A hotdog is nice. A hot dog, not so much. Being in hot weather can bring serious discomfort and health risks to your dog, but is hydrating them enough to keep them cool and safe? Not always. Sometimes you have to resort to giving them other means to keep cool like a dog cooling mat or pad. Here are five of the best.
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Why Buy Them For Dogs?
Keeping your dog cool in hot weather may not be as easy as you think. Even more so when your furry friend is covered in a thick layer of fur. In fact, simple hydration may not be enough to keep your dog’s body temperature cool. It’s not just the discomfort that you should worry about, as heatstroke becomes very likely in these situations as well. It can be dangerous for your dog.
So apart from keeping your dog hydrated and keeping the physical activities to a minimum, it is advisable that you look for another way to help your dog cool down. Luckily, dog cooling pads exist and serve this very purpose (actually, they can also help soothe pains and aches, but that’s another story).
While you can also invest in a dog pool or a dog cooling vest, a cooling pad may be your best and most practical option yet.
You can also bring these pads with you when you travel with your dog so that your dog doesn’t heat up in the car or at the beach. Even if you do just decide to stay indoors with your dog, a cooling pad to help them stay cool and beat the heat.
Best Dog Cooling Mats
The Green Pet Shop Premium
Check price and more details here
This large dog cooling mat is available in 5 different sizes to best accommodate your dog. The smallest can fit toy breed dogs while the largest side can fit dogs that weigh a hundred pounds or more. This cooling pad will help keep your dog from overheating and from getting dehydrated.
It is weight activated, and recharges automatically. No need to plug it in or to refrigerate. This is a durable cooling pad that is constructed sturdily from a non-toxic material to ensure your pet’s safety.
Clean up is easy with this product, all you have to do is wipe it clean. Plus, it even folds for easy storage and transport.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Doesn’t need to be filled with water
– Charges automatically
– No electrical connections needed
– Lightweight and portable
– Filled with activated gel that cools when your dog is on the pad (weight activated)
– Can help soothe aches apart from keeping your dog cool
– Can fit in beds and crates
Keep In Mind:
– May not get very cold in extremely hot environments
– Larger pads are a bit heavy
– Can’t be exposed to direct heat (ex. Sunlight)
Hugs Pet Products
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Available in three sizes (from medium to extra large), this cooling pad does not need to be refrigerated to help cool your dog down. Apart from keeping your dog cool, this pad can also help relieve your dog’s joint pain. This is suitable to be used both indoors and outdoors, and it can also fit easily in your dog’s bed or crate.
The gel inside this pad is safe and non-toxic for dogs.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Registered and licensed in the USA
– Can accommodate dogs of any size. A good large dog cooling mat!
– Well worth the price
– Can be cleaned easily by wiping it down
– Helps relieve dogs from the heat
Keep In Mind:
– A bit pricey
– Can leak from the seams if misused
– Made of thin material that can tear
Walky
Check price and more details here
This one is available in three sizes: small, large and extra large. The mat is covered in a nylon shell that makes it compatible with both indoor and outdoor use. You can put it inside your dog’s kennel, crate, bed, or out on the yard. You can even use this inside the car. Despite the durability of the covering, this cooling mat is not chew proof. If your dog likes chewing things a lot, then this is probably not the right mat for you.
You don’t need to refrigerate this mat to make it cool, it’s pressure activated, which means that the cooling mechanism activates as soon as your dog lies down on the mat. It can be folded for easy transportation, and simply wiping it up to clean it would be enough.
Apart from keeping your dog cool, the cooling mechanism of this mat can also help ease joint pain and inflammation.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Helps maintain your dog’s proper body temperature
– Soft and comfortable, yet durable
– No need for charging, filling up with water, or refrigerating
– Cooling feeling lasts long enough and can be triggered again by getting off the mat and returning after a while
– Sizes may still be a bit smaller than expected
Keep In Mind:
– May not work that well outdoors
– Sizes may still be a bit smaller than expected
– May not work as well in extremely hot environments
Whalek
Check price and more details here
This cool mat for dogs is available in large and extra large sizes. This comfortable product is made from high quality material, though it is still advised to cover it with a cloth or carpet for dogs that like digging and chewing. The size of the cooling mat is designed to fit in most living areas of your house while still allowing your dog enough space to get comfortable in.
It is also made from a safe, non-toxic material that is safe not just for pets but for humans too. The gel won’t leak out and the waterproof material of the covering means that you can simply wipe it down to clean it, just make sure not to use corrosive liquids to do so.
You don’t need to electrically charge it to make it cool. If it’s not cool enough, simply remove it from direct sunlight or heat to allow the gel to cool and harden again. It can be conveniently put in practically all surfaces your dog would like to rest on: couches, mattresses, floors, cars, etc.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Easy to clean up
– Comes with the brand’s guarantee of high quality
– Covering is made from composite PVC material
– Lightweight and foldable for easy storage and transport
– Comes with a manual and a pet comb
– Large enough for bigger dogs to move around comfortably
Keep In Mind:
– Material may not be as durable as others
– Not a square but is a rectangle
– Slippery cover material
DryKewl
Check price and more details here
Give your dog the coolest experience ever with this cooling mat. It’s ideal for use in practically all surfaces that you’d normally find your dog in, from indoors to outdoors to inside cars and more. The cooling gel inside this mat is environmentally friendly, stays cool for as long as 3 hours, and cools automatically when your dog is not resting on it.
