How much water does a dog drink?

Water is as vital for a dog as a proper diet. But how much it drinks depends on several factors. We explain how much your dog needs to drink and why.

How much water does a dog drink?

One of the most determining factors with regards to how much water a dog needs, is its weight. As a rule of thumb, a dog will drink 50 ml water per kg of body weight. This means that a 10 kg dog needs about half a litre of water every day and a 20 kg dog will need about a litre. This guideline applies to puppies as well.

Food

The amount of water your dog drinks may also depend on the type of food it gets. Dogs that eat dry food, generally drink more than dogs that (also) get wet food because wet food contains more fluids.

Season and activity

The season, temperature and degree of activity of your dog all affect the amount of water it will drink. Of course, dogs drink more on warm days than on cold days, and if your dog is particularly active, it will drink more as well.

Attention

There are a couple of things you need to pay attention to with regards to your dog’s drinking behaviour:

• Refresh the water at least once a day.
• Keep an eye on any changes in your dog’s drinking behaviour. If it starts to drink more, this may be an indication of a liver or kidney disease, diabetes, overheating or dehydration.
• Make sure your dog drinks enough. Too little fluids may cause organ problems and dehydration. Concerned about your dog’s drinking behaviour? Have a vet determine whether it has been drinking enough water. The vet will take urine samples in order to find out.