9 best dog cooling mats UK 2024, tried and tested by two hot dogs
WITH the August heatwave in full force, now is the time to invest in a cool mat for your dog.
The best dog cooling mats will not only give them somewhere to rest but will stop them from overheating; they are worth their weight in gold even for our short UK summers.
I tested a selection with my guys — Dilly and Mabel — both outside and indoors, and found them to be excellent for reducing the effects of the heat.
They come in all different types: mats, beds, pads, and even a pop-up shelter.
Some contain a solid cooling gel, others a more liquid version and some have no gel at all, relying on air circulating under, around and through a mesh fabric for their cooling effects.
There are even traditional-looking cool beds that are for all intents and purposes a proper bed, but with a removable gel layer inside.
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Sunstroke is a serious condition for dogs and can be fatal so anything that helps keep them cool is to be welcomed.
I tested these during the recent particularly warm weather we’ve been having lately and while at first Dilly and Mabel seemed a little bemused with the cooling mats, beds, pads and especially the tent, they got the hang of them after a while.
Read on for Dilly and Mabel’s reviews of the best dog cooling mats.
Best dog cooling beds at a glance:
- Best overall: Pets at Home Sunny Daze Pop-Up Dog Shelter
- Best budget: Webbox Pet Cooling Mat
- Best mid-range: Wilko PawHut Elevated Pet Bed With Slope Headrest
- Best premium: Lords & Labradors Scruffs Pet Cool Bed
- Best for travelling: Rosewood Water Resistant & Cooling Travel Mattress
Most read in Product Reviews
Sunny Daze Pop-Up Dog Shelter
Sunny Daze Pop-Up Dog Shelter, £15 from Pets at Home
Pros: UV protection, lightweight, easy to assemble, pegs to secure shelter to the ground, folds up for storage
Cons: If you don’t secure the shelter with pegs it will move around
Rating: 5/5
Just like the pop-up beach shelter I used at the seaside to protect my daughter when she was little, this mini-tent protects my dogs from the sun, providing UV50 protection.
It’s not big enough for two dogs to go in at once, but it’s very comfortable for one, especially with an extra cool mat inside.
There’s no assembly required — once you take it out of the storage bag it assembles itself — but I haven’t yet mastered how to get it back down and into the storage bag.
Metal pegs are provided so you can fasten the shelter into the ground and you will need them, as it’s so lightweight it moves even in a gentle breeze.
Material: Polyester; Sizes: Large
Scruffs Pet Cool Bed
Scruffs Cool Bed, £35.99 from Robert Dyas
Scruffs Pet Cool Bed, from £39.99 at Lords & Labradors
Pros: Proper bed, padded sides for head resting, removable and washable cover
Cons: Sizing comes up small
Rating: 4.5/5
While you could use this bed outside, it’s much better suited to life indoors.
It has the padded sides my dogs love and a foam base, which though thinner than a regular dog bed, still makes it more comfy than some of the other cooling mats and beds tested.
The top of the bed is covered with mesh, which improves airflow, while inside there’s a self-cooling mat that keeps the bed 5 - 10°C cooler than the room it’s in.
Mabel loves this bed. It’s a little small for Dilly but he squeezes himself into it anyway.
Material: 100% polyester cover, base cover and mesh with 100% recycled polyester sides; Sizes: M, L and XL
PawHut Elevated Pet Bed With Slope Headrest
PawHut Elevated Pet Bed With Slope Headrest, £29.50 from Wilko
Pros: Strong mesh cover, air can circulate freely under, around and through the bed, integral headrest, can be used indoors and outdoors
Cons: None
Rating: 4.5/5
My dogs love having somewhere to lay their heads so I thought the sloped headrest on this bed was a great idea, but they haven’t put their heads on it yet (as far as I’ve seen, at least).
Because the bed is raised off the ground, air circulates underneath and the mesh cover allows air to pass through the holes, cooling your dog sleeping on top of it.
There’s no gel in this bed so you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on them while they use it, and it’s not high, so they won’t hurt themselves if they fall off.
Material: Steel and mesh, Sizes: Large
3 Peaks Breathable Raised Dog Bed
3 Peaks Breathable Raised Dog Bed, from £30 £22.50 at Pets at Home
Pros: Air can circulate underneath which aids cooling, strong mesh for breathability, non-slip, washable cover, eases pressure on joints
Cons: None
Rating: 4.5/5
This raised dog bed is a great idea as it allows air to circulate underneath and through the mesh cover.
It’s not high to climb onto, though it did confuse my dogs a little at first as they’re not used to climbing onto beds.
