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Cooling mats ... do they really work? and what else do I need?

The Menagerie
#1

I did a search on this topic, and the most recent one was from 2020 with no discussion.

In August Lilly and I are doing our first dock diving competion at the Bloomsburg fair grounds in PA August 14-16 and we all know August can be hot, hot, HOT with no shade.

I was thinking of getting a cooling mat for when she is in her crate back at “camp”.

Do any of you have any an experience with them? Do they even work? Amazon has a ton of products ranging in price from $15-50.00 and its overwhelming. Lilly weights 75lbs (in case that matters)

Also, since I am kitting out my car for our first show… what else do you dog sport people like to have on hand?

  • EZ Up tent
  • camp chair
  • snacks/food
  • plenty of water/bowl / cooler with ice
  • folding table
  • her crate
  • towels
    ETA portable fan with rechargable batteries.

I also picked up one of those aluminum 10x10 UV car shade thingys. I can either use it to block the sun from like a wall on the EZ Up or drape it over the car.

… what am I missing? its like packing for a horseshow :rofl:

@cutter99 and any other CoTHers wanna meet up and cheers us on! We are doing the Saturday Splashes.

Bring your dog and you can sign up the day off as well and join in on the fun!


https://www.keystonedockdogs.com/2024-events

I believe entry into the dock diving is free, but to get into the BBQ, Brews and Music you need to pay $5.00 at the door.

3 Likes
#2

I bought an aluminet sun shade (70%) to use for my dog and I was very pleasantly surprised at how much cooler it was inside the car with that thing covering all of the windows and top. (I had the windows open for air flow, but covered by the sun shade.)

Do you have one of the battery powered fans? Those are priceless. I have the Dewalt model, but get whatever brand you already have batteries for if you already have that type of battery.

On the topic of cooling mats, I had bought one for my last dog(s) and they both refused to use it. I have not bought a new one to see if this dog will use it. Lots of people have them and swear by them.

#3

YES!! I forgot to list that I do have a portable Ryobi fan (with three spare batteries) and updated my list of what to pack.

I am glad to hear the sun shade made a difference. I am toying with getting two, one for the car and another to attached to make a “wall” on the EZ Up.

That’s why I’m on the fence about those mats, I could force her to use it by putting it in the crate, but I don’t want to have her in there the whole day. She’s good on a leash and will just chill out with us under the canopy. I’m just not sure she will use it.

#4

I have this cooling mat and it does a great job if the dog will lie on it. My dogs prefer my stone floor.

#5

How well do fans work for dogs (since they don’t sweat?) Does the air movement on their faces help cool them off a little?

Dock diving, what fun for humans and dogs alike. I watched a few hours of it on TV once when I was in a hotel. The slow motion shots were great!

#6

I was going to have the fan for myself mostly, but it does not hurt to have air flow over the dogs in the crate.

Dock diving is so much fun! I am a horrible thrower, but Lilly really likes it. I think she just likes the swimming and jumping part. I promised myself I would not get into dogsports,… but here we are !

2 Likes
#7

It looks fun!

#8

HIGHLY recommend getting a second fan for yourself (the little clip-on Ryobis work well and they run about $25 at Home Depot) and giving the big one to your dog. Decent shade and good airflow will go a long way towards keeping your partner more comfortable in hot weather.

I’m personally not an EZ up person - when I need to, I prefer to work out of the back of my vehicle (small SUV) and use shade cloth draped over the back of the raised liftgate and as much of the car as I can. Bigger is definitely better when it comes to shade cloths - the more glass you can cover, the better! Cover the car with the shade cloth (get some heavy duty magnets to hold it in place), lower the windows, raise the sunroof a bit and use the fan to pull a draft through the car. Dogs are in crates in the back of the car, and my chair goes under the liftgate under the shade cloth too, so we all get the benefit of the shade and fan(s). My dogs spend their downtime at trials in crates - I find they rest much better that way and have more energy when its time to show. If your dog doesn’t crate well, an expen may be a good option if you can setup on grass.

Depending on where your event is, there are some spots at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds where you may be able to park in the shade of a building for at least part of the day, too. (I used to do agility trials there.)

Im considering adding a Saratoga Horseworks K9 Kooling Coat to my little black dog’s arsenal this year. Im not fully convinced that soaking it will help keep her a lot cooler, but preventing her coat from being as much of a heat magnet might help a bit when we’re out walking.

I have two of the Green Pet Shop Cool Pads that I got on sale at Petsmart in my dogs’ crates. My fluff-monster Eskie does seem to lie down and rest a bit better in his crate with it than he did when I had a softer/plushier crate pad for him - he always prefers a hard cold floor to carpet, so I think the smoother surface must feel better to him. My dogs do spend lots of time in their crates at trials, so I try to make them as comfortable for them as I can.

Obviously, pack lots of water for both of you. A friend used to freeze soaked washcloths in zip lock bags - they’re pretty refreshing as they thaw a bit.
And watermelon is a great hydrating snack for you and the dog!

