It’s H-O-T in Seattle today (really hot, not just hot-for-the-Pacific-Northwest), and all of our pets are suffering. Happily, a local company called Zentek sells jackets and crate blankets made of Comfortemp® fabric, a material impregnated with crystals that “interactively react to changing body or outside temperatures. Depending on the individual situation or activity level they absorb excess body heat and store it until it is needed again. This keeps your dog in the comfort zone longer.”

We bought a Zentek jacket for Chloe which has proven itself in winter weather and rain, and will now get its hot-weather workout. We also bought a Zentek crate blanket made of the same material. In the hot weather we just encountered in NYC, and now in Seattle, Chloe has sought out her Zentek pad (the pads feel cool to the human touch, I have to admit). Check them out — and if you’re planning to travel with your dog to a hot climate, consider taking one along with you.