffle ball. 
Prill’s painting kits called “Kiba’s Picasso Kits.” Dog owners place a canvas and paint in a plastic back and spread peanut butter on the back of the bag for the dog to lick off. Prill sells the kits at markets and on Etsy.
Prill said she started Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies to create mentally stimulating toys.
“I love dogs — I’ve never been without one — so I really wanted to make something that helped them,” she said. “It’s kind of perfect for keeping busy and making a little extra money.”
Prill’s mother, Shelley Siefert, ran a Dalmatian rescue for many years and found Bowie through a Facebook group.
“He’s deaf, so we had to train him differently,” Prill said.
“Instead of learning from spoken commands, we had to teach him signals. He relies pretty heavily on his sense of smell too, so my mom and I started looking at snuffle mats for him.”
Prill works full-time as a children’s librarian and said she makes snuffle mats and toys in her downtime. The toys are machine washable on a cold cycle and she recommends air drying the mats.
The 32-year-old often attends craft and vendor fairs and tries to stay within one hour of Lexington. She posts her expected shows on Facebook.
“I post where I’ll be next and also a handful of animal memes, because we all need that sometimes,” Prill said.
Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies available at area craft shows
Prill started making and selling Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies in January 2023. She also started “Kiba’s Picasso Kits” this year helping dogs create paintings using a canvas, paint, a plastic bag and peanut butter.
Prill has since sold the snuffle toys to many dog and cat owners.
“I know some people will put catnip on them or sometimes, cats just like to lay on them,” Prill said. “I’ve even sold to people who said it was for their bunny or their bird, so it can be good for any type of animal.”
Prill said she uses a snuffle mat as a slow feeder for her dog Kiba.
“She’ll eat so fast otherwise, so this slows her down and makes it fun,” Prill said.
“She will ‘help’ me when I’m making them because she’s a snuggle bug. So I’ll be working on a mat and she lays her head on it since I’m not paying attention to her.”
Prill said the mats take a few hours to finish while the snuffle balls are slightly quicker.
Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies has an Etsy shop, but Prill said she sells at lower prices for local orders that organize a pickup location or buy from her at a vendor fair.
She also offers custom orders for people who want a mat with specific colors or patterns.
“My husband Spencer said it would be cool if I started making them with sports team colors, so I might start doing that,” Prill said.
“My mom and my best friend, Kara Fairchild, go with me to a lot of the craft shows, which I’m really grateful for. It’s nice having all of their support.”
Bowie’s Snuffle Buddies is on Facebook and Etsy. Prill’s next show in Richland County is Bellville’s Summer Street Mart on July 13.