(Long time agility competitor from back in the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth and we actually trialed outdoors in the Mid-Atlantic)

3 Likes
#9

So much depends on the dog and the venue. Aluminum sunshades are an essential. They make a huge difference. And even though dogs don’t sweat, good fans make a huge difference as well, especially under tarps or in vehicles because those things tend to get hot so the air flow keeps them from being too hot.

A cooling mat in the crate can help. I have one that you can refrigerate but I would only use that for a few minutes if you really need it (or in an emergency.) A belly bath and fan may work better for comfort in the crate (with no crate pad.)

Make sure you have water, ice, towels, fans and sunshade. Beyond that may be more to carry with little benefit.

#10

@bdj, I just put the 10x20 ft aluminum shade cloth in my Amazon cart and I’ll get the magnets too.

My car is a Pruis which is a hatchback, I will do my best to work out of it. I will have to see if the crate can fit with the seats laying flat. I may have to rig something up so she can have the back without being crated… perhaps she will just let me tie her. Or maybe I can somehow use my babygate. I don’t have an expen.

For the fan to draw,… are you placing it behind the crate and having it blow towards the front of the car? Or are you putting it in the front of the car and blowing it out the back of your SUV to create the draw thru the open windows / sunroof?

I have never been to the Bloomsburg fairgrounds, but I would assume that since the diving event starts on Friday, all of the good spots will be taken.

The Saratoga Horseworks cooling coats look awesome. I am going to see if we like doing this before I get one of those, but I am going to get the cooling mat you suggested and they are on sale !!

I like the soaked, frozen washcloth idea. Those are easy to pack adn keep your food cold too!

@S1969 Thank you for the reminder to use the cooling mat only for short periods or for an emergency). I hope to keep us both as cool as possible.

1 Like
#11

Will you post some photos for us after the day? I’d love to see some.

1 Like
#12

Yes! Of course!

Thank you for the support :heart:

1 Like
#13

Good to know you’ve got a Prius! It’s not as easy to work out of one of those as something with a liftgate that you can camp out under, but you can definitely make it work! Absolutely lower the back seats if you can get away with it (and test fit your crate beforehand) - I know from personal experience that you can fit 2 30" three door crates side by side in the back of a '24 Prius! I’m pretty sure I managed to squeeze a 36" triple door in the back of a '13 Prius once upon a time, with a VERY old 27" garage door crate next to it.
As far as the fan setup, my (wire) crates are in the back of my vehicle, with the fans hooked on the back of the crates (so the fans are closer to the driver seat - dogs enter and exit the crates from the back of the vehicle). If you have a sunroof, you can pop it open (cover it and the windshield and back hatch window with the shadecloth - the more glass you can cover, the better), open the back hatch/liftgate and turn on the fan - it will pull air from the front and out the back of the vehicle. You can also lower front and back windows under the shadecloth as much as you need to as well. If your cloth isn’t big enough to cover the windshield too, use one of the windshield shades to block the light as much as possible. And don’t forget to turn off the automatic door light - you don’t want to run your battery down.
Other folks put fans on the front of their crates so the air goes from the back of the car to the front, so there’s no one true way to do things - whatever keeps your dog coolest and works for you is the way you should do it.
(Lots of folks use the plastic rotomolded crates, because they’re supposed to be safer than wire, but I like the increased airflow that you get with the wire crates, they’re what I have, and they’ve fit in my cars REALLY well. My dogs are happy in them, so I am too. YMMV)
If you can figure out a way to block the front of your car so your doggo can’t get into the front (bc nobody needs a soggy dog in the drivers seat) and you’re hanging out with her all day, you might be able to make the back of the car into a box stall of sorts. I’m just so used to having the crates that my brain doesn’t want to wrap itself around that idea. You could also set up the crate next to the car, if you need to secure her inside something - just set up a fan and give her all the shade. If you decide you want to keep doing this (and why wouldn’t you? Dog sports are FUN!), you’ll acquire all sorts of fun paraphernalia (just like you do with horses) to make your dog (and you) as comfortable as possible.
And don’t be afraid to walk around and chat with other folks about their setups - everyone has an opinion (and some of them are even worth listening to!) :laughing:

Yay for the cooling mat being on sale - you don’t have to only use those for “emergency cooling” since they don’t get THAT cool - I think the smooth surface is a big part of why my fluff-monster likes his.

Have fun and let us know how it goes!

1 Like
#14

Hey Munching, I had a Matrix so similar size but higher hatch. I like the EZ Up for you. You could probably erect it over the back half of the car, since your tailgate is lower. Open everything up all day.

My 10x20 shade cloth reached from the windshield wipers over the top of the car to the open tailgate, hanging maybe 18" down off the tailgate. On the side, it hung another 12-18" over the open windows. See how much yours covers.

If my car was in full sun or it was hot weather, I needed more. My windshield had an interior sun deflector already; that glass is always blocked.

