Dogs
How to Choose a Dog Bed That Actually Gets Used
Watch how your dog sleeps before you buy. Sprawlers and curlers need opposite beds, and buying the wrong one is why it sits unused.
7 min read
Gel Cooling Mat
Cold without a fridge, a plug or a fan.
The gel activates under body weight and recharges on its own once the animal gets up. Nothing to plug in, nothing to freeze, and no cable near an animal that chews.
$11.42
Taxes calculated at checkout
- Cools by contact, nothing to plug in or freeze first
- Recharges itself in about fifteen minutes once they move off
- Nylon face wipes clean of mud and hair
- Folds flat, so it lives in a crate or the boot of a car
- Six sizes, 40 × 30 cm up to 120 × 75 cm
Size: XS
1
Free shipping over $59
Free 30-day returns
Secure checkout
Why you'll love it
Made for happy, healthy pets
For the breeds that cannot cope
Flat-faced dogs, thick double coats and anything black in July. A mat that stays below body temperature is one of the few things that actually helps, and it works while you are out.
Nothing to remember
Freezer packs get forgotten and cooling fans need a socket. This works the moment the dog lies on it, every time, which is why it is still in use in August.
Take it where the heat is
The back of a car on a motorway, a crate at a show, a caravan. It folds and weighs about the same as a towel.
Good fit if
- Hot weather indoors, especially in upstairs rooms
- Thick-coated and dark-coated breeds that overheat easily
- Crates and car boots, where airflow is poor
- Older dogs that struggle to settle in the heat
Look elsewhere if
- Your dog chews bedding, since a punctured gel pad is finished
- You want something to lie under a very heavy dog long-term
- You expect it to substitute for shade and water
How it cools without power
The gel inside is a phase-change material. It absorbs heat from whatever is lying on it as it changes state, and it releases that heat back into the surrounding air once the weight is removed. That is why it works without a plug and why it recharges by itself in a quarter of an hour or so.
It also means the mat is not cold to the touch before use, and it is not supposed to be. Owners sometimes conclude a mat is faulty because it feels room temperature. Press a hand onto it firmly for thirty seconds and the cooling becomes obvious; that is exactly what the animal experiences when it lies down.
What it can and cannot do
The cooling effect is real but modest, and it is finite. A large dog lying on a small mat will saturate the gel within an hour, after which the mat is doing nothing until it has rested. Sizing generously matters more here than with a bed, because a larger pad holds more capacity and lasts longer between resets.
It is one measure among several. Shade, airflow, cool water and walking outside the hottest part of the day all do more, and none of them can be replaced by a mat. Think of it as helping a dog settle indoors on a warm afternoon rather than as protection against genuine heat.
Chewing, placement and care
The one real failure mode is puncture. The gel is non-toxic, but a chewed mat leaks and is finished, and the mess is considerable. A dog that works at bedding should not be left alone with one, and a crate is the worst place for a chewer specifically because that is where a bored dog starts on whatever is available.
Keep it out of direct sunlight, which warms the gel faster than an animal can benefit from it, and wipe rather than washing, since the nylon face is waterproof and the seams are the weak point. Store it flat or loosely rolled; folding it repeatedly along the same line eventually stresses the seal.
In the box
Everything you need
- Cooling mat
How it works
Simple, from basket to doorstep
- 1
Browse
Shop by pet or category to find exactly what your cat or dog needs, no wading through thousands of listings.
- 2
Order
Check out securely with card, PayPal or one-tap Apple Pay & Google Pay. Free delivery over $59.
- 3
Delivered
Fast, tracked dispatch straight to your door, and a happier pet before you know it.
The details
Specifications
- Sizes
- 40 × 30 cm to 120 × 75 cm
- Fill
- Non-toxic cooling gel
- Face
- Waterproof nylon
- Power
- None
- Care
- Wipe clean
Size guide
| Size | Dimensions | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 40 × 30 cm | Cats, toy breeds, carriers |
| S | 50 × 40 cm | Small dogs, crates |
| M | 65 × 50 cm | Spaniels, terriers, medium crossbreeds |
| L | 90 × 50 cm | Labradors and retrievers |
| XL | 81 × 96 cm | Large breeds, car boots |
| XXL | 120 × 75 cm | Giant breeds, or two dogs |
Size up rather than exactly. The animal should fit entirely on the mat, and a larger pad holds more cooling capacity, so it lasts longer before needing to rest and recharge.
Good questions
Before you buy
It sits a few degrees below the room, not refrigerator-cold. The effect is steady contact cooling rather than a shock, which is the point, since anything genuinely icy is bad for an overheating animal.
Take it away. The gel is non-toxic but the mat is not a chew toy, and a punctured one is finished. Use it under supervision with a dog that chews bedding.
Measure the dog lying stretched out and pick the mat that covers chest to hip. They do not need to fit on it entirely, as most animals cool themselves through the belly and the pads.
It is not cold to the touch beforehand and is not meant to be. It draws heat out on contact, so press a hand down firmly for half a minute to feel what the animal feels.
A punctured mat leaks and is finished. The gel is non-toxic but the mess is significant, so do not leave a dog that chews bedding alone with one, particularly in a crate.
Larger than you think. The animal should fit entirely on it, and a bigger pad holds more capacity, so it goes longer before the cooling runs out and it needs to reset.
Advice