Best Cooling Dog Beds for Your Large Dogs 

You may be surprised at the number of cooling dog beds currently on the market for large dogs. You can use these beds when you travel or enjoy a camping trip with your dog, and they’re the perfect addition to your backyard for an active dog who spends time running and playing in warm weather. Keep reading to learn more about the types of cooling dog beds available for large dogs.

Therapeutic Cooling Dog Beds

These dog beds have gel inserts along the bottom panel. The sides are often raised to look much like any other dog bed, but the gel inserts provide a cooler surface that can help your dog relax and cool down. Not only does this help with temperature regulation, but it may help if your dog is recovering from an injury. Having them rest on a cool gel surface is the easiest way to keep a cool compress on the injury while your dog heals.

The gel inserts work by absorbing your dog’s body heat and allowing it to dissipate. The beds are easy to wipe down, so you can clean up messes faster than you could with fabric beds.

Cooling Dog Cots

You may see these beds marketed for pets in general because they’re used by owners of cats, rabbits, and other animals as well. Most cots are raised from the ground on steel legs, and a thin fabric bed is stretched across the top frame. The center of the fabric contains a cooling panel that is sometimes similar to the panels on a gel cooling dog bed.

You can also find dog cots that are lower to the ground. These beds still have the durable steel frames and the thin material with some type of cooling element, but they’re close to the floor. These are ideal for smaller dogs, but they’re worth considering if your dog is unable to step up onto a higher cot due to old age, injury, or illness.

Cooling Dog Mats

Cooling beds designed like mats may remind you of the mats that parents send with kindergarteners for naptime at school. They come in various sizes and are covered with a material that is easy to wipe down. Your dog can rest directly on the mat, or you can place it under the cover of a large dog bed. These are lightweight and easy to take with you to the park. You can also leave them on your screened porch, back deck, or in the warmest rooms of your home.

Gel Pack Inserts

These inserts are designed to work with the dog bed that you already own. You slip them under the dog bed’s cover or simply rest them on the surface. These are a good option if you only need the cooling element while your dog is recovering from an injury or when traveling, camping, hiking, or otherwise spending time outdoors. If you can’t find a cooling dog bed large enough for your pet, these will allow you to use specialty bedding designed for your dog’s size.

How do you know if your big dog needs a cooling bed? Here are just some of the signs that you may pick up on:

• Your dog often seeks out cold surfaces to rest on, such as a tile floor.
• Your dog has experienced medical problems due to overheating in the past.
• Your dog’s tongue hangs out and they seem to pant a lot.
• You’re hot, too!

You may also talk to your vet if you’re concerned about your dog’s ability to maintain proper body temperature. They know your dog almost as well as you do, and they understand any medical conditions that your dog may suffer.

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• Best Dog Beds for Large Dogs - Our Top Choices