Cool Mat Instructions

The following article was composed by Beverly Bussy.

Go to your local garden center and buy a product called Soil Moist. These are polymer granules that gardeners put in soil to absorb water. When you put them into a mat and soak it in cold water, the granules in the mats expand dramatically and absorb the water, staying cool for many hours.

The polyacrylamide granules have a fantastic adsorption rate.  1 pound of the granules will hold 50 gallons of pure water, much less if high in minerals or salts.

Figure out how large you want your mat to be. Some folks make them half the size of the crate so that the dog can move off it if he gets too cool. Add 1 inch to each measurement for seam allowances (1/2" on each edge). Cut two pieces of a sturdy fabric to that size. Some folks have used pillow cases too.

Sew around three sides and then sew parallel tubes about 1 1/2 inches wide. Put about 1 teaspoon of the  granules per 12 inches of length of each tube. Sew the 4th side closed.

To use the cool mat:  Soak it in ice cold water for about 30 minutes to absorb about half its capacity. Soaking for an hour or more will completely saturate it.  If the mat does not swell up to make the fabric taut, or is TOO taut, then hang it outside to let it dry completely and either add or remove granules as needed. If you have a chewer, you might want to put the mats UNDER the crate.

To make a Cool Collar for you or the dog, take a bandanna and fold it in half to form a triangle. Sew across the hypotenuse, 1" from the fold to form a channel. Measure in about 4" from one end and sew a vertical seam from the seam to the fold. Add about 1/2 t granules, and sew another vertical seam to
close. Soak it and tie around your neck or brow, or around the dog.

You need to make sure that you dry these mats well before storing them. Best to hang them outside in the shade where they get lots of air.

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