REVIEW: Cool Pet Pad & Cover

Disclosure: The Green Pet Shop sent a Cool Pet Pad and Cover to Lapdog Creations, free of charge for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Cool Pet Pad

Where to Find: The Green Pet Shop

The calendar says September and the Pumpkin Spiced Lattes may be flowing, but the high temps outside have made it clear that summer is not over yet (we're actually in the middle of a late-season heat wave). Although I am more than ready to say goodbye to the heat and humidity.

 

Dog parents know that when the temps soar, we need to take precautions to ensure our furkids don't get over heated. Sure, we can chill out inside with the AC blasting, but we all know that eventually they get as stir-crazy as we do. I don't know about your pack, but the Lapdogs are always itching to get outside to lounge on the deck. Fortunately, they won't stay out long if it's too hot, but I always feel badly for them because I know how much they want to be outside in that fresh air.

Since they love laying on small mats and outdoor rugs, I thought why not a cooling mat? I've seen several types on the market and was thinking about purchasing one when we got the opportunity to review a Cool Pet Pad from The Green Pet Shop. I was quite excited for the Lapdogs to try it out... and yes, I'll admit, I started wondering if they came in human sizes.

While some of the cooling pads I saw required you to actually fill them with water and/or freeze an insert, the Cool Pet Pad requires no messy preparation on your part. You won't find yourself on a 95 degree day realizing you forgot to stick something in the freezer when Fido wants to lay outside with you.

The Green Pet Shop's Cool Pet Pad begins to cool your dog as soon as she lies on it, thanks to the pressure-activated non-toxic gel. No water or electricity is needed, making the Cool Pet Pad the only green cooling pad on the market (per their website).  I really appreciate that!

So, how does it actually work? The gel inside the pad is activated by weight or pressure. This means that as soon as your dog lies down on the pad, the cooling effect starts and lasts for up to 4 hours. After a short period of non-use, the Cool Pet Pad recharges automatically - without any cords, freezing, or fuss. According to The Green Pet Shop's website, you can place the pad in the refrigerator and it will stay cool even longer, however we did not test this method for our review.

As a large dog Mom, I also appreciate the fact that Cool Pet Pad is available in four sizes, as some cooling pads I saw seemed to be designed for smaller dogs only. 

• Small - for dogs under 20lbs, measures 11.8" x 15.7" ($24.99)
• Medium - for dogs 20 - 50lbs, measures 15.7" x 19.7" ($39.99)
• Large - for dogs 50 - 99lbs, measures 35 x 23.6" ($59.99)
• Extra Large - for dogs 100lbs+, measures 45" x 27.5" ($84.99) 

We received the Large size for our review, which seems to be a nice fit for each of the Lapdogs.  If Zeus were still with us, I would have went with the Extra Large for sure. Don't be afraid of sizing up, as a larger bed will work great for smaller dogs who like to move around a lot. I also think a large size would work great for multi small-dog households.

The Lapdogs weren't quite sure what to make of the Cool Pet Pad at first.  Teutul just sat on it to "claim" whatever this new thing was.  I kept telling him to lie down and he just stared at me as if to say "I don't know what it is, but it's new so I must sit here for awhile to see what happens." 

 

Sophie joined her brother in the Cool Pet Pad sit-in...

 

Penny just wanted to play which resulted in some quite adorable out-takes during our photo shoot. 

 
 

Eventually after the "what's this new thing" curiosity went away and everyone went about their usual business, Sophie figured out just what the Cool Pet Pad was and how awesome it feels on a super hot, late summer day.  She laid on the pad for at least half an hour before coming inside. 

Penny also eventually learned just how awesome it was... on a rather hot day at the race track. 

I laid the Cool Pet Pad on top of her bed and after a few sniffs, she laid down and seemed to be quite the little happy camper race track dog.  Of course we don't take her with us if the heat is extreme, but we all know about hot days out with our dogs.  I can honestly say that I saw a huge difference in her behavior on this particular hot day by having the Cool Pet Pad.  She was certainly much more comfortable... so much so that I'm still wondering about those human-sized cooling pads.

We'll certainly be taking our Cool Pet Pad to the race track more often.  As an on-the-go dog mom, I really like that not only is the Cool Pet Pad super easy to use (open the box, unfold and lay it down), but it's also portable and convenient.  When we packed it to take to the track, I tossed it in a small tote bag so that I had "handles" to carry it with, but you can just fold it up and put it in the car or trunk as well.  

Cool Pet Pad is great for both inside and outside use, and works well in the car or crate. It is well made, and folds up easily to store or transport. The pads can be cleaned with a soft cloth, mild soap and water. Just make sure you allow it to dry completely before use or storage. Speaking of storage, it is recommended that you store your Cool Pet Pad in a cool, dry place and if planning to store it for an extended period of time, sealing the product in a plastic bag may increase the pad's useful life.

While the Cool Pet Pad is ready to go as-is and easily wipes clean, you can purchase the optional Cooling Pad Cover to help protect the pad against dirt and scratches.  The cover easily slips over the cooling pad and is machine washable and dryable.  As you can see from our photos, we reviewed the Cool Pet Pad both with and without the cover.  I'm not sure the Lapdogs had any preference, but I like having the cover to protect against extra dirt and grime (especially if we use it at the race track). 

I know summer is winding down for most of us, but there are still plenty of hot days left.  If you have a pooch who loves to lounge like the Lapdogs, give the Cool Pet Pad a try.  And, of course, the holidays are right around the corner.  Add a Cool Pet Pad to your pup's Santa list this year. He'll thank you (and maybe even smile as big as Tut).

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