Last summer was really hot in Poland so I decided to buy cooling mat – Cooler Pet. Well I bought just when temperatures dropped and I had no chance to test it.
So it was the first thing I packed for our trip to the seaside. Thankfully June was pretty much perfect for tests. The moment heat has come I turned on the mat. It is quite simple to tell the truth. Mat is filled with substance that swells when in contact with water and maintains cooling effect for 3 to 5 days. It is made of polyester and should not take dirt or water on the outside fabric.
How is reality?
1. Turning on the mat
To make it work you have to place the mat in the water for about 30 minutes. That is exactly what I did. After half an hour I had a large pice of gel like fabric which looked nothing like the one I placed in the water. It really doubles size and you do not feel any granulate after it is wet. Unfortunately after you take it out of water and swipe it with a towel it still has sticky grease on it. So any time you palace it on grass, sand you have it all on your mat. It is really difficult to clean. So I completely disagree with what producer says about how it stays clean and dry.
2. Dog and mat
That is the biggest issue. My dogs hate this mat, they treat it as a biggest evil and will get on it only if I tell them do do it. Maybe it is because of this sticky grease or maybe the gel structure which makes it difficult to walk. Whatever it is my dogs have never voluntarily used the mat. They avoid it at any cost and run away when they see my carrying it.
3. Man and mat
This is by far the best gear I had for the summer heat. I will not give it back to my dogs ;). It has awesome cooling effect and you can place it anywhere you want – chair, bed, or on the beach. It works very quickly ale makes you love high temperatures.
4. Time
The producer says that depending on whether conditions mat will stay cool for 3 to 5 days. I do not know about others but mine maintained cooling effect for more than a week. Later the effect is weaker but it takes two weeks to dry it completely.
The producer says that depending on whether conditions mat will stay cool for 3 to 5 days. I do not know about others but mine maintained cooling effect for more than a week. Later the effect is weaker but it takes two weeks to dry it completely.
To sum up, the mat is perfect but for me not the dogs. Maybe I will use it inside a crate (but before I will cover it with a towel ). I do not recommend it, I have spoken with few people who have used it and that pretty much had the same experience.