We’re getting ready to head up to the Adirondacks with our elderly elkhound. As he’s gotten older he’s gotten less tolerant of the heat. (We now hope for cool, overcast weather when we camp.) Has anyone here used one of the cooling dog beds or vests? We will be off the grid so it needs to be something that doesn’t require refrigeration.
If you get feed back, do share. I’m interested in getting one for our long haired dog.
DD got a cooling mat for her older dog and he loves it. We put a pillow case on it to give a more comfortable feel than plastic. We put it on the back porch or by the pool when we sit out there.
I have Bernese mountain dogs. I put a cooling mat on the bottom of their crate. I put one puppies crate over the air conditioning vent and it keeps it super cold for him.
I wouldn’t take mine outdoors for an extended period of time if temperatures are over the low 80s. Old and hot in an unfamiliar environment sounds stressful for a dog.
The highs there are typically low 70s at this time of year and rarely hit eighty. He’s pretty comfortable with the whole camping routine; we spent a week in the exact campsite last summer. (Camping trips are pretty much the highlight of his existence.) I do have him scheduled for a check-in with the vet before we leave. He’s 13 now; last summer he managed a seven mile hike but he’s definitely slowing down. 
That temperature would be fine for the dog. Do you have issues with him wanting to wander off?
No, he is never off leash in the woods. (Elkhounds were originally bred to track (moose) and if they aren’t seriously trained will take off after a scent. Unlike a retriever or herding dog their instinct is not to come back.)
What does wandering off have to do with cooking mats? I’m missing the point.
My lab was diagnosed with “lar par” this year so I bought him a cooling mat. We live in Southern California and have had lower temperatures than normal, so it really hasn’t been tested yet. But he seems to like laying on it and it feels cool.
The question of wandering was just my curiosity with taking a dog camping.
Ah.
Thx, tx5. I think I’ll order one and see if it helps. He starts to wilt when it gets above seventy.