Every year, we seem to have the hottest summer we have had yet on the charts. Which begs the question: how do our pets handle this heat? Did you know that dogs don’t sweat like us? Instead, the primary source of their heat loss comes from panting.
So high temperatures can mean that your dog needs to take 200-400 breaths per minute, instead of his usual 30-40 breaths per minute. But long haired and thick furred dogs can quickly get overpowered by the searing temperatures outside. This is one of the primary reasons it’s so important to make sure that our dogs can keep cool.
And while a paddling pool feels like the best solution for them (and us, obviously), I haven’t found them to always be a feasible option. Water gets messy, there’s puddles to clean up, and if you don’t have a spacious garden, it just means more work.
Here’s where cooling mats for dogs march to the rescue. I’ve found it more convenient to just lay a mat down and have my dogs roll around till it’s cool enough for them to be active again. Here are some of the best dog cooling mats available on market right now.
Best Dog Cooling Mat – Our Top 5
Large Dog Cooling Mat
#1 Pecute Dog Cooling Mat Extra Large
One of the best cooling mats I’ve found so far is this extra large mat from Pecute. It’s an innocuous-looking large blue mat that you can place anywhere for your dog. From the living room, in front of the tv, to the patio, to his kennel or his cage, should you want to leave him inside, you just have to lay it down for him.
The Pecute mat is made of very sturdy, high quality 300D Oxford composite PVC material. It’s scratch resistant and wear resistant, and I was satisfied that my dogs’ nails had no effect on the surface. This pet cooling pad is full of a cooling gel that is sealed inside, with the edges double pressed under pressure. The result? Very little worry on my part.
I was a little curious about the gel, because dogs love to get their teeth in and on everything they can. But it’s a completely non-toxic formulation, safe for both humans and pets. There was minimal effort involved, as the Pecute mat does not need to be put in the freezer, or the fridge. It’s a self cooling mat that wicks away the dog’s body heat and absorbs it into the gel filling. Which means the least possible amount of work for us and our dogs- perfect activity levels for sizzling summers!
The best part, though, is the efficacy. The heat absorption means that I don’t have to worry about my dogs getting dehydrated or overheated. That is otherwise a major concern in summer. And cleaning it was no issue, too. It can simply be wiped with a little water or a moist sponge, and it’s good to go – anywhere you want to take it with you.
The diversity of use was the icing on the cake for this pet cooling pad. It was handy on car rides, picnics, small excursions, and was just as versatile to use for me! Set it on the sofa and it made a nice, cooling bed for sweltering afternoons. When my dogs let me borrow it, of course!
The Pecute mat works by allowing the absorbed body heat to dissipate from the gel through the areas that aren’t in contact with the body. So, it’s a steady cooling system, and one that doesn’t get ‘exhausted’. This made it perfect for long summer nights. I suspect that my dogs were more comfortable than I was!
As long as you don’t leave it in the sun for a long period of time, the Pecute cooling mat will serve you efficiently. I’d recommend it as an easy and effortless way of keeping your dogs comfortable through summer.
- Big size
- Effective at keeping my dog cool
- Keeps cool for longer periods
- n/a
#2 Seekavan Dog Cooling Mat
Fast on the heels of the Pecute dog cooling pad is the Seekavan Dog cooling mat. It works on a similar principle, by absorbing body heat from where your dog lays on it, and releasing it into the atmosphere from the areas not in contact.
As a result, your dog always experiences a temperature 5-10 degrees lower than the surrounding room temperature. It requires no batteries, electricity, or being placed in a fridge or freezer- really nothing at all. All you have to do is lay it down where your pet wants to sit, and it keeps functioning there.
The mat can be used in a variety of ways. I’ve even used it as a cooling pad for my computer, for a short while. There are multiple sizes you can choose from, depending on the size of your dog(s). But most of the mats fit conventional crate and kennel sizes well.
They also double up very well as floor mats for your car and backseat, should you want to travel with them. Personally, I’d say that having a happy dog in the backseat of your car is one major worry less, when there’s a heatwave and you have to head out.
The Seekavan mat is almost plush to touch, because of the thick gel filling inside it. It’s a little squishy when you push down on it, but the gel is completely sealed inside. The gel works as the temperature exchange medium and helps your dog (or you) cool off through it. On the outside, there’s a thick polyester material. The entire mat is non-toxic and corrosion resistant, making it a very good investment.
The mat doesn’t go ‘bad’, either. It’s a non-irritant surface that repels bacteria and insects, so you don’t have to worry about it getting grimy or sticky easily. What I found very useful was how easy it is to clean. A simple wipe sufficed to rid it of any dust and hair on the surface. Even left on the car backseat, it didn’t get hot and sticky, unlike leather car seats. This property made it a welcome addition to many road trips.
