Free calculator

Dog water calculator: how much should my dog drink?

A quick, sensible range for daily water intake, adjusted for hot days, hard exercise and wet food.

Dog’s weight (kg)

Hot weather

Hard exercise today

Main food

Enter a weight to see a rough drinking-water estimate.

The rule of thumb

Most healthy dogs drink roughly 50 to 60 ml of water per kilogram of body weight each day. A 20 kg dog therefore needs about one to one and a quarter litres, though some of that can come from food: dogs on wet or fresh diets often drink noticeably less from the bowl.

Heat and exercise push needs up quickly, because dogs cool themselves by panting and lose water with every breath. On a warm day after a long walk, intake can rise by a quarter or more.

What to watch rather than measure

You rarely need to measure water. Keep a clean bowl topped up, refresh it at least twice a day, and put a second bowl on another floor or in the garden if your home is large. What matters is change: a dog that suddenly drinks far more or far less than usual for more than a day or two should be seen by a vet.

Questions about this tool

Should I take water away at night?

For adult dogs, no. For young puppies in house training, some owners lift the bowl an hour or two before bed, but only if the puppy has had plenty to drink during the day.

Is a fountain better than a bowl?

Some dogs drink more from moving water, which can help picky drinkers. A wide, stable bowl that is washed daily works perfectly well for most dogs.