Cooling Buying Guide2

“The most important things
you need to know about
keeping your dog cool
this summer!”
Yippee!
Let’s have fun
this summer!
TheUncommonDog.com
[email protected]
888.404.4076
Hi Fellow Dog Lover,
The simple fact is, dogs get hot in the summer. This can be worrisome for
you, and downright dangerous for your dog. Preventing heat stroke can be
vitally important to keeping your dog happy and healthy during the warmer
(and often dastardly hot) months of the year. There are many remedies to
your dog overheating, some of them very simple. We cover many of them
here, and talk about some of the products you can use to help keep your
pup cool.
How Cooling Works
First, let us give a quick and very
elementary explanation about
cooling mechanisms. Cooling
mechanisms are all about heat
transfer. The idea is to transfer
heat out of and away from your
dog’s body, either very quickly
(e.g., ice) or more slowly (e.g.,
air circulation). Usually the faster
the heat transfer, the more
energy required for the transfer, and therefore
the more you have to be involved (e.g.,
recharging the frozen inserts).
We have scoured the internet to make sure we
carry many different types of cooling items,
and a variety of cooling mechanisms.
The products that we offer come in three
broad categories:
(1) Beds, pads, and mats
(2) Shelters - tents and houses
The straight facts
about dogs
and heat.
Dogs are more susceptible to hyperthermia
and heat stroke than
humans are.
Hyperthermia simply
means that the dog’s
body temperature has
reached an elevation
that is above the accepted normal range.
Heat stroke, the next
step after hyperthermia,
happens when a dog’s
heat dissipating systems cannot handle the
excessive external heat.
Heat stroke can quickly
lead to multiple organ
dysfunction and death if
not treated and remediated.
Prevention is the key!
(3) Accessories
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Let’s start with beds, pads, and mats.
Which cooling bed to buy depends primarily
on two factors – (1) your application, and (2)
breed, age, and health of your dog.
First, what is your application? What will you
be using the cooling bed for? Will you be
taking your dog to the beach or park and
need something powerful for a few hours at
a time? Or, does your dog stay outside during
the day while you’re at work and you need something more permanent that
requires no maintenance? Is your dog super-athletic? Does he overheat easily? Is she middle aged and likes to lie on the cool tile as much as she can?
Bad joints? Does he have a favorite bed that’s a bit too hot in the summer?
For short-term applications (beaches, parks, super-hot day) and more intensity with the cooling
mechanism, we have several that will cool your dog
fast and keep them cool for the duration of the
mechanism. The Akoma cooling pad is battery powered and circulates cold water from its ice chest
through a cool pad. It’s easily transportable and
easy to use. Another easily transportable bed with
K9 Krate Koolee Pet Cooling
an intense cooling mechanism is the K9 Koolee bed,
Pad, perfect for the park
which comes with an optional tent for shade. The
gel inserts go in the refrigerator for several hours, then will keep the bed
cool for up to 8 hours. The K&H gel pad is primarily designed as a bed insert.
Freeze it for a few hours and then put it in a bed. It’s probably best to put it
between the cushion and cushion cover – just like you put an ice-pack on
yourself with a towel to protect your skin.
HyperKewl Evaporative
Cooling Pad
Another effective shorter-term, less intense cooling
mechanism is evaporative. The TechNiche
HyperKewl mat is simple to use – soak it in water
and put it out for your dog to lie on. As the water
evaporates, it will pull heat from your dog’s body. A
really easy way to use the evaporative technique is
to get a bandana, soak it in water, and tie it (loosely
of course) around your dog’s neck. This will help an
on-the-go dog dissipate heat faster than his body
can alone.
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Dogs will often choose cool spots to lie on when they’re too hot. For instance, many dogs lie on cool tile or other cool floor surface as a way to dissipate heat. This may seem like a good idea to remove heat, but it might actually be taking a toll on your dog’s joints and skeleton. A better solution is
to get a bed (or bed insert) that provides built-in cooling relief.
The PetCot Comfort Breeze builds 4 fans into
the underside of the cot. The forced-air circulation provides medium-intensity heat removal and cools your dog by pulling heat
from the vascular chest area, which cools
blood and core temperature. It’s a great way
to cool your dog, but it does require electricity
and shouldn’t be left out in weather.
PetCot Comfort Breeze
For longer-term applications, some beds require
nothing or very little from you (or outside resources
such as electricity, refrigeration, etc). They are also
low intensity in terms of heat transfer. For instance,
water-filled mattresses provide passive thermoregulation – you fill the mattress with water one time and it
regulates your dog’s body temperature with the water
Canine Cooler Thermotemperature in the bed. These can be used outside or
regulating Pet Bed
inside. It’s best not to use them in direct sunlight because the water will heat up. These beds also provide orthopedic support
(think waterbed) and are good for dogs that need a bit more support. The
Canine Cooler and the K&H Cool Bed III both have covers available for additional comfort and style. These beds are great for large dogs.
Another longer-term, low resource, low intensity
cooling mechanism involves heat transfer using gel or crystals. The Gel-Pedic bed is an orthopedic foam bed with gel infused into the
foam. The gel works in conjunction with the
density of the foam to pull heat naturally from
Gel-Pedic ThermoRegulating
the dog’s body. The Gel-Pedic bed is an indoorOrtho Pet Bed
only bed. The Otto bed contains natural salt crystals that pull heat naturally from your dog. The crystals soften when warm.
When the dog leaves the bed, the crystals cool back to a solid state, recharging themselves. The Otto bed can be used indoors or outdoors (but
best not to leave it out in the weather). Both of these beds are best for small
and medium sized dogs.
