# Looking for Info re: Nat's Mats



## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

Has anybody here purchased product from Nat's Mats? 

If so, 
- How is the product?
- How would characterize your service experience?

I have left email messages and voicemail messages with the company and still have not connected with a human being.

They are making it hard for me to want to spend money with them

Ted


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## DEMO (Feb 5, 2005)

*Nats mats*

Don't know anything about Nats Mats. This is what I'm thinking about. recyled tire mat. www.recycledtiremats.com. This guy will call you back. Demo

links not working...You will have to google it


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## Merlin (Sep 1, 2005)

*use stall pads*

I have not used Nat's Mats. For my trailer I went to the local feed store and purchased some heavy rubber stall mats. I cut them to fit with a power saw. Hold up well and easy to clean.


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## Tom Watson (Nov 29, 2005)

*nats mats*

I have Nat's mats in my trailer and like them. They are easy to clean and do not absorb odors. I got the X pattern. The holes are much smaller and more like a smooth surface, but still drain well and don't catch much hair.


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## DKR (May 9, 2003)

*Re: Nats mats*



DEMO said:


> Don't know anything about Nats Mats. This is what I'm thinking about. recyled tire mat. www.recycledtiremats.com. This guy will call you back. Demo
> 
> links not working...You will have to google it


www.recycledtiremats.com

Try this (had the period included in the url).


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## Angie B (Sep 30, 2003)

Forget the recycled mats and the TSC anti fatigue mats and stall mats. They are either a tastey chew toy for your dog or the dog has a reaction to the rubber when they're wet.

Angie


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## Udder Brudder (Jan 15, 2003)

Nat's Mats work great. Get the mats with the smaller holes. The ones with the bigger holes will catch toenails if they are not kept short.

Udder Brudder


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## Angie B (Sep 30, 2003)

Udder Brudder said:


> Nat's Mats work great. Get the mats with the smaller holes. The ones with the bigger holes will catch toenails if they are not kept short.
> 
> Udder Brudder


I've got the small holes.... They are very stiff and hard but work great!

Angie


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

I started with Bar Mats, which I got from a Restaurant Supply Store. Problem - too many little nooks and crannies to catch stuff and too soft, so that the chewers ate them up. Also heavy - Bad.

I then got some mats from Ainley. No little nooks and crannies - Good. Too tough to chew - Good. Really heavy - Bad.

Wanted to try something a little bit lighter that would be easier to take in and out of truck. So I ordered three mats from Nats Mats. 

The mats are light, but they seem to have a lot of nook and crannies to catch dirt, fur, etc. Also hard, but not hard enough to prevent chewing
We'll see how the dog do with them


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## Angie B (Sep 30, 2003)

Well Ted,,,, I haven't had one dog chew them in 6 months. That's with puppies also. The trick is to have them tight to all sides and to the door. They would have to try very, very hard to catch a corner of those mats if installed that way.

Have not had a problem with them collecting dirt or hair on the top of the mat, but then I wash my topper and trailer once a week at least.... 8) 

Angie


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

Angie B said:


> Well Ted,,,, I haven't had one dog chew them in 6 months. That's with puppies also. The trick is to have them tight to all sides and to the door. They would have to try very, very hard to catch a corner of those mats if installed that way.
> 
> Have not had a problem with them collecting dirt or hair on the top of the mat, but then I wash my topper and trailer once a week at least.... 8)
> 
> Angie


Trust me, my current mats are tight to the door and some of the dogs eat them

And I wash my truck every week also, but when you are at a field trial and the dogs either get muddy or have diarrhea in the truck, and the crap dries, it is hard to get out of the corners without a commercial high pressure washer. I foresee problems in that the Nat's Mats have lots of places that catch crap

Like I said, we'll see


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## North Mountain (Oct 20, 2003)

At first I thought mats were great. Then I had one of the dogs chew his up and so i left him with no mat. His crate stayed so much cleaner than the crates with the mats. The hair and dirt seem to collect under them and when you add water it seems like a reciepe for bacteria growth. As Ted says just have a dog get sick on the road and it's even worse. I pulled all my mats, I just don't think they benefit the dogs that much.

