HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD A DOG DRINK – The dog can last three weeks without food, but when it comes to water, not even a few days. Although this seems like a not so important fact, it is still very important to take care of it, especially in warmer periods.
A dog, like a human, in order to regularly perform all its vital functions, must take enough water. It is crucial for regulating body temperature, digesting food, separating nutrients from unnecessary ones… Thanks to water, they circulate in the dog’s body and supply the cells with the necessary energy.
According to experts, a healthy dog should drink an average of about 60 milliliters of water per kilogram of body weight per day. With puppies, the situation is somewhat different, but it is assumed that puppies should ingest half a glass of water every two hours, with owners being advised to monitor the amount of water the puppy ingests.
What affects a dog’s needs when it comes to fluids?
The level of physical activity is certainly the factor that influences the most, because the more the dog moves, runs or takes walks – the more thirsty it will be. Polar dogs, which pull sledges, are considered to be the biggest consumers of water, which is quite understandable, having in mind the efforts of these working dogs. During a journey that lasts from 10 to 15 days (it is no wonder for Alaska that people with dogs cover extremely long distances), huskies need as much as 