CoolerDog Hydro Cooling Mat

The CoolerDog Hydro Cooling Mat layers a water cushion and a frozen ice sheet over a thin foam insert, inside a washable cover. Each mat is 18 by 23 inches, and mats snap together for bigger dogs.

Who it suits

Owners who can freeze the ice sheet ahead of time and want a mat that stays cold for hours. Smaller dogs fit one mat; bigger dogs need two or more.

Key facts

• Triple layer design: waterbed cushion, frozen ice sheet and a half-inch insulating foam insert (CoolerDog)
• 18 by 23 by 1.25 inches per mat; mats snap together (CoolerDog)
• Machine-washable outer cover (CoolerDog)

What reviewers say

Business Insider named it the best overall cooling mat: “I left the mat in a 95-degree sunroom, where it stayed cold for 7 hours”. Downsides: “Must freeze ice sheet before using” and “Assembly required”. We did not test it ourselves.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Stayed cold for 7 hours in a 95-degree room in Business Insider’s test
• Pro: Uses water and a frozen sheet rather than a gel pad
• Pro: Machine-washable cover, per the maker
• Con: Ice sheet must be frozen before use (Business Insider)
• Con: Assembly required (Business Insider)
• Con: Each mat is small at 18 by 23 inches; larger dogs need several

Cautions

• Supervise dogs that chew; Business Insider’s vet notes any mat can be a choking or blockage risk for dogs that eat bedding.
• Use it alongside shade, fresh water and rest, not instead of them.
• A cooling mat is a comfort aid, not a treatment. Heavy panting, drooling, weakness or collapse in the heat can be heatstroke, which is an emergency: cool your dog and go to a vet at once.