Laura


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## Angie B (Sep 30, 2003)

North Mountain said:


> At first I thought mats were great. Then I had one of the dogs chew his up and so i left him with no mat. His crate stayed so much cleaner than the crates with the mats. The hair and dirt seem to collect under them and when you add water it seems like a reciepe for bacteria growth. As Ted says just have a dog get sick on the road and it's even worse. I pulled all my mats, I just don't think they benefit the dogs that much.
> 
> Laura


All depends how long your dogs are on the truck. Something about the dogs spending alot of time on stainless that bothers me. Even if it's a half a day.

Also the stainless is cold in the winter. I don't own a heated garage. When the dogs jump in with any gusto they slide on the stainless and slam into the back of the hole. Not good.

The dirt can either collect on the bottom of the hole through the mat or stay on the dog when it comes off the truck when I wasn't using mats. I clean my holes often so the "sludge" isn't a problem.

No chewing problems at all since I got them. But then the dogs can't hook a corner or edge with their teeth. The mats fit all the way to the front of the door.

I've been training a very long time. I'm not a advocate of any one brand or type. Whatever works for you. I'm just an advocate mats......

MHO whatever that's worth...........  

Angie


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2006)

We have cut stall mats. Yeah, they're heavy, but what does that matter? I'm trying to to figure out why that would be a major problem.

They fit the holes with a maybe 1/8" max clearance around them. I've never had any dog chew them -- can't say the same for the interior lights in each box... I had one dog chew a light out forever ago. But that's the only thing I've really ever had chewed on the truck.

I found a great trick for cleaning holes, btw. Esp after a long trip when they might be messier than normal or after a weekend where they weren't able to be tied out after running. I clean my truck at the self-serve carwash and we used to first spray all the junk out of the boxes before cleaning... But, now we use the vacuum.  It works a LOT better and you don't get as wet. It takes up all the sand and hair. 

-K


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

Mat Thoughts

Why do I want a lighter mat?

- When I am on the road, running FT, every night, I sweep out each hole on the dog truck while the dogs are airing because I do not like to let the dog hair and dirt accumulate. With a lighter mat, I can sweep out the kennel without needing to take out the mat. A little thing perhaps, but important to me.

Why do I want a softer mat?

- Again, when I am on the road, running FT, the dogs can be in the truck 12-14 hours, while I am driving to a FT, then spend the nights sleeping in the same crate. I would like for them to be on a softer surface. I have fabric kennel pads for Ace and Zowie, because they will not rip them to shreds. But, I have found out the hard way that Buffy, Mootsie, and Mozzie will quickly eat the pads. For those three, I use some large bath towels that I get at Costco for about $6 each. Even then Mootsie tends to eat holes in the towels

Why do I want a harder mat?

- Because Mootsie will devour a softer one.

What are my cleaning tips?

- I sweep out the holes every day to prevent hair and dirt from accumulating.

- Once a month, I take all the pads out of the chassis mount, take out my chairs and other stuff that I store in the overhead. Then at 6 am on Sunday, I drive to the Blue Beacon Semi Truck Wash and have them do a citrus wash of the chassis mount inside and out. It costs $17.50, cleans all the dog oil inside the kennels and cuts through the crud on the outside of the dog box, too. They also do a great job of cleaning the underbody and wheel wells. A hell of a deal for $17.50. You have to go EARLY if you want to avoid sitting in line behind a bunch of semis.

Larry Morgan told me about Blue Beacon and now I go there once a month.


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## Angie B (Sep 30, 2003)

Where do I find a Blue Beacon?????? It sounds too good to be true!  

Angie


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

Angie

Blue Beacon is a national commercial truck car wash franchise. 

You find Blue Beacons, off the major highways at BIG truck stops.

Check here for locations

www.bluebeacon.com/locations.html

The citrus wash does not stain the Stainless Steel on my chassis mount nor has it had an adverse effect on my paint.


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## Guest (Nov 9, 2006)

Ted Shih said:


> (snip) It costs $17.50, cleans all the dog oil inside the kennels and cuts through the crud on the outside of the dog box, too. They also do a great job of cleaning the underbody and wheel wells. A hell of a deal for $17.50. You have to go EARLY if you want to avoid sitting in line behind a bunch of semis.
> 
> Larry Morgan told me about Blue Beacon and now I go there once a month.


