Ruff Wear Swamp Cooler Dog Jacket

Works like a charm!
Our Boxer overheats at the drop of a hat, so we needed something to cool him down on the occasional warm PNW summer day, and on hikes and other outings where he might not be able to cool himself as quickly or effectively as necessary. Ruff Wear's Swamp Cooler is just the thing! It's awesome. Cools him down in mere seconds, and mostly we're on top of it, so it prevents him from getting too hot in the first place. Soak it in water, wring it out, put it on, and you're good-to-go. Works well being doused with some water too, to re-fresh it after it's already in use. The front panel has proven a little drippy for us... so we don't wet that tiny area, and that solves the problem of excess water trying to escape the vest. Love this, our dog is a happy camper, and I can't recommend it enough! (Although I will say, be prepared for some odd looks or quizzical glances when people see your dog in a "coat" on a hot day. ;o))

Great for Working Dogs
I have used the swamp cooler in the past for my Alaskan Husky who gets very hot when I'm camping with her. The Swamp Cooler allows her to be outside in humid temperatures while still keeping her reasonably cool and active. Recently I have used the Swamp Cooler for a working guide dog. He is a black lab and during the hot afternoon sun gets very warm, panting excessively, and walks very slow. With the Swamp Cooler he walks close to his normal pace, exhibits very minimal panting and seems happier in general. The Swamp Cooler fits easily under the guide harness and does not cause any interference with the work. I had to get one size bigger than recommended to allow more room in the neck area. The evaporation helps the dog to sweat while the reflective top keeps the sun off of them (espeically those black coated dogs!). This product runs a little expensive but worth the money. I'm recommending this to other guide dog users and to my clients.

Keeps my boxer cool
Second swamp cooler we bought after my 2 year old boxer outgrew the first one. These work really well at keeping their body temps cooler during hot, humid summer days out here on the east coast. Taken it with us on hikes through local parks, strolls on the boardwalk and regular walks around the neighborhood. While my dog still pants like crazy on really hot/humid days, the areas the swamp cooler covers remain relatively cool when I put my hand under it and we seem to be able to stay out in the sun for longer than we do without one. Two things to note: 1) I've always had to take some extra frozen bottles of water with us to douse the cooler mid adventure since it can dry out if not soaked properly prior to leaving 2) be sure to rinse it out and hang dry after you return, I failed to do that once and it stunk horribly for weeks. All in all, if you have a dog with a short snout or a big hairy coat, these are a must have for the warmer months