Dogs are just like people: they need water to survive. And just like with people, not getting enough water is the worst thing you can do. Here’s everything you need to know about dogs and their thirst to help you understand what your pet needs and how to make sure he gets it. But how much water should your dog drink? How can you tell if he’s dehydrated?
Water is essential for your dog’s health. Serious health issues like kidney disease and even heart failure can result from dehydration. If your dog seems to be drinking more water than usual, it may be a sign of dehydration that needs to be treated right away.
Dog water needs
As long as they have access to fresh water sources, dogs can generally control how much water they consume.
That being said there are a few ways to estimate approximately how much water your dog should be drinking:
Here is a rough estimate of your dog’s daily water requirements with low activity on two different diet types, according to dog size:
Given that a typical human drinking glass holds 16 ounces of water, our smaller canine friends don’t even need a full glass on a common dry food diet. While our larger friends ought to be consuming more than three full glasses,
Because the moisture content of the diet is significantly higher and they can drink water that way, dogs eating a wet food diet (like canned foods) have significantly lower water needs.
Factors that influence water needs
While we now have a clearer understanding of the approximate water needs of dogs, there are many factors that can influence a dog’s water requirements, including:
Things that increase water loss, like exercise and heat, also increase the amount of water your dog needs. So if it’s hot out or you’ve had a particularly active day with your pup be sure you’re both drinking extra water.
Puppy activity levels and age both affect a dog’s need for water; older dogs may have medical conditions or be taking medications that make them need more water. A healthy middle-aged adult dog may not require as much access to water as those at either end of the spectrum.
As shown in the figure above, dogs don’t need to physically drink as much when there is a higher moisture content because they can get some of their water needs met through diet.
To ensure that your dog has access to water because the amount of water they require to drink can really vary,
How Do I Calculate How Much Water My Dog Needs?
The most accurate way to determine a dog’s water needs is to perform a calculation based on their body weight and level of activity. Typically, a dog needs to drink more water the bigger and more active they are.
A general guideline for the calculation is to provide 25–50 ml of water per pound, with less active dogs tending to gravitate toward the lower end of that range and active dogs toward the top of that range.
FAQ
How do I calculate how much water my dog needs?
A dog should consume 1 ounce of fluids per pound of body weight as a general guideline for how much water to give them. Thus, a 10-pound dog should consume approximately 10 fluid ounces daily, and a 100-pound dog should consume approximately 100 fluid ounces daily.
How much water should my dog drink in a day?
1 ounce (1/8 of a cup) of fluids per pound of body weight is a general guideline for calculating the daily water intake for dogs. For instance, a dog weighing 10 pounds should drink roughly 10 fluid ounces daily, while a dog weighing 100 pounds should drink roughly 100 fluid ounces daily.
How much water should a 10kg dog drink?
Textbooks define normal water intake as 1-2ml per kilogram of bodyweight per hour (equivalent to roughly 25-50ml/kg/24hrs), so how much water should my dog or cat drink? For instance, a 10 kg dog, such as a Westie, should drink roughly 480 ml (a little under a pint) every day.
How much water should a 70 pound dog drink a day?
12 to 1 ounce of water per pound of dog, so a 70-pound Golden Retriever that is healthy and moderately active needs to drink 35 to 70 ounces of water daily, which is equivalent to 4 1/3 to 8 34 cups or 1/4 to 12 gallon.