It’s great for the garden but you can also use it indoors, which will come in handy if you have an older dog as it supports them while easing pressure on their joints.
The cover is also machine washable, which is always handy when it comes to dogs.
Material: Breathable mesh; Sizes: M and L
Rosewood Water Resistant & Cooling Travel Mattress
Rosewood Water Resistant & Cooling Travel Mattress, £20.05 from Amazon
Pros: Light and easy to carry around, water-resistant, great for travelling in the car
Cons: Can blow around in the wind
Rating: 4/5
This is ideal as a bed for travelling in the car as the cooling fabric on one side helps keep your dog comfortable, but you can’t use it outdoors for long if there’s any wind because it is so lightweight.
It would also be great for a caravan or camping holiday, and it would work for days out when it’s not too breezy (if you keep an eye on it) as it folds up and is easy to carry.
I tested it in the car and in the garden and Dilly appeared very comfy on it. I now keep this bed in the car so it’s always ready for use when we go out.
Material: Polyester, Sizes: 110 x 68cm
Rosewood Chillax Cool Pad
Rosewood Chillax Cool Pad, from £15.99 £10.99 at Amazon
Pros: Good size, folds down small, cools for up to four hours, soft feel
Cons: Doesn’t seem quite as cool as other mats tested
Rating: 4/5
This bed contains cooling gel that activates when your dog lies on it and the cooling effects last for up to four hours.
I received the large pad so it was great for Dilly as well as Mabel and they both seemed to enjoy lying in the sun on it. It didn’t seem as cool the touch as some of the other mats but that didn’t bother them.
The gel is evenly distributed — it seems more solid than the gel in some other mats I tested — and the pad is divided into six sections so it’s easy to fold away.
It’s also not too heavy to carry so your dog could use it on holiday as well as at home.
Material: Nylon with non-toxic gel filling, Sizes: 50 x 40cm and 90 x 60cm
Pets at Home Sunny Daze Round Strawberry Pattern Cooling Dog Mat
Sunny Daze Round Strawberry Pattern Cooling Dog Mat, £8 from Pets at Home
Pros: Very cool to the touch, lovely pattern, good size for small dog
Cons: Gel can pool at edges
Rating: 4/5
This cute bed quickly became one of Mabel’s favourites. She doesn’t really stop when she’s out but eventually she did snuggle down on this cooling mat for a snooze.
I found it very cool to the touch and sat with it over my legs in the garden when Mabel wasn’t using it. The gel seems to be quite liquid and does tend to pool at the edges so you need to make sure it’s evenly distributed by squishing it across the mat.
Even Dilly got comfy on it, despite his size!
Material: High-grade polyester with non-toxic gel filling, Sizes: One size (60 x 60cm)
Wilko Clever Paws Watermelon Fruit Pet Cooling Mat
Clever Paws Watermelon Fruit Pet Cooling Mat, £3.99 from Wilko
Pros: Price, cute design, cool to the touch
Cons: Gel can pool at edges
Rating: 3.5/5
Mabel uses this bed more than Dilly does, which is hardly surprising given its size. He has been known to settle down on it too though.
The cute watermelon design is in keeping with the idea of freshness and summer – and the mat is certainly cool to the touch.
As with some of the other beds, the gel seems more liquid, so you have to spread it across the mat to distribute it evenly and make sure it’s not gathered at the edges.
It’s a great cooling bed for the price though.
Material: Unknown, Sizes: 59cm diameter
Webbox Pet Cooling Mat
Webbox Pet Cooling Mat, from £5 at Webbox
Pros: Soft feel, good size, price
Cons: The gel tends to collect at one end
Rating: 3/5
This is great for keeping my dogs cool and as I received the mat in large, it was suitable for both Mabel and Dilly.
I tested it in the garden and Dilly certainly enjoyed snoozing on it. I’ve also taken it with me in the car to our local dog walking field and it’s ideal for popping down in the shade for when — or if — they stop running around long enough to rest.
It is rather heavy though, so you wouldn’t want to carry it for very long.
The cooling gel is activated when your dog lies on it. I found that when I unfolded the mat the gel would collect at one end so you have to make sure it is evenly distributed across the mat for the best effect.
Material: Unknown, Sizes: 90 x 70cm
Where to buy dog cooling beds in the UK?
For the largest selection of dog cooling beds in the UK look online. You’ll find many pet websites stock cooling mats and beds, especially when the weather’s warmer, and of course there’s always Amazon, which stocks a wide range.
You should also find pet cooling beds in larger pet stores at retail parks, as well as in homewares shops and even supermarkets during the summer.
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We found the beds reviewed in our feature at: