How Much Water Does Your Dog Really Need?

How Much Water Does Your Dog Really Need?

Dogs need water to live. That’s a hard fact. Just like humans, the cells in a dog’s body rely on hydration from water to function. Without water, dogs can quickly become dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to serious issues, so it is important to make sure your dog is getting enough to drink each day.

The question is, how much water do dogs really need?

There’s really no concrete answer to this question. This is because the answer may vary depending on certain factors such as your dog’s breed, their age, their size, etc. If your dog is very active, then it would stand to reason that your dog will need more water than the average dog might.

Veterinarians recommend that your dog should be getting at least ⅛ of a cup of water per pound of body weight a day. There is no need to restrict your dog’s water intake unless directed to do so by your dog’s vet, so if your dog wants to drink more water than what is officially recommended, you should allow them to do so. Generally speaking, a healthy dog will drink as much water as they need to remain healthy so you don’t need to measure your dog’s water consumption.

Of course, if your dog is a working dog or is otherwise outside under the blazing sun all day long then your dog’s water intake is going to be higher than other dogs. Now that summertime is growing closer, and you may be spending extended hours outdoors with your dog, it is your responsibility to make sure they stay well hydrated all day long.

Fortunately there are many great products available on the market to help you aid in your quest for canine hydration. There are a lot of gadgets out there to help you do this, but I like the simplicity of a quality travel bowl. Many times you may find yourself in a situation where there is water available to drink, but you are without a way to dispense the water to your pup. There are many options to choose from, but I’ll tell you about three of my favorites.

The first product is the portable dog water bowl from Cool Pup. This bowl is great because it features a compartment on the bottom of the bowl where a freezer pak can be inserted to keep your dog’s water nice and cold all day long. To add that that, it’s really easy to clean! You simply wipe the bowl clean with a damp cloth so it doesn’t get gross over time, and then fold along the pre-creased edges and insert into the included pouch for storage. Pretty handy, huh?

But wait! The second product I really like a lot is the Yummy travel bowl from the makers at Sleepypod. In particular, this bowl is pretty cool, because it not only functions as a great water bowl for travelling with your pet, but you can also use the lid as a separate food bowl. When not in use, you can seal the whole thing up nice and tight and don’t have to worry about any spills, which is very nice when you are in the car or some other moving vehicle. If you’re doing something like camping, and you’re feeding your dog outside, you can fill the edge of the food bowl with water to keep the ants at bay.

Finally, I’m going to tell you about my favorite travel bowl that I’ve found so far. The bowl to which I bestow that honor is the Fountain Water Bowl from Hurtta. There’s not a ton of information to impart about this particular item, but that’s exactly what makes it so great. No fuss! It’s sturdy, yet compact. The material is machine washable so it goes right in the wash when it gets too dirty, and when my dog isn’t using it I can zip it up and clip it to my belt loop with an attached carabiner. Overall, I like that this bowl is lightweight, but still made from durable materials and I like that I can easily clip it to my luggage or my backpack, or a leash, and probably anything else you can reasonably clip something to!

It is your job as a pet owner to make sure that your dog gets the right amount of water to stay healthy. It doesn’t matter how you do it, or what bowl you choose to put your dog’s water in, just that you are giving enough water to your dog.

May all of your dogs stay hydrated my friends.


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