No need for filling it up with water, charging it up with electricity, or cooling it through refrigeration. If it loses its coolness after 3 hours of use, simply leave it again and it will be ready for use after 20 minutes.
The covering of this mat is durable and thick enough to withstand a dog’s claws. It’s waterproof and can be conveniently cleaned. The cover is smooth and will provide your dog with a comfortable stay on it, with no known toxic materials. It’s safe for both pets and humans. This product is made for pets of all sizes.
Why It’s So Popular:
– Also includes a pet glove for more bonding time between you and your dog
– Fits pets of all sizes
– Portable for use anywhere
– Long-lasting gel solution
– Self charging, doesn’t need much maintenance for activation
– Sturdy and safe materials
– Pretty thick
Keep In Mind:
– Might be a bit small for larger dogs
– Might be a bit heavier than other mats
– A little pricey
Things to Consider: Cool Mats For Dogs
Space Needed
This basically applies to the amount of space that your dog needs in order to be comfortable. More particularly, how big does the cooling pad need to be in order for your dog to comfortably lie on it and still be able to adjust however he pleases? Ideally, a cooling pad should allow your dog to stretch out on it and be able to lie on its side with semi-extended legs.
Luckily, there are a wide range of sizes that dog cooling pads are available in, and they can cater to the smallest dog breeds to the largest ones.
Personal Preferences
This refers to your dog’s personal preferences, of course. Find out what your dog likes and choose a cooling mat that best fits the bill. If your dog likes curling up, then you probably don’t have to buy that big of a mat. If your dog likes to share with the other pets in the house, then a larger one may be the one to order.
Does your dog prefer lying on hard surfaces or softer, fluffier ones? Is your dog comfortable with slippery surfaces or prefers fabric covers? You should know your dog well enough to know what she does and doesn’t like and keep those things in mind when choosing one.
Space Occupied
Of course, getting a bigger cooling mat also means that you need to have a space large enough to accommodate it in your home or wherever else you intend to use it. While there are generally no space restrictions when it comes to using the mat in your yard or at the beach, you must also consider choosing the mat’s size based on your dog’s kennel’s, bed’s, or crate’s size. Also, can the size of this mat fit in your car when you need it for traveling with your dog?
Some are also foldable for easier storage and transport when not in use, so you might want to look into that as well.
Material
Apart from requiring the product to be made of high quality, durable material, you should also take into consideration that there are some materials that won’t work well with your dog. Such a material is rubber. It will either be too bulky, too thick, or too thin.
There’s just sometimes no good way to make a rubber material work well for your dog to lie on. Plus, it can easily get dirty and become full of bacteria and can be a pain to clean. Not only that, it can cause joint pain and problems because it can promote improper sleeping positions for your dog.
Plastics are sometimes no good either. They basically go against what a cooling mat should be doing and instead trap heat most of the time. Plastics are not very durable either and can break or crack and hurt your dog in the process. In the first place, plastic isn’t very comfortable for dogs to stand on, much less rest on.
Foam is also not always the best. It’s soft and comfortable, yes, but it will act as an insulator and make your dog feel even warmer, which defeats the purpose of a cooling mat. Instead of making your dog more comfortable, you’ll end up increasing their discomfort even more.
And the dirt that gathers on the fabric can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to a foul odor and general discomfort.
Safety/ Toxicity
Some dog cooling pads or mats are filled with a gel that provides the cooling mechanism. You can look into the gel of whatever pad you’re looking to buy because it may not be environmentally friendly and may end up being harmful for you or your dog.
While cooling pads are made to be durable, persistent dogs may still end up puncturing the coverings with their nails or teeth and accidentally ingest some of this gel or come into physical contact with it. If it’s toxic, then you could be putting your dog at risk but usually the brands make sure there is nothing that is going to hurt your animals.
Ease of Use
While not necessary, there are products out there that will generally require low maintenance care. That could save you a lot of time and resources if you don’t have to charge it, fill it up with water (which can lead to molds and spores), or refrigerate it in order to keep it cool.
Most of them also come in easy to clean coverings, so you’ll just have to wipe them down with a clean cloth, a wet wipe, or with water and mild soap.
Comfort
Simply put, whatever you choose should allow your dog to be comfortable. It should meet the requirements of a cooling pad, namely it should provide your dog with a cooling mechanism to help keep your dog’s body temperature regulated.
Your dog should appreciate one for how much it can benefit it and not dislike it because it just ends up bringing more discomfort. So here are some of the top picks to help you make a more informed decision.
Conclusion
These are five of the best dog cooling mats on the market. Be vigilant in keeping your dog cool during the hot seasons, as their health and comfort rely on it. Don’t forget to keep your dog hydrated, to reduce physical activities, apart from providing another method of cooling down like one of these products.
Always think of your dog’s comfort and pick some cool mats for dogs that will help you achieve that first and foremost.
