Cool Coat/Vest

Just saw this. The company I work at actually imports/distributes these in Japan so I'm a bit familiar than most.

This is the brand I prefer: http://www.techniche-intl.com/

I don't like the cooling mats as they often become pee mats but obviously that depends on the dog.

Vests:

Soak and evap type - non-toxic so if they manage to chew and swallow the insides, it's not as dangerous as the sponge-type vests most other brands tend to sell. (cheaper but check the quality on the stitching before you use as I've seen a few poorly made)

http://www.techniche-intl.com/catalogus/hyperkewl-cooling-dog-coat.html

Cooling pack type - It's not ice, lighter than water, gives your pup a nice 14℃ cool for about 3 hours (more expensive but if you live in a really humid area, this will be soooo much more effective than the above evap type)

http://www.techniche-intl.com/catalogus/techkewl-cooling-dog-coat.html
 
Matsuki, that cooling pack vest looks perfect - exactly what I want for Spirit. But she is a very tiny, slender, narrow girl. She does weigh about 11.5 pounds, but I wonder if it would be small enough. She's nowhere near the size of a beagle in terms of bulk.
 
Cara Sandler said:
Matsuki, that cooling pack vest looks perfect - exactly what I want for Spirit. But she is a very tiny, slender, narrow girl. She does weigh about 11.5 pounds, but I wonder if it would be small enough. She's nowhere near the size of a beagle in terms of bulk.
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It uses adjustable velcro straps, I'm pretty sure the small size will work for you.

The other option is you could sew pockets into a vest that fits her and just use that with the cool packs. The garment itself isn't anything super special, it's the packs that are unique and keep the dog cool without sending them in to shock like ice would do. (and they don't seem to ever go bad, the packs from the human vest I have has lasted me the past 5 years)
 
Spirit has a cooling pad too, and it does seem to help. But I want to get her a vest as well - during the summer here it is over 90 degrees here and very, very humid, so she needs all the help she can get cooling down.
 
Matsuki said:
It uses adjustable velcro straps, I'm pretty sure the small size will work for you.

The other option is you could sew pockets into a vest that fits her and just use that with the cool packs. The garment itself isn't anything super special, it's the packs that are unique and keep the dog cool without sending them in to shock like ice would do. (and they don't seem to ever go bad, the packs from the human vest I have has lasted me the past 5 years)
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That's a good idea!
 
Matsuki said:
Yeah, it might look better too :cool:

BTW, The inserts are actually the same used by F1 drivers before/after races to cool down. They're becoming real popular for icing race horses legs as well.
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I could make her a little pink and purple vest :-) She would love it!
 
Figured I'd post this. I wanted to remind anyone who's looking at a cooling products to remember, anything that you have to wet down, will not work in humid weather. In fact, it'll make it hotter for your dog. The evaporation is what cools the dogs down, when it's humid, it can't evaporate. A lot of people don't think about this and don't realize it.

Trust me, I did this and realized poor Koji was overheating because I used a cooling mat that you soak in water. I usually put a fan on him, so it will evaporate and cool him down. In humid weather, it just made it hotter. Ugh. Yeah, it was about 90 degrees with about 85% humidity. CA usually isn't that humid. Learned my lesson fast. Poor Koji.

Another great way to cool them down is to wet ONLY their stomachs and maybe their feet. We have seen double coated dogs overheat when people have wet them completely down (and we have seen them find relief, just depended on your dogs coat and personally, I wouldn't take the chance while at a trial).

Another great thing is a block of ice with a fan over it and blow it in the crate/pen. Saw lots of that too.

Anyhow, just wanted to warn people of humidity and evaporating cooling products. Yeah, those two things don't go together at all.
 
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