If you’re looking for a way to combat the heat and humidity for your dog, I’d highly recommend the Seekavan dog cooling mat as a good option for you.
- Different sizes available
- Keeps dog cool effectively
- Easy to clean
- Durable and should last long
- n/a
#3 Iokheria Dog Cooling Mat
Marketed as more than just a dog cooling mat, the Iokheria gel pad certainly lives up to the claim. The Iokheria mat is also a gel cooling mat for dogs, which promises to maintain a temperature difference of 9 degrees, between the mat and the ambient temperature.
This makes the Iokheria cooling mat ideal for places where the temperature reaches ridiculous extremes, or when the climate seems to have gone haywire. It doubles up as a cooling pad for dogs, a cushion, a lawn mat, a picnic mat, anywhere you or your dog want to have a cool surface to lie on.
Inside the cooling mat is a specially formulated polymer gel, that transfers absorbed heat away from the body or appliance, to the atmosphere. One feature I found particularly useful is that both sides work well as heat wickers. Both sides are lined with a functional polyester blend, and amazingly, they also remain anti-bacterial, as well as deodorize odours away.
Plus, they are also dust and dirt resistant. I was particularly happy with the ease of cleaning the mat, as well. It’s waterproof, so a quick wipe sufficed in most cases. Although, I have to say, it barely needed any cleaning ever.
Even though not bite proof, the material has a certain amount of resistance and is strengthened. So, the gel mat will survive some nibbling. My dogs don’t have this habit, but maybe puppy owners will have to keep a closer eye on their dogs. But the gel inside is completely non-toxic for dogs and for humans, which takes that worry away as well.
If you’re looking to buy a cooling mat for your home that requires minimum upkeep, this is definitely an option for you.
- Easy to clean
- Does it’s job well
- Doesn’t hold smells or germs
- Best suited for smaller dogs
4. HueLiv Dog Cooling Mat
A cooling mat with a similar model, the HueLiv dog gel cooling mat is a contender. Although it is also a gel cooling mat, the HueLiv mat is designed with a special pressure activated technology.
It has enhanced heat transfer from the areas under pressure, to the areas without. This means better heat transfer from under your dog (or you!) and up, up, and away!
Because of this conduction principle, it doesn’t require any cold activation. So, there’s no washing, soaking, or cooling required, before you use it. It’s an easy in, easy out mat. I found that it only needed a quick dry wipe or a little sprinkled water to clean it.
And then it can just be folded and put away till it’s needed again. So, the amount of upkeep is really minimal, when compared to an ice bath, or a paddling pool. There’s no set up involved, either. It just needs to be laid down where you need it.
The mat itself has a polyester covering. The gel filling makes it very comfortable to sit on, and I can affirm that, as well as my dogs! It’s scratch and wear resistant, and can be put to a multitude of uses. A surprising use was to soothe inflamed joints. It definitely puts an ice pack to shame!
I’d recommend figuring out the right size for you before ordering it, though. It’s easy to find the right size for your pet when you take the sizing chart into consideration.
One small issue is that it may not be very suitable for puppy owners, as the material is not very thick. So although it can survive some scratches, a teething puppy or a very active dog is not the best customer for this cooling mat.
- Comfortable
- Easy to clean
- Ideal for medium sized dogs and below
- Material not too thick – not as effective for bigger dogs
5. Mega_Jumble Self Cooling Gel Pet Dog Cat Cool Mat
The Mega Jumble Self Cooling Gel Mat is a little smaller in size than the other cooling mats I’d recommend, but is still surely worth a look-see. The cooling mat is gel mat, with a pressure-activated gel inside the two layers of fabric.
The gel is fairly effective at wicking heat away, and the poly covering is also comfortable. The various parts of the gel activate depending on where the pressure is higher, and heat is dissipated accordingly. Like the other gel cooling mats, the Mega Jumble mat didn’t require any charging or cooling either.
The mat itself is convenient to use, but the durability poses a minor concern. I’d say that this is a mat for occasional use, as it is neither scratch resistant nor bite proof. So if you have a dog who likes to nibble, or a cat with sharp claws, there’s a fair chance of it bursting.
Another concern would be the cooling effect. I would not describe its cooling capacity to be anywhere as good as the Pecute or Seekavan mats, which had a noticeable temperature difference. So if you’re looking for a lightweight mat that you’ll use infrequently, or in somewhat warm weather, then this is a good, economical option. Otherwise, the large mats make for a better buy.
- Effective at wicking heat away
- Easy to use
- Cheap
- Lightweight
- Doesn’t seem as durable as other options
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