[Help] Recommendations for COOLING VESTS for dogs.

I have a 3 1/2 year old, Pit Mix, Female, 75 lbs. and I have taken her on hikes many times. I live in Southern California and take her on daily, 5 mile walks from the neighborhood sidewalks down to the bike path at the beach.

Yesterday, I took her on a 10 mile hike in Azusa (Bridge to Nowhere Hike - would take about 6-7 hours). The hike was planned by a friend and I was already hesitant (for myself) because it was going to be around 97 degrees that day. I definitely wanted to bring my dog, Darlin'. The hike path runs parallel to a river and we had to cross the river (about knee high) many times along the way, however, there are several 1/2-1 mile stretches where you are NOT near the river and must walk the hiking path to get back near the river.

We planned to be at the trail head by 7:30am in order to avoid the worst of the heat.

I had booties for her feet and a doggie-back pack with water for her plus I was carrying water for myself in a Camelbak (Darlin' would also have water from the river that she would drink).

We made it to the Bridge to Nowhere (5 miles in, to get back, you turn around and hike 5 miles back) and rested (we did not go in the river at the Bridge - because it was a long hike down and none of the rest of my party wanted to go at that time & Darlin' seemed fine).

On the way back, Darlin' started looking for shade, anywhere, even a sparse tiny bush that provided an inch of shade - she would try to get under it and move the dirt to get into shade. Then she wouldn't MOVE. I removed her back pack and her booties (because I thought the heat from her paw pads could not escape and was making her heatstroke worse) and I gave her ALL of the water we had, including my own out of my Camelbak, and she still wouldn't move. My hiking group had gone on ahead and I was alone with her. Luckily, 2 men were passing and offered us more water. The guy had a thermos with water AND ICE CUBES and I was able to palm the ice cubes and pet her to help cool her off more. We were only about 1/4 mile away from the river and was trying my best to convince her to move so we could get her into the river. She eventually moved after about 25 minutes and got her to the river to cool her down. Once back on the trail, the ground was too hot (she was tap dancing) so I put her booties back on.

The rest of the hike out was challenging and the heat increased and she would keep looking for shade, I kept closer to the river path so when I saw her go for shade, I could take her into the river.

During the last 1/2 mile, no more river access and the heat is now up to around 110 and her legs kind of buckled which really scared me. It happened for just a second and she didn't lay down after this happened it just seemed like she got tripped up on her feet from exhaustion, but I was really scared that it was like a seizure or something. She laid down again at a shady spot and wouldn't move and we were out of water. A local man passing by said "you want your dog to move?" and I wasn't sure how to answer because I was afraid to say "yes" in case her moving more was going to kill her but YES I needed her to move so we could get her in an air conditioned car and WATER. He said he does the hike all the time and his dog tries to quit all the time so he told me to take her leash off and start walking on without her and then Darlin' would follow me because she doesn't want to be left alone. So, I followed his advice and he was right, up she popped and started running after me. He then said, "watch, she'll run past you and look for the next shady spot and then when you pass her, she'll get up again and keep doing this until you get back". He was right and that was exactly what she did.

Back at the trail head, I waited with Darlin' in the parking lot (she crawled under a truck for shade) and my sister walked the additional mile to where we had parked to get the car.

Immediately drove to get water and air conditioning on full blast. Darlin' came home and ate her dinner like normal, was pretty tuckered out but would still get up with full excitement and enthusiasm to greet my husband when he came home from work. She seems perfectly fine today but I am still reeling with guilt that I could have killed her and that I am the worst dog Mom ever.

Had the heat not been so high, she could have done this hike twice. I was not prepared for the heat and I hate myself for what I put her through.

NOW - I am trying to be better prepared for the future.

Does anyone have any experience with cooling vests or feedback? I want to buy one and I don't care the cost as long as it WORKS/HELPS prevent heat stroke. I am clear on the mistakes I made, TOO HOT to begin with (even though I saw at least 20 other dogs on this hike), not enough water, not enough breaks, but I want to take better precautions next time (don't worry, I will never take my dog on a hike in weather over 90 degrees, EVER AGAIN).

I appreciate any recommendations on COOLING VESTS. Thanks!