High temperatures above 30 degrees not only cause problems for people and plants. Animals suffer too – especially pets, who are usually not able to move about freely and cool down themselves. But what to do if air conditioning is out of the question and a visit to the beach is not an option either?
Drinking water
Especially in summer it is important for dogs and cats to drink enough water. It may seem obvious, but especially for the hot summer months there is more than just the ugly water bowl in which bacteria, dirt and dead insects quickly collect.
Automatic drinking fountains & water dispensers not only look hip, in stressful everyday life they help to keep an eye on the water level and provide fresh water. An integrated water level detector reminds you to refill and clean with a warning tone, LED or even an app. The water filled into the fountain is also filtered and circulated, which ensures consistent water quality. Whether the water flows gently into the bowl from below, comes out as a fountain or even comes down as a small wall of water is primarily a matter of taste.
As fancy as the fountains with water jets may look, in the end the system has to be accepted by the dog or cat and that is not always the case. The question of whether the bowl should be filled time-controlled or when motion is detected also depends on the pet. At the author of the article, neither the dog nor the cat accepted the fountain with motion detector – the admittedly somewhat disturbing pump noise is simply uncanny for them. A model with a timer control would be more suitable here. Here you would simply filter the water several times a day and have it refilled. If there is calm, the pet can drink without stress.
Even on the go, for example when going for a walk or on excursions, the four-legged friends need enough water. Here, for example, foldable water bowls made of silicone are ideal. These are available in different sizes and colors from 3 euros. The lightweight shells do not take up any space and also fit in a trouser or jacket pocket. If you want, you can usually attach it to a backpack or belt with a snap hook. If necessary, the bowl is folded out and filled with water from the spring or your own drinking bottle. If you transport the bowl in a bag or backpack, you should buy a foldable travel bowl with a lid – the residual moisture then remains in the bowl and the costs are hardly higher.
Another option is drinking bottles for pets with an integrated bowl. If necessary, this can either be folded out or unscrewed and then filled directly. Cheap versions are available for less than 10 euros – but these smell unpleasantly of plastic, which is why we would rather invest a little more money here. High-quality models are available from around 15 euros. Again, you should consider how much water you need. 0.65 liters fit into the inexpensive bottle from Pecute for 15 euros, and 100 milliliters more into the stainless steel bottle from Trixie for 17 euros. A bottle with 0.55 liters plus a container for treats is available from Jophek from 11 euros. The much more stylish counterpart from Live the Choice made of plastic and stainless steel is available from 26 euros.
Cooling mat & cooling blanket
Now it is primarily about the well-being of dogs and cats. Although some dog breeds and cats do not have a problem with high temperatures, some four-legged friends with thick fur suffer particularly. If a place in the shade and a slight draft (fan guide) are not enough, cooling mats and self-cooling blankets are ideal.
If you are interested in such a cooling dog or cat bed, you should pay close attention to the product description. Because there are two common and very different approaches here and you should definitely pay attention to the size. Huge blankets are often shown in the photos, but in the product description the size often shrinks to the size of a small towel.
Cooling mats are usually flat pads filled with a special gel, which are available from around 20 euros. From the small model measuring 50 x 40 centimeters to the 120 x 80 centimeter XL mat, there are suitable dimensions for every animal. The gel, which is non-toxic according to the manufacturer, can quickly absorb the pet’s body temperature, effectively cooling it down. At least if the mat was previously in a cooler room. However, after a period in the blazing sun, the heavy mats warm up themselves and keep the high temperature for hours. If you store the mat in the garage or basement when not in use, you can use the mat to cool down on warm days – at least if your dog or cat accepts the resistant mats. Our two four-legged friends are at least suspicious of the very soft mat with a plastic surface and avoid it accordingly. The cooling effect would be clearly noticeable, as our children, who are now lying on it instead of the pets, assure us. A possible approach here are the gel cooling mats with a textile cover. It’s not particularly fluffy, but at least a little more inviting than the one on the pure plastic surface.
Cooling blankets are blankets or mats made of textiles without a gel filling. Here, special materials such as ice silk with high heat dissipation ensure the desired cooling. The blankets are available with only the cooling effect or with a cooling and a warming side. Although the cooling may be less strong here, our dog accepted the textile blanket immediately and happily. Similar cooling blankets are also available for adults. Some of these are even cheaper and significantly larger than the pet blankets with a cooling effect. We have now ordered one for ourselves as a test.
Dog Pool
For many dogs (and a few cats) a long bath in the cold water ensures real cooling and a lot of fun. Garden owners without suitable bathing water within reach can use a special pool for dogs. These above-ground pet pools are smaller, shallower and significantly more robust than the cheap human quick-up pools. Here, too, one should not be too fooled by the product photos, because some pools are ultimately hardly larger than a large mason’s bucket. Various sizes are usually available with diameters between 80 and 160 centimeters and a height of 20 to 30 centimeters. Experience has shown that you should make sure that there is a drain or drain valve to get the water out again after it has been used. Unlike a swimming pool for us humans, no filter system is necessary here, but the water should be changed regularly. However, due to the manageable amount of water, this is possible without any problems.
Eis & Co
When cooling down, the culinary well-being should not be neglected and so there is also ice cream suitable for dogs and cats. In addition to DIY recipes from the Internet, there are also ready-made, usually vegetable-based ice cream flavors from specialist shops or from Amazon & Co. Dog ice cream in different flavors is available from Smoofl, for example, from 13 euros. Three types of ice cream including an ice cream mold from Chronobalance are available from 23 euros. There is cat ice cream from Maikai for around 20 euros. Alternatively, even healthy smoothies for dogs are available.
Frozen delicacies on a so-called licking mat, which is available in a double pack from 10 euros, cause less effort and costs. These mats consist of an underside with many suction cups and a roughly structured upper side, which is spread with wet food, spreadable sausage, peanut butter or similar. Now the mat goes into the freezer, where the lining freezes. If necessary, the mat can be fixed to the floor with the suction cups and the wild licking can begin. The cold dish not only brings a cooling variety, but also an additional playful challenge. At least our dog has great fun with his liver sausage ice cream. There are more recipes in the Mokara licking mat set for 10 euros. In addition to two mats with a scraper and brush, an e-book with recipes is included in the scope of delivery.
If you want to keep pet food or water cool and drinkable for longer, you should buy a cooling bowl from 13 euros. Here, a cooling element previously stored in the refrigerator provides refreshing cold.
Conclusion
If you want to cool your pet down in summer, you will find a wide variety of options. The more or less smart water dispensers help to ensure that the bowl of water is as full and fresh as possible. A cooling special blanket provides cooling. When buying, you should definitely pay attention to the size information and a right of return – most of the gadgets mentioned work – but not for every dog and cat.