Do dog cooling mats actually work?

Across the reviewers we read, the consensus is yes, but with a caveat: they cool by absorbing your dog's body heat rather than feeling cold to the touch. Independent testing published by nytimes.com found the best gel pads stayed within about four degrees of their starting temperature after five minutes of use, and r/dogs and r/puppy101 commenters confirm dogs get real relief, though several note the mat goes 'neutral' and then warm once the dog has been lying on it a while.