Info van de producent : 

The COOL DOWN CAPE offers your dog the perfect passive protection in strong sunlight without that it might be too cold for the muscles of the dog!

Like a mirror, the glossy side reflects 85% of the sun's rays and reliably keeps the heat down (the fabric is made of sturdy polyester threads coated with an aluminum coating). THE MATERIAL is as light as a feather (about 120 grams size L), it does not absorb water and does not hinder the dog in any way!

At the same time, the fabric of the COOLDOWN capes is maximally permeable to air due to its open structure, so that the dog can not even heat up. A heat accumulation is reliably prevented!

• How does the dog "sweat"?

The dog can not sweat like humans over a large area. The few sweat glands the dog possesses are mainly on the paw pads. These hardly contribute to the temperature control. The dog regulates its temperature with the help of heat release through his skin and also with the help of his breathing, he starts to pant in the heat. The tongue hangs far out of the mouth and the respiratory rate is significantly increased. Inhalation of the nose takes place, with the air passing the well-perfused nasal mucous membranes. Exhale is over the tongue, which is covered with much saliva. Both have a cooling effect, the liquid evaporates in the air and thus cools the mucosal surface.

• How can the dog be "cooled down"?

The best and fastest cooling takes place when the dog can swim briefly. If this option is not available then the coat of the dog should be wet with water, especially the neck, the neck, the chest, the legs and the paws. In dogs with very dense undercoat, the water should be incorporated into the coat, otherwise there is a risk of heat build-up on the skin. Now, when the water evaporates on the coat creates evaporation cold, which cools the dog quickly.

(When cooling the dog, make sure that it can be a burden to the dog's circulation if it is suddenly overheated, soaking in very cold water.) Do not use ice-cold water to cool it, the temperature difference should not be too high. In water-shy dogs, it helps to put them with your paws in a water bowl to cool them down, so you can cool them off too.)

• "How it works" - COOLDOWN CAPE vs. Cooling Vest:

- The COOLDOWN CAPE cools the dog passively, as the dog is reliably protected from the sun by the radiation reflection! Heating up is thus prevented. So there is no active "down-cooling", so it can never be too cold for the dog! The advantage over active cooling jackets: avoidance of hypothermic diseases such as rheumatism or arthrosis. Also, the cooling down of the sensitive back muscles is avoided.

The "cooldown cape is with a weight of about 120gr (Gr.L) extremely light and hindered in any way.

- Cool vests, however, cool the dog actively. This must be placed in water before use, so that the material is soaked, so this is very difficult. The wet cooling vest is put on the dog. In the case of heat, the liquid stored in the granulate or in the material now evaporates. It creates evaporation cold. The disadvantage here is that the dog can not tell when it is too cool. Especially on the back too much cold can be very uncomfortable and it can lead to muscle tension. In addition, active cooling vests are extremely heavy.

The musculature of the dog is actively cooled down, which can lead to an increased risk of injury during sports activities. For long-haired dogs with a lot of undercoat there is also the possibility that the layer of air in the coat completely prevents the cooling effect and even the opposite effect occurs.

• Applications:

The COOLDOWN CAPES is ideal for dogs,

- with black or dark fur, which heat up quickly

- with very dense undercoat, which does not cool well

- with rheumatism or arthritis 

- in sports activities

- for a longer stay in the hot sun

- Dog Senior

- Protects against UV rays (dogs, shorn dogs, dogs with skin problems)

Our tip:

- When using the COOLDOWN CAPES, combine it with an actively cooling cooling mat or a wet towel on which the dog can lie down while waiting. Here, the dog has the opportunity to choose freely, whether, how long and how completely he wants to rely on it. If it gets too cold for him, he can leave this and lie down somewhere else. Most dogs understand the principle quite quickly because, naturally, on warm days the dog looks for a cool spot in the shade or within the home, e.g. on tiles to cool down.

- For best results, the COOLDOWN CAPE should be placed on the not yet heated dog, or should the already heated dog be cooled with a little water.

- When buying, be careful not to order the cape too small. The cape should be loose on the fur, so that it is not compressed and thus loses its heat-regulating function.