[expletive deleted], i pay more than that to wash it MYSELF. And I've paid the human car wash guys I think $50-$75 to clean the chassis mount and they don't do 1/2 as good a job.... grrrrrrr.... 

There's a truck wash off the interstate... not blue beacon, but I wonder if they do the same thing???


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## Raymond Little (Aug 2, 2006)

ted, can i ride on your truck??? it's cleaner than the back seat of my crew cab after a weekend with my 5 & 9 year old.


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## kjrice (May 19, 2003)

Ted Shih said:


> Has anybody here purchased product from Nat's Mats?
> 
> If so,
> - How is the product?
> ...


Ditto! When I did get a reply it was like pulling teeth to get another...screw it.


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Fwiw, when I didn't have any luck contacting Nat's Mats electronically, I phoned, spoke to Mike Walsh and sent him some money on 11/24 and received my mats today, 12/6. And they're what I was expecting, so no complaints here, other than the e-disconnect.


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## lablover (Dec 17, 2003)

For softer mats, go to carpet stores. 
Inside they have carpet samples that are just a bit smaller than a large plastic kennel. Place carpet sample inside.
Now it does get wet after a long swim but they dry overnight. Just swap in a dry one!
Most carpet stores have outdated carpet samples laying around in stacks, that they eventually will throw away.
Just explain to the manager what you need them for and I'm sure you can get all you want.

They have never charged me for these.


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

Just got through transporting three of my dogs down to Texas.

Here are my thoughts on the mats

Like
1) Light weight
2) Well made
3) Attractive

Dislike
1) Expensive
2) Harder than Ainley mat
3) When dogs have wet paws they tend to slide across mat into back of hole
4) Dirt and mud collects in little mesh

In short, I am still looking for the perfect mat


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

lablover said:


> For softer mats, go to carpet stores.
> Inside they have carpet samples that are just a bit smaller than a large plastic kennel. Place carpet sample inside.
> Now it does get wet after a long swim but they dry overnight. Just swap in a dry one!
> Most carpet stores have outdated carpet samples laying around in stacks, that they eventually will throw away.
> ...


I tried carpet samples, but did not like them

- Don't like dogs lying on damp surface
- My young dogs ripped the sample apart in nothing flat
- Collect too much dirt and hair


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## lablover (Dec 17, 2003)

Ted Shih said:


> lablover said:
> 
> 
> > For softer mats, go to carpet stores.
> ...


Swap out with a new one. The price is right. You can also hose them off, allow to dry and good as new. 8) 

Everything is a compromise. :lol:


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

> Swap out with a new one. The price is right. You can also hose them off, allow to dry and good as new.
> 
> Everything is a compromise.


That works fine if you are not on the road.

If you are on the road campaigning dogs, you have to carry extra mats - which I do not have space for.

You have to have somewhere for the mats to air dry - which I don't when I am traveling

And the young dogs still eat them

Bottom line - they would not be worth it to me, even if I did not have to pay for them


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## lablover (Dec 17, 2003)

Hey Ted,

If you are on the road campaigning dogs, you have to carry extra mats - which I do not have space for.

Is this a reason to get a larger truck? :lol:


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## Ted Shih (Jan 20, 2003)

I think six dogs is enough

And I don't think I want to get a bigger truck, just to haul carpet samples

I'll stick with the truck and chassis mount I have 

And keep looking for a better mat


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## lablover (Dec 17, 2003)

Ted,

When you find what you are looking for, please let me know.
I'll probably want one.


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## JusticeDog (Jul 3, 2003)

Ted-

I've put kennel deck in the holes on my pros truck. The water drainage and drying of the dog is great.... I've got one with a skin condition that started with a chemical burn. 

As a matter of fact, the assistant has asked the pro to put it in all the holes. It lifts up easily to clean underneath. No elbow problems. It's not a mat, but it does the same type of job. I belive Mark Smith may use it in all his holes. It cuts easily with a skill saw. You can get a human on the phone readily. I also don't worry about chewing. 

Just a thought.


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