Wow, there is probably more confusion over this item than any other I've seen on Amazon. And many of the questions answered, were wrong answers! Somehow, folks have gotten the mistaken impression that this doesn't use electricity, until the weight of the pet is on the pad. That's plain WRONG, and even the manufacturer has admitted that it's on all the time, if it's plugged into power. It does, in fact, get warmer with a body on it, as the body's own heat allows the heating elements to operate more efficiently, making the surface a bit warmer. Instead off having to heat a surface that is exposed to air temperature, once the pet is on it, it now only has to heat a surface that the pet has already heated a bit with its body heat. Also, I've tested this with a, "Kasa® Smart Plug", that has the ability to show me how many Watts are being used by a device plugged into it. I have 2 of the large beds, and the maker rates them at 60 Watts. So, I used the app to turn the SmartPlug on, before I plugged the pad into it. The app stated '0' Watts being consumed, until the pad's power plug was inserted and made contact. Immediately, the app changed to 60.2 Watts being consumed, and this didn't change over a period of an hour. Also, the pad did warm up during that time. So, they ARE on all the time & should be used with a timer, unless you live in a climate that's cold during the day and heat is needed then. Where I live, it's only needed at night Another issue that seems to be causing confusion is the 'inflate' feature. Somehow, people are getting the idea that this thing is supposed to inflate itself when plugged in. That's not indicated anywhere in the product description and is false. However, there are also some folks out there who are stating that this isn't inflatable, at all. That's also false. At the same end as the power cord, and on the other corner of that end, is a small red valve. If you look closely at it, there is a small tab you can grip with your fingers and pull up to open the valve. Then, simply blow it up like a balloon. If you have the small one, this will happen quickly, but the bigger the pad, the more blowing needed. My large ones took me about 45 seconds to inflate to 1.5" thick. Also, people complain about their dogs chewing the pad up. Well, dogs will be dogs, and nobody can make a dog proof pad. I have a chewer, myself. But, if you use your imagination, there are ways to solve this. For one thing, there are sprays that taste bad to dogs that may work to keep them from chewing it, though they don't work on all dogs. I've had success using Jalapeño juice sprayed on stuff. Another idea is to make a shallow box frame with a top piece that extends inward, over the edges off the pad, so that the edges are beneath the frame and not available to the dog to even grab. I'm sure there are more solutions to be discovered. So, you may have to do a bit of work if you have a chewing dog. And, you can't simply plug it in and let it stay on always. It's not good for the planet, and it's not good for your wallet. So, get a timer, unless your dogs need to have warmth all day. Where I live, it's only cold enough to need these at night. Once you get it right, it can be a blessing, especially to older dogs with joint issues.