For me, three shadecloths is the magic number. One 10x20 on each side and one 10x10 for the tailgate. Some folks prefer one ginormous whole-car shadecloth. I find that too cumbersome.

I know there’s been new research about scraping water off or leaving it. I would dry as best I could before crating. Cool down like the horse person you are.

For dog water, I fill half the container and freeze it the night before, then fill the second half in the morning. Water stays cold. If it’s really hot or your dog runs hot, a frozen 2-L bottle or two they can lean against in the crate may be enjoyable.

Don’t be an eager beaver and queue up too early to stand in the full sun waiting for the dog on the line and the dog on deck. Communicate with the volunteers that you are paying attention and ready, without having your dog out there too soon getting hot.

#15

Just want to point out that I was only referring to the refrigerated mats. I would be cautious of leaving a dog unattended crated on a refrigerated mat. If they are too cold and can’t move off it they may be very uncomfortable.I do not have a fluff monster, so I am more careful. Some Brittanys have almost bare bellies!

1 Like
#16

Excellent point @S1969. Lilly will not be left unattended. We have a small group of dogs coming with us from the pool where we practice at. But very good point. Lilly does have a bare underbelly and I will be careful.

@Bicoastal, I am hoping you would see this thread. The shade cloth should come tomorrow. The magnets arrived yesterday and I will do a practice set up this weekend. I have a few different crates (3) that I can try. One is way to small for Lilly, but in a pinch I may have to use it. I have a canvas wiht mesh windows, foldable one, which does not let much air through, and a larger (need to measure it) wire with 2 doors. I maybe able to erect it, slide it in through the open hatch and use either door to let her in and out.

I LOVE freezing half of a jug of water and filling with fresh water in the morning with. When we drove to FL in April I did that with a 3 gallon jug. Plus it keeps food cold in the cooler. I am going to freeze washcloths and use them to cool her down too.

Good point about speaking with the volunteers about staying out of the sun and not missing our turn.

#17

Is she safe in a soft crate at an exciting event? :wink: Some are! Maybe you already know. If you don’t yet know this answer, be prepared :smiling_imp:. I find the mesh windows of soft crates diminish the airflow from a fan too much for me. Dogs are only using evaporative cooling over a tiny portion of their body; I don’t want to impede that in anyway. So I would prefer the wire crate for a couple of reasons. Soft crates have their place; especially great for hotels, but I wouldn’t use mine at an outdoor event.

Test if Lilly needs to be acclimated to the fan or not. Many don’t, some are initially worried about them. And you, get your own! That one belongs to the dog! :rofl:

For the too small crate, could you bring your preferred wire crate folded in the car, then use it on site? The definition of appropriately sized crate varies widely. Maybe the “too small” is perfectly fine for this event!

For the cooling mat, you may choose to fold it in half and offer in one half of the crate. She can choose, and that may give you info about how she’s feeling in those temps.

What kind of coat does Lilly have? I do a bikini shave on my LH BCs in summer. It seems to help and no one can tell :shushing_face: I would also groom her right before the event. It’s a courtesy for the pool and releasing any impacted coat will reduce heat somewhat.

#18

Lilly is a black lab x aussie. Her coat is a typically lab coat, but a bit thinner, if that makes sense. Her belly is bare all around her nipple area and you can see her skin through her thin hair all the way up to her ‘armpits’.

The too small crate is small. She can’t sit or stand in it. We may just be camping under the EZUP or if I can somehow make a ‘box stall’ in the back of the car that would be ideal if the wire 2 door crate does not fit.

She is fine left alone, that is a great question.

#19

That’s helpful. She’ll have maximum contact with cooling surfaces.

I hate to belabor this. I just want to clarify my communication. Some dogs are fine in a soft crate alone, at home, in a hotel, in the car, at class. Some of those same dogs suddenly chew and dig at crates at exciting events and need a higher level of containment than their day-to-day normal. At a first event, Lilly probably won’t know what all of the environmental stimuli portends and may be fine. Like foxhunting, the first couple outings the horse is learning what all this is about. As they go to a few more, their adrenaline can increase with anticipation.

Ummm, she’s going to be pretty dang wet from the pool right? You sure you want her loose in the car? :laughing:

I am confident this would be frowned upon at a dock diving venue, but at other venues tying the dogs out are SOP. The dogs’ travel accommodations are rather snug. So upon arrival, dogs are tied on short cables to the vehicle. It’s a convenient way to give a lot of dogs appropriate room and shade (they lay under the vehicle). That would solve this whole problem. Funny the cultural differences sport by sport.

When you are with her at your car, you could tie her leash to the hatch clasp, reducing the amount of time she is crated if the smaller crate is the only option -and sparing your car a soaking. :wink:

1 Like
#20

In most of the dog things I do the vehicles are close enough together that the ties would have to be very short for this to work.

I also am not sure I would feel comfortable leaving my dog tied if I had to walk away from the vehicle.

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