AKC Reversible Pet Cooling Mat for Dogs & Cats

I just received this item today so I can’t speak too much about it just yet. First impressions are mainly good though. It was 97 degrees out today so when I got home and brought the box in from the porch it was hot obviously. I removed the mat from the box and was a little concerned because it was warm to the touch so didn’t know if I needed to do something to “activate” the cooling. I laid it on the floor and within a few minutes it was drastically cooler to the touch. The dog is still leery about it and won’t lay on it, but the cat loves it! Only complaint is the size. I bought the XL and it shows a Mastiff laying on it on the box-very misleading. You can see from my photo that the cat fits nicely on it.

I bought this for my old dog who was constantly seeking out hardwood and brick to lay on in the Summer. It fit perfectly in her crate, and I was amazed how cool to the touch it is. It seems to get cooler the longer you leave your hand/body on the pad.However, when I visit her after she's been on it a long time (e.g. in the morning after sleeping), I always find that my dog has managed to pull the pad away where it only covers half of the crate. She'll have like half of her body on it, and it is VERY warm. So I think after a period of time, this mat has a reverse effect. So it's good for frequent use where they may lay for a little while, but I'm not sure it's the best solution for long sleeps/overnight.The quality, construction, design all seem top rate though.

I'm a bit torn with this product. While the cooling gel does work really, really well and my dog loves it, she literally chewed a hole through it in less than 3 seconds. As in "I set the mat down, let her lay on it, turned and put the box it came in into the recycle bin next to me, and turned back to see a huge hole with gel oozing everywhere."My fix? Duct tape. I'm dead serious. Now it's literally the best cooling mat ever! If you use this as the core mat and put duct tape on the outside it becomes pretty indestructible while still doing it's job of cooling your dog. Duct tape is pretty cheap too and if your dog is a chewer (is mine ever) then it also makes it super easy to repair. I even made it super cute by covering one side in teal and adding silver on the other side. If you are in love with the pattern already on the mat then I would suggest the clear Gorilla Glue Tape. Also save yourself a headache and cover the mat in duct tape BEFORE letting your dog near it for the first time, it's way easier than trying to patch over the gel. :)

This mat is soft and pliable and feels cool to the touch. However, if it is outside and the temps are very warm it will not really help at all. I had mine on a covered patio for my little feral cat to use when needed but when it got up in the 80's the mat did not feel cool to the touch anymore. Kitty ignores it now because it does not supply any coolness at all when it is very warm.

Husky Mix likes it. It gets in the 90’s kinda often where we live. It’s filled it some sort of gel. The box says not to wash it, but go rub it with a wet towel if it gets dirty. The box was surprisingly heavy.its waterproof though. Feels like the stuff rain jackets are made of. It’s cool to the touch no matter what so far.

I was super skeptical about these mats. I kept looking but some reviews would make me think it wasnt worth the money but where I live its been in the high 90s and low 100s my 4month old puppy just wasnt dealing too great with this heat. She loves it whenever shes too hot she lays on it and it cools her off. I dont leave it out when I'm not home as I know they are puppies and might chew it up so if you have a pup just keep an eye on it but from my experience it worked. Plus I've laid on it and its super cool to the touch.

Possible money or space saving tip: The cooling pad doesn't necessarily have to be as big as your animal. For the most part, so long as their belly has contact, it should be good enough.Also, has anyone tried these as a weighted "blanket" for themselves? Now that I have the XXL, it got me thinking about it. (One should do it, but could add in a second one.. and make a cheaper cover. Hmm..) Anyway.. Purchased for my 2 large labs and 4 cats, I have one (L) 20"x26", and one (XXL) 40"x28". I initially purchased the Large two years ago, which has held up perfectly over use in the car, on the couch, on the floor, in a crate, on a crate (for cats that like to sit on dog crate), on a dog bed, etc, and recently decided to buy another in a larger size.The XXL is pretty big at 40"x28". I actually just purchased yet another one of the same size just today, so I will have 2 XXL and 1 Large. I can't say for sure how well it cools, or how long it stays cool, but ALL six of my babies are drawn to these cooling mats in the warmer days. I think it is best when they have an option to get up and move for awhile then come back to it, as I think the mat will warm up after awhile, but cool down quickly again (15-20 mins). I put the smaller one in our huge crate (dont judge, he's only in it max 4hours, 2 x a week), so my boy can decide if he wants to lay on it, or can move to other side to crate. We don't have AC, so the house gets stuffy and I like providing options for them (ie; I pulled up an area rug so they have access to cool flooring, I got out their raised bed which is naturally cooler than a couch, since there is air flow underneath, I have overhead fans going, a bowl of ice, these cooling mats, etc.I don't have chewers, so I wasn't too worried about them damaging the mat. Neither nails nor claws have bothered this material. The mat is pretty weighty- heavier than you would think- so it does a fair job staying in place depending on where you place it. It doesn't seem to get dirty, but if need be it does wipe off with ease (I had a cat yak on it). My older one is all blue, the newer mats have color options. I didn't care about color or pattern, so I just bought what was cheapest (click on different colors to see prices)I normally include pics. I will take some and add them to this review. EDIT (Added a couple pics from when I placed it on his raised bed. Can also just make out one in his crate). I will also be back to update if I learn anything new. Like I said, I had one already from a couple years ago, recently bought another, then just today decided to grab same one same size same color. Hope this review helped you today. Take care, stay cool :)

This product is as described. The material is durable, but doesn't feel heavy-duty. The cooling definitely works. It is cool to touch. It is heavy, but can fold up very small for its weight and fit into any daybag. Unfortunately however my dog doesn't want to lie on it, I don't know if its too cold for him - he's a bit of a weirdo. Sometimes I lie on it and its great for me. Things that would make this better: gripping material on one side so that it provides traction on the floor & a soft cover so that the dog isn't lying directly on the plastic.

Our elderly dog loves being outside and would stay out 24/7 but we like for her to come in at night. I’m assuming she likes being outside because she keeps cool. This bed keeps her cool when she is inside for sure.

The XXL is actually big enough for my 110 lb dog unlike all the reviews said, it’s very durable with her nails and this colour never looks dirty! I’m very impressed. The only issue is that there isn’t enough gel in it maybe, when she lays across the middle it gets pushed to the outsides and then the inside doesn’t stay as cool. Other than that it’s a great mat!

Me gustó mucho que es de doble vista, en realidad al aplicar presión con la mano se siente lo fresco del gel, desafortunadamente no le fue muy agradable a mi perrita y evita echarse en él.

Le gustó mucho a mi perro que es un Alaska malamute, se sentía realmente te fresco, pero lo rompió al primer rasguño, me duro semana y media, aparte el empaque venía con algunas gotas como de humedad, me hace pensar que era usado