As humans deserve a better life, dogs also require the best care and proper living conditions. A dog is not able to cool appropriately and thus rely on panting and fur coats to release heat from their bodies. Even those dogs with heavy coats can suffer from excess heat from their bodies. 

Putting air conditioners and electric fans in their crates or kennels can end up in higher electric bills. Dog’s cooling mat can help sort out these issues by cooling off the dog’s body. However, not all dogs chilling units are the same. The cooling mats design enhanced different comfort levels of a dog. Different dog cooling mats designs give considerate cooling mechanisms regarding their different sizes.

What you Need to Know When Buying a Cooling Mat

What Size is Best for a Cooling Mat?

All cooling mats and pads come in different sizes. Getting the right size of a mat can be tiresome if one is not familiar with the dog’s body size.

For small dogs, a 40x50cm mat can be suitable and 90x60cm for large dogs. These sizes of the cooling pads have the merit of being thin and foldable, making them convenient to pack.

How Durable is a Cooling Mat?

The question of where to place a mat is vital. This is essential to withstand different elements, such as hot weather.  Dogs often get rough with their stuff to be active. This can be noticed through consistent biting, scratching as well as chewing the mat. For this reason, the mat should use a sturdy material that can last longer.

Maintenance of a Cooling Mat

Dogs are known to love playing to keep them busy in need to keep them active all day. As such, their movement cannot be limited. For this reason, they carry a lot of dirt and debris with their coats. This dirt will often drop off in the mats only to make them dirty and expensive to maintain.

In this scenario, purchasing a cooling mat that is easy to clean is essential. A dog owner should thus consider a cleanable mat that uses a damp cloth and some detergent. This will cut costs and also save on time spent. Alternatively, training a dog to use the mat can also attract less maintenance. 

Is a Cooling Mat Portable?

In most cases, dog owners take their dogs as company for different trips. As such, this begs an understanding of how to enhance the dog’s active cooling along the tour. The use of a flexible cooling mat could be the right answer. The purpose of this mat should, however, be light and not bulky. As such, the use of water-filled cooling mats is not the best choice since they are heavy. 

Types of Cooling Mats

Water Beds

Dog water beds are almost similar to human water beds. They fill with water to absorb heat from a dog’s body. Unfortunately, water beds have become unpopular because their efficiency depends on the water inside them. 

In a case whereby they develop a puncture, the water drains and thus rendering them unusable. Luckily, you can patch them up and continue to be in use, but they will not provide the best cooling conditions for your dog. 

Gel Mats

Many dog owners prefer gel mats over water beds. Gel mats have low maintenance and are easy to clean. They are portable, durable, and flexible to use anywhere. The gel in the Cool Pad is non-toxic and biodegradable.

Thermal Efficiency

The cooling efficiency of a mat is dependent on the temperature difference between your dog and the mat. Some cooling mats cool for two hours while others cool for up to five hours. When buying a cooling mat, you should look distinctively to refrigerate for longer hours. 

The Best Cooling Mats

The high number of cooling mats in the market could sometimes confuse a customer. As such, purchasing the best mats is vital. 

Arf Pets Self Cooling Mat Pad

The ARF Pets mat ranks as the best cooling dog mat in the market.  It is a solid that helps to keep your dog healthy and comfortable. Mats from ARF Pets are of safe and sturdy material. They can cool dogs’ bodies for up to three hours at a time. The Arf mat is also comfortable, lightweight, supportive, and easy to transport.

This particular dog mat has a self-charging pad element that does neither require water nor electricity. These aspects are vital to enhancing low maintenance with an excellent option to recharge in about 15-20 minutes. This pad is also resistant to punctures for long-lasting use with the exterior part easy to clean.

Here is a link to where you find it on Amazon.

The Green Pet Shop Dog Cooling Mat

The Green Pet Shops dog cooling mat is a pressure-activated pad. Once the dog sits on the gel mat, it starts to work. This type of cooling mat is automatic and works for up to 3 hours. It does not require water, refrigeration, or electricity. This mat features a gel that recharges after 15-20 minutes of non-use.

It can last for years and is easy to carry from one place to another. This kind of mat suits huge dogs above 90 lbs. However, it also comes in four different sizes based on your dog’s body features. It is easy to clean and durable. The mat is also ideal for soothing a dog in hot seasons to keep dogs that have conditions such as hip dysplasia.

Here is a link to where you find it on Amazon.

American Kennel Club Reversible Pet Cooling Mat

The American Kennel Club mat is good at keeping your dog cool both indoors and outdoors. It is of non-toxic liquid gel. The cooling mat is safe for your dog as well as to people and the environment. The fantastic feature about the cooling mat is that it is reversible. If one side of the mat gets dirty, you can change it to the other one. 

