The first time you soak the product:
Cool Coats and Cool Mats
Spread the crystals in the tubes. Put the Cool Coats or Cool Mats in a large sink or a bathtub where they can be spread out fully. Submerge them in WARM water or tap water if warm water is not available. DO NOT USE ICE WATER as it will ruin the product. Soak for 15-20 minutes, then spread the crystals again through ALL the tubes and re-soak. Continue to soak until the tubes are completely full, checking several times to be sure the crystals are spread throughout. If you have hard water, minerals or additives in your water, this may take longer than the average 1-1/2 to 2 hours. DO NOT leave them in the water longer than is necessary to fill the tubes completely with hydrated crystals as they may continue to expand and break the stitching on the coats or mats and ruin the product.
Neck Rolls, Wrist Wraps, Hat Mats and Pouches
Spread the crystals around in the product as much as possible. Don't worry if they don't always stay spread out when the crystals are dry. When they start to hydrate they will move around more easily. Put them in a large bowl or sink and submerge them in WARM water or tap water if warm water is not available. DO NOT USE ICE WATER as it will ruin the product. Soak them until product is completely full of hydrated crystals. Spread them around during this time period to allow them to fully hydrate. It generally will only take about fifteen to twenty minutes unless you have hard water or minerals in your water. DO NOT leave them in the water longer than is necessary to fill the product completely with hydrated crystals as they may continue to expand and break the stitching and ruin the product.
If the fabric is not turning dark from the water and the crystals are not becoming larger, rub the two layers of fabric between your knuckles to break down the coating on the inside of the fabric. This should be done for each tube and generally is only needed the FIRST TIME.
Once the product is fully hydrated, it may feel sticky. The crystals give off this sticky substance which may seep through the fabric. The stickiness causes the crystals to adhere to the inside of the tubes so that you do not have to spread the crystals in the tubes after the first time of soaking them. This will save you a lot of time when hydrating the products after the first time.
Hang it to dry, preferably in a sunny area or in front of an air conditioner vent or fan. Once it is dry, this stickiness will go away. Don't panic that it will hurt your dog's coat. Once the surface is dry, you will no longer feel the stickiness and you will be able to hydrate your products more easily.
If any crystals should come out through the fabric when it is soaked, brush them off. This is dust from the crystals. Because the crystals expand up to 400 times their original size, these pieces of dust may be as large as the size of a pea once it is hydrated. The crystals are harmless to the dogs and people and will not damage the product.
To Use For Warmth
After the product is fully hydrated, put it in the microwave for 3-10 minutes, depending on the size of the crystal tubes and the power level of your microwave. Be careful when you take it out, as it will be very hot with steam from the moisture in the crystals. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, or until it is a warmth that is comfortable to handle. It will stay warm for 20 - 70 minutes, depending on the size of the tubes in the product.
To Re-Use the Product
As the water evaporates from the crystals, the tubes will gradually shrink back to being flat. ALWAYS HANG THE PRODUCT IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA WHEN NOT IN USE SO THAT IT DOES NOT BECOME MUSTY AND BE DESTROYED. At any time during this evaporation you may re-soak the product to have it be fully hydrated to have maximum use from it. Do NOT store in a closed container or plastic bag any length of time as this will ruin the product.
TO STORE:
HANG THE COAT IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA, such as over a fence or on a crate, until the crystals dehydrate - this may take six or more weeks. If you store it in a closed container it will become musty and be ruined.
DO NOT REFRIGERATE OR FREEZE FOR USE WITH DOGS!
It becomes too cold and may cause your dog to risk going into shock! DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE!
Contents: Nylon or polyester fabric, Polyacrylamide crystals
Not intended to be consumed.
Training Your Dog
One of the most commonly asked questions is "What if our dog won't lay on the mat, or doesn't like the coat?" We have yet to find a breed that refuses to use the products, if they are introduced correctly. Most dogs will lay right down on the Cool Mat once they realize it is cool. But once in a while you find a dog that is afraid of the strange feel of standing on the mat. (Step on it with a bare foot and you will know why!) The best way to work with this is let the dog get hot - not dangerously so, just so that it appreciates the cool mat! Put your dog in a crate where it may promptly push the mat over and lie down beside it. This is fine, don't take the mat out of the crate. Eventually the dog will lie down to sleep. While a dog is sleeping, it moves around. During these movements, the dog will bump against the cool mat. Dogs have an incredible survival instinct and it feels cool. They will migrate onto the mat as they sleep. When they wake up, the mat is cool and it is soft. That generally is all that is necessary teach your dog that the SherBert Stuff Cool Products are wonderful things!
If you are concerned about your dog chewing the mat while in the crate, turn the metal bottom pan upside down and put the mat under the pan or put a wire mesh grid over the mat. The metal will conduct the cold and keep your dog from chewing or tearing the cool product.
Similarly, the same is true with the Cool Coats. If your dog is not used to wearing a coat, or doesn't like the cool coat, let the dog get hot - again not dangerously so - and then put the coat on them. That survival instinct kicks in and after a short time, they are as comfortable wearing the coat as they would be in air conditioning. This is something you should try before you actually go to a show as you don't want your dog to be stressed by something new when they are getting ready to show. Have patience and give them time to adjust - this is something new. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact us.
