Forecast for today is it will feel like 109 in. the. shade. Double woof.
Beaver Puppy (actually a 14 year old with heart and lung conditions) still has to venture outside to, well, you know ... take care of personal needs. Even a short time exposed to these extreme temps is uncomfortable at best for him and, just like for humans, there's a risk of heat exhaustion or more.
So check out what I hacked made for him from a fabric dog harness, a scrap of indoor / outdoor fabric, and free non-toxic cooling gel from my pharmacist. I call it a "cooling vest".
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| DIY "Cooling Coat" for Dogs to increase comfort in extreme hot temps |
(BTW, the haze you see in the photo is the humidity already so thick you can see it at 10 a.m.)
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| How To DIY a "cooling coat" for dogs and help your furry friend beat the misery of extreme hot temperature |
I grabbed a spare lightweight fabric harness (Issac Mizrahi for Target ... oh, Tar-Jay, why did you let that relationship cease?) and on the inside of the harness I sewed a pocket of indoor / outdoor fabric that is mold and moisture resistant as well as washable. The pocket is nothing fancy, just three sides sewn and one side open. The pocket is there to hold bags of a cooling gel.
The cooling gel was given to me by my local pharmacist. The pharmacist said meds shipped to them requiring refrigeration come with sealed plastic pouches of a gel that remains cold for a long time without refrigeration. The gel can also be frozen if desired when not in use. And, this substance is non-toxic. If you want to craft a cooling coat for your furry friend I encourage you to go make friends with a pharmacist. If you purchase something on your own you definitely want to make sure it is non-toxic, it should be labeled as such. Dogs have a habit of chewing things, so please, do I need to say it again ... non-toxic.
The sealed bag I received from my pharmacist was way too big for Mr. Beaver to wear. I opened the bag and poured a small amount of the gel into 2 separate zip-top bags, then double sealed each bag inside two additional bags. Once sealed to my satisfaction, I slipped the pouches into the pocket I sewed, then placed the entire cooling coat in the freezer. For hot days that are merely in double-digits I keep the coat in the fridge.
When nature calls we grab the cooling coat and go outside. People find it curious that he has a coat on when it is so hot but we're totally cool with any odd looks they give us.
If you have a furry friend I hope you find this idea helpful. And if you craft a cooling coat I'd love to see pics. Feel free to forward this post, PIN, or share a bookmark with others ... let's keep those puppy dogs comfy.
Keep cool,
Robin
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1 comment:
Now THAT is a cool idea!! Keep Beaver cool up there. :)
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