The outer material is highly durable, with the mat being water-resistant. Unfortunately, for dogs who have chewing habits or teething, this is not recommended. It takes 16-20 minutes to recharge. The mats are available in different sizes and colors, making them easy to match with the home décor.

Here is a link to where you find it on Amazon.

Does Your Dog Need a Cooling Mat?

If your dog gets hot, they could benefit from using a cooling pad or mat. Heat can be exhausting on your dog, thus being dangerous for its health. Overheating can lead to exhaustion, heatstroke, and dehydration, which could probably lead to health problems. Dogs can react in different ways when it is too hot.

 If you notice your dog looking for shades, cooler parts of your house like the bathroom tiles and kitchens, this is a sign of discomfort from too much heat. Too much heat causes dogs increased heart rates, lack of energy, panting, and drooling and unusual agitation. 

Getting a cooling mat makes your dog more comfortable to lie on than the floor. This is essential to provide a safe space between your dog and the floor. Cooling mats are beneficial as they relieve pain and aches for dogs that have arthritis and older dogs.

If you’re curious to know more about common injuries for hunting dogs and ways to remedy the injuries you can check out our article here.

How Do Dog Cooling Mats Work?

Dog cooling mats come in many different ways. The cooling mats work in the understanding of thermal energy transfer from one object to another.  One type of cooling mat is from material that does absorb heat from your dogs’ body. They contain a gel inside, and activated by pressure when your dog lies on the mat, thus providing a cooling effect. When your dog gets up from the mat, the gel recharges and releases tension.

The other type of mat fills with water, similar to the human water bed; the water absorbs heat from your dog’s body. Both the mats have limited time that they work and need to recharge to work efficiently.

How to Make Your Dog Cooling Mat Last

Once you buy a dog cooling mat, you need to ensure its proper maintenance for example b cleaning it properly. You can follow the manufacturer’s manual on how to clean your cooling dog mat. In most cases, manufacturers often advise cleaning of mats using a damp cloth and detergent.

Trimming your dog’s nails helps to prevent punctures and tears. The brushing of a dog’s coat is also essential to avoid excess fur on the mat. The cooling mats should not be placed under direct sunlight to reduce the cooling effect of the pad. 

 The mats should be in a cold place. However, you should often check under the cooling mat for moisture build-up, as it breeds mold and bacteria that are harmful to your dog. Also, if you’re with the idea of storing your dog’s mat for an extended period, consider sealing the mat in a plastic bag.

Are Dog Cooling Mats Worth the Purchase?

Mats are not for all dogs. Some dogs have chewing and biting habits towards everything. For this reason, some dogs, by use of claws and sharp teeth, may destroy a mat. Avoid buying them if your dog will damage it. 

If you have other alternatives to cooling your dog, then mats may not be worth buying. But it all goes around on how the owner has trained the dog. Most trained dogs will evade the call to destroy a mat, but others will always feel the urge.

There are other ways you could use to cool down your dog, like cooling fans, portable dog pools, air conditioners, cooling dog vests, or an elevated outdoor dog bed. Although this just temporary fixes, a dog cooling mat keeps a dog fresh for hours. 

If your dog tends to spend time in front of electric fans and air conditioners, then a cooling mat would be the right choice to save money on the monthly electric bill. That is unless you need the air conditioner too in the house. Generally, cooling mats for dogs give a higher advantage. The dog is free from health complications and relieves stress making it friendlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much is a Cooling Dog Mat?

Different dog mats vary in prices depending on what type of mat you desire for your dog. The size can also influence the price. A dog mat can go up to $42 on Amazon. 

2. Where Can I Place a Dog Cooling Mat?

 A cooling mat needs to be put where your dog loves to lay. A switch in position would make your dog uncomfortable unless you had to start training it. 

3. How should I Clean a Cooling Dog Mat?

Dog cooling mats are not washable by machine. Luckily, most mats are made waterproof and easy to clean. Always clean your dog mat with a damp cloth and detergent. More so, let the mat dry thoroughly to avoid moisture build-up. 

4. What size is a Dog cooling Mat?

These mats come in different sizes depending on the size of a dog. There are smaller mats designed for puppies, while large mats are for adult dogs.  

5. Can I Travel with a Dog Cooling Mat?

Certainly yes. In most cases, while traveling, lightweight and portable mats are vital. This is because of their ease of being folded and squeezed while traveling.

Conclusion

Just as a human being desires to be comfortable, dogs are not different. Cooling dog mats are essential in relieving sweat and high temperatures. When needing to purchase a new mat, it is crucial to consider several aspects such as size and durability. An individual should thus be enlightened on choosing the best cooling mats due to the high number of products in the market.