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Kuranda Chewproof Bed
The final group of cooling beds are the elevated
beds. While they all have some type of rigid frame
and tension cover, they actually do come in some different styles. We offer a good selection of elevated
beds, all of whose cooling mechanism is longer-term,
low resource, and low intensity.
It’s basically the air that circulates naturally under the bed surface. Breezy
days will provide more circulation than still days. Another feature offered by
some of the elevated bed manufacturers is chew resistance and chew proofing. Some also offer pads, covers, and/or bolsters for comfort and style.
As a note, all of the beds described above can provide cooling for your dog,
in the ways mentioned. None of them should be left outside in the hot
sun for your dog. If you need to leave your dog outside, the cooling bed
should be placed so that your dog has shade from the sun all the time.
Which brings us to the next major group of cooling items:
Shade and Protection from Weather – tents and houses.
PetEgo Umbra Pet Tent
Tents are designed to be portable; they are easy to
set up, take down, and carry; and they can provide
much-needed protection from the hot sun, wind, insects, and sometimes light rain. Many are made of nylon with mesh for screens and have zippered openings.
The ABO Instent tent and the PetEgo Umbra Tent,
Sport Alu House, and Dog Bag fit this description. The
K9 Koolee tent is a bit different. It is best used as part
of the cooling system with its bed (described above)
and the ends are open for lots of air circulation.
Two other tents that are less portable and therefore
more stable are the ABO Outback and the Hugs Cool
Cot with House. Both of these “tents” have elevated
bed frames with rigid-framed shelters around the
sleeping surface frame.
Dog houses, solid structures that are intended to be
left outside in all kinds of weather, can have some
characteristics that make them better for keeping your Hugs Cool Cot with House
dog cool. Some of those features include insulation,
double walled construction, good ventilation, raised floor, certain types of
materials, doors, and availability or accommodation of cooling accessories.
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ASL Solutions has 2 houses that are both insulated, providing a cooling environment. Their houses also have ventilation windows, a door, raised panel
floors. And ASL makes a solar exhaust fan that perfectly fits these houses.
Northland also makes houses that are very well insulated (not just walls, but roof and floor also), have a
raised floor, ventilated roof, a vinyl door. These
houses are perfectly suited for a solar exhaust system or the Climate Right Air Conditioner/Heater (described below).
Northland Climate Master
Insulated Dog House
Pet Zone dog houses are
double-walled, providing very
good insulation properties.
Cedar is a naturally insulating wood. Houses made of
cedar will have advantages over other types of single-walled or uninsulated houses, typically made of
plastic or other woods/wood composites.
Pet Zone Tuff-N-Rugged
Dog House
Accessories (dog cooling bling!)
ASL Solutions Solar
Exhaust Fan
The final product category to discuss is Accessories,
mainly for the dog houses. We offer two very useful accessories to help keep your dog cool when he’s outside in
his own house. The ASL Solar Exhaust fan can be installed on any house with a flat surface that can be cut to
install the fan. The solar panel can then be positioned on
the roof of the house. This is a very good option for
houses that must be in the sun for a portion of the day.
They also provide an electrical cord for cloudy days.
Another great option, especially if you live in extreme
temperatures (really hot and humid in summer and/or
really cold in the winter) is the Climate Right Air Conditioner/Heater/Dehumidifier. It easily plugs into a regular electrical outlet, and with an insulated house, is
very efficient (inexpensive) to operate. Having a good
air conditioner can take away all concern about your
dog overheating during hot summer days, especially
Climate Right Dog House
when you’re not home to make sure.
Air Conditioner and Heater
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Tips and Tricks from our house to yours…
Other tips and tricks that can keep your dog cool when temps get too warm.
Some use things around your house or are do-it-yourself projects.
1. As mentioned above, a wet bandana tied around your dog’s neck has
great evaporative cooling effects.
2. Set up a box fan so your dog can lie as close or as far away as she
chooses to forced circulating air.
3. One way dogs cool themselves is through the pads of their feet. Set up
a very sturdy pan or bowl and put water in it. Teach your dog to step
in it and her feet will cool off. Keep a separate dish for drinking water.
4. Kiddy pool! Get one made of sturdy, molded plastic rather than one
you have to inflate. The sides of the pool should be low enough that
your dog can get in and out of it easily. You can also turn that kiddy
pool into an in-ground pool by digging out an area to sit the pool in so
that only an inch or two at the top is exposed. This protects the pool
from damage, keeps it from becoming a chew toy or Frisbee when
empty, and can enhance the look of your outdoor space. The only
drawback to the ‘in-ground’ pool is it’s more difficult to empty.
5. Cooling Pit – Dig out a shallow area, in the shade, that’s big enough
for your dog to lie comfortably in. Spread a thin layer of wet concrete
in the depression as a liner. Before the concrete dries, drive a few
screwdriver-size holes in the bottom to allow drainage. Once the concrete is dry, cover it in about six inches of white playground sand.
Keep the sand damp with water all summer long and your dog will love
you for it. When she gets up from her spot, the sand will simply drop
off as it dries.
6. Put in an in-ground pool for yourself! Your dog will love you for it.
7. Always make sure your dog has fresh water and shade if he’s outside, especially if you’re not around to supervise. Make sure you know
all the sun’s angles throughout the seasons and days so you can make
the most of sun’s warmth in winter and cool shade in summer.
Best of luck to you in keeping your dog cool and safe this summer!
The Uncommon Dog
TheUncommonDog.com
I’m
super cool!
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