I've got one at home. There's no active or chemical heat transfer in them. They are a heat sink.

Think of the new macbook, no fans just metal. The pet pad is filled with a gel like fluid, the heat from the dogs body is absorbed in the mat beneath him and passed to the the cooler gel in the mat that he is not sitting on. As long as the air around the mat is cooler than the dog the mat will cool the dog. Heat moves from hot things to cold things.

if the air is warmer than the dog and the mat starts off cooler, it will eventually heat up and the dog will only stay on it for comfort not for cooling.

From the patent application:

10. The cooling platform of claim 9 wherein the pressure activated recharging cooling composition is comprised of:

• thirty percent carboxmethyl cellulose;
• twenty percent water;
• thirty-five percent polyacrylamide; and
• fifteen percent alginic acid.

It's apparently a gel that absorbs heat when the animal is on it and releases it to the air when the animal leaves.

This only works when the ambient temperature is significantly below the temperature of the animal.

While the gel makes it soft and comfortable, nearly anything will do this. A concrete driveway will also feel cool if it's in the shade and the ambient temperature is below body temperature. So does the "cool side" of your pillow.

I just looked it up. They're filled with gel that absorbs heat and when it's unable to absorb more and becomes warm, the dog will leave and that heat will disperse into the air or floor below it and it'll be able to "cool" again. It's probably similar to a refreezable ice pack in that it feels cool even without being frozen, until it's against your skin for a while.

This likely works in one of two ways: 1) water is being adsorbed/ desorbed from some powdered material (likely silica) or 2) there is a phase change material that under goes a continuous phase change below ambient temperatures.

The second option is used in fast cooling baby milk bottles (see here as well).

The first option I think is more likely with this pad product though. The pad would contain water silica gel mix and this would act like the sweat on your body: your body heat/ weight would cause the liquid water to desorb from the gel which takes heat away from you.

It wouldn't work on a hot day in bright sunlight. If the ambient temperature of the mat is colder than body temperature, then the mat absorbs your heat which makes it feel cool. Couches do the same thing, except that they don't have high thermal conductivity (rate of heat transfer) and specific heat (amount of heat that can be absorbed). The mat has a gel with high specific heat, and a casing with high thermal conductivity.

Where did you find this? I have a Siberian husky melting in the California heat and I can’t find a cooling Mat To save my life.

Do these really work

oh man it always breaks me how pure and grateful dogs are for the smallest things

Sweet baby.

We use ceramic tiles from Home Depot! They sell them individually and come in various sizes. We’ll put the tiles in the freezer for a few mins during the especially hot seasons, but generally they’ll stay cool!

We also use ceramic tiles from the Hardware store… we also keep a few large juice containers (Langer’s are nice because they are flat on the sides) and freeze them full of water for really really hot days. The buns usually curl up close to them in the shade on the worst days.

I use the Scratch and Newton freeze pods (for the two days England has sun)!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scratch-and-Newton-Ice-Pod/dp/B00416I40M/ref=asc_df_B00416I40M/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310485374594&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4889880168250556248&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006798&hvtargid=pla-694735442601&psc=1

Looks like you got lots of good advice so I just wanted to say your bun is so cute!

(We also used tiles and alternated cold ones if needed.)

I bought them during the heatwave (2020?) I also thought I'd never need heat pods because they live in a heated, converted garage but then we had a power outage for a few days and I felt so bad that they were cold little buns!

I have a clean plastic spray bottle used only for the fuzzies so I can give them a spray down without them freaking out like some do when they get properly wet.

Had a big chunky hob that really felt the heat and would also freak out if anything wet got in his fur, and go roll in the litter tray (poop in his fur was apparently okay?). But spray him directly in the face and he not only had no problem with it but absolutely loved it!

When they’re in the cage I put frozen water bottles near the hammocks. Blankets over windows to block sun.

Cooling mat, ice cubes in water dish. Mist maker.

I heard this really cool tip that I have yet to try!

If you get some frozen water bottles and put them ontop of the cage (wrapped so water doesn't drip off), and then drape a blanket over the cage, and direct a fan upwards, it's supposed to circulate cold air and keep them cool!

Again, haven't tried it yet! Might be a load of faff, but seems interesting!

We invested in a portable ac unit, it's been a life saver in this heatwave! We also don't open the window to the ferret room during the day (hot air, flies etc), but open it of a night.

I take a towel, soak the middle with some water n throw it in the freezer Works best if you got 2 so you can switch out

My girl has two of these, with the covers, and she used to be on them all the time. Now that she has a big bed with cooling layer, she refuses to use her mats. Great product!

I’ve used this exact one for 6 years. Replaced it once. My Berner loves it. I keep it on top of his orthopedic bed. 

Thanks for the rec. I’m going to get one with summer coming up

Hi what is the brand? I can’t see it from the pics? Thanks

https://a.co/d/hdPwvbo

Mine getting sprayed with water and he's got a fan on him. He could lie on the cold tiled floor but he's not that sharp

I’ve been giving our gal frozen Kongs/toys. Nice enrichment whilst cooling down.

Also here for the other tips though!

I make up a load of marmite (or whatever knock off yeast extract brand in the supermarket) mixed with water and freeze it in old yoghurt pots. Autumn loves them.

I fan her. Like manually with a hand held fan. I am pretty much a lady’s maid to her

Making them damp one way or another is usually the best way. If you’re being nice about it, mopping them down with a damp cloth does the trick, but I’ve not been above turning the hose with a mist/shower setting on them before!

Other than that, just giving them a space they can lie down, out of the sun and as cool as possible with access to plenty of water, is usually enough.

My experience is that a greyhound at rest can usually deal with the heat pretty well; its activity in hot weather, or a space where they can’t escape the sun, that you need to watch out for.

Oh, also, a paddling pool! You can get a doggy paddling pool pretty cheap on Amazon. They might not love it initially, but you can play games bobbing for treats that will get them messing around in the water!

Before getting central AC, my boy would sleep on the tile floor with his nose pointing directly at a fan.

I’ve tried beds blankets cooling pads my boy wants none of it. He sleeps on floor because it’s cold. So I put a fan on and he sleeps right next to it. Ps this baby is beautiful

Your Akita likes beds? Mine rips up all the ones we buy him.😂

my girl ate EVERYTHING we gave her til we put an elevated bed in her crate, she LOVES it. has a little border of cushion to rest her head so it’s not just a straight up cot

I could buy all the beds in the world. Mine will prefer a cool, hard floor to all of them. He climbs into bed with me when I go out of duty/protection. But as soon as he feels I’m good and safe he fucks off to the bare (non rugged) part of the floor. Never tried a mat. He seems happy enough.

Cute! Question - what is a cooling mat? I understand the purpose, but did you make it or buy it somewhere? It’s not something I’ve run into before - fortunately live in a place where I don’t have to worry about that, typically, but I’m curious to know in the event I move, or if there were unexpected power outages etc

Death Napping on the cooling mat.

Aww cute!

i love him on his cooling mat! 😍😭

4 different dogs of ours wouldn't use it, preferring the cold hard floor

my old man LOVED his.

We bought one for our old girl who always sleeps with her belly against the wall. She wouldn’t use it. Ended up giving it to my son for my granddaughter’s crib.

Gronk isn’t a fan of his. Not disappointed.

Does anyone have issues with their pyrs claws ripping the mat open? I've tried multiple brands. I hand file her nails to be smooth but no luck. I now put the mat in a pillowcase but it's not ideal for cooling purposes.