4 Easy Ways To Get Your Dog To Use That Cooling Pad

The Green Pet Shop Cooling Mat that I ordered for Odin last month arrived on a day that it was snowing in Ohio. 

As soon as it came I unopened the box and introduced it to Odin. 

It came as no surprise to me that he avoided it like the plague. 

I put it in his favorite spot to nap and he still avoided it. 

I knew that this was coming because Sherman and Leroy did the same thing with theirs. 

They don’t know what it is and they don’t know how much comfort it’s going to bring to them so sometimes you have to invest a bit of time getting them used to it. 

Here are a few ways that have worked for us over the years:

Use the Place Command

The “Place” command is a simple training word to teach your dog to go to a specific place, such as a dog bed, mat, or any type of raised platform  

It’s a very easy command for most dogs to learn and should be a staple command just like sit, stay and come. 

This is one of the first commands that I taught Odin because he gets REALLY excited when people come over to visit. 

So if you already use the “place” command it should be really easy to implement it to the cooling pad. 

Use Rewards

Use your dog’s favorite treat as a reward for sitting on the cooling mat. 

You want to reassure them this is a good thing.

For some dogs that are super resistant to getting on the pad, you may need to enlist the help of some high-value treats such as liver, steak, cheese, or even small pieces of a hot dog. 

You can have your dog sit on the pad and give them a treat or you can toss treats onto the pad for them to go get.

You can even reward your dog just for checking out the mat!

If he moves towards it, give him a treat. 

Sit On The Cooling Pad With Your Dog

Show your dog that sitting on the pad is o.k.

Sit on it and invite them over to sit with you.

Give him treats when he comes over by you.

Just be warned that you might not want to get off because it is comfy and cool!

Put The Cooling Pad In Your Car

When you take your dog for a ride bring along the cooling pad and put it where your dog sits in the car. 

This is what finally worked for Sherman many years ago. 

Your dog doesn’t know what the cooling pad is, so give them time to get used to it. 

If your dog using a crate and you know that they won’t try to chew it, put it in there also. 

Many people will also place it on top of the dog’s bed for extra comfort. 

You can also place most cooling pads in the freezer giving it an added layer of coolness. 

Just know that if you’re using a cooling pad that has gel in it, the gel may harden faster than if it wasn’t frozen. 

Don’t Get Discouraged

Don’t get discouraged if it takes a week or so for them to use it. 

If you’ve designated a specific spot for the cooling pad and your dog just continues to ignore it, think outside of the box!

Move the pad where you know your dog can’t resist being, like in the kitchen when you’re cooking. 

Toss him a few treats while he’s watching you cook!

You can even feed him from the cooling pad. 

The key is to make the pad irresistible for your dog. 

And if all else fails and your dog just won’t give that comfy cooling pad a chance, don’t worry friends. 

A cooling pad is a great way to keep your dog’s water cool during the summer!

 

 

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