This is how much water dogs should drink every day, according to a veterinarian

I live in an apartment building with a lot of dogs, therefore, I live amongst a lot of dog parents. And come summertime, when it's really hot outside, it seems like everyone has a doggy water bottle. Perhaps you've seen them before — they have an attached bowl that fills with water at the touch of a button. You can get one at Amazon for less than $20. I take my dog a water bottle on long walks, to run around in a nearby park, on road trips, on airplane trips and pretty much anywhere that my dog will be away from home for more than an hour. Hey, if I feel like I need to stop to get a drink, I assume he does too, right? Well, the amount of water your dog should drink in a day kind of depends on a few factors.

How much water should a dog drink in a day?

As a good rule of thumb, "dogs need about one fluid ounce (30 mL) of water per pound of body weight per day," says Dr. Shalom Cebollero, DVM at VCA Noah's Place Animal Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. So, if you do the math, a dog that weighs 10 pounds will need to drink about 10 fluid ounces or 1.25 cups of water per day. A dog that weighs 100 pounds will need to drink about 100 fluid ounces or 12.5 cups of water per day.

Of course, your dog may need to drink a little bit more than that, depending on their activity level, climate, diet and other factors. Cebollero said that "active dogs, puppies, lactating females and dogs in hot climates may need more" water than that. She added that dogs who eat fresh or wet food may drink less water because wet food generally contains around 70–80% water in it, whereas dogs who eat dry kibble often drink more water to compensate.

It's important that your dog does stay hydrated, too. Like humans and other mammals, dogs need water for their organs to perform essential functions. And if water is available, they'll generally drink enough on their own. However, if you notice your dog isn't drinking much as they usually do, or is drinking water excessively, you may want to talk to your vet.

Do dogs need to drink filtered water?

Now, I have a neighbor who recently told me she only gives her dog filtered water. I was surprised, because I drink tap water, and if it's good enough for me, I assume it's good enough for my pet. Dr. Cebollero agreed and said clean, potable tap water is generally fine. However, she noted that filtered water may be better if your tap water has high mineral contents in it (like chlorine), if your dog has a sensitive stomach or, of course, if you're in an area with known water quality issues.

Hey, so it sounds like, at the least, filtering out any excess minerals could make water taste better to your dog and encourage them to drink more. Keep in mind that a clean bowl is important, too. You should clean your dogs bowls after every meal or at least once a day with soap and hot water. (FYI, dog bowls are a ripe place for bacteria to grow.)

With that in mind, if you think your dog would benefit from hydrating more on the go, there are quite a few versions of the doggy water bottle I've seen all over my neighborhood.

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