Water and hydration
How many ml of water should my dog drink?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
In milliliters, most adult dogs need 50 to 60 ml per kilogram of body weight daily, so the total ranges widely by size: around 300 ml (10 fl oz) for a 5 kg dog, up to 2.4 liters (81 fl oz) for a 40 kg dog. Weigh your dog in kilograms and multiply by 50 and 60 to get a personal range in milliliters.
Quick milliliter reference by weight
5 kg: 250 to 300 ml. 10 kg: 500 to 600 ml. 15 kg: 750 to 900 ml. 20 kg: 1,000 to 1,200 ml. 25 kg: 1,250 to 1,500 ml. 30 kg: 1,500 to 1,800 ml. These figures assume moderate weather and average activity.
Why milliliters are more useful than a fixed number
Because dogs range from under 2 kg to over 60 kg, a single milliliter figure for all dogs would be almost meaningless. Working in milliliters per kilogram lets the same simple formula scale accurately across every size, from a small terrier to a giant breed.
Turning milliliters into a real bowl check
Most kitchen measuring jugs show milliliters clearly, so filling the bowl to a known amount and checking how much remains after 24 hours is an easy way to compare your dog's actual drinking against the calculated range.
Key takeaways
- 50 to 60 ml per kg of body weight per day is the standard milliliter guide.
- A 20 kg dog needs roughly 1,000 to 1,200 ml daily under normal conditions.
- Working per kilogram scales accurately across very different dog sizes.
- A measuring jug makes it simple to check actual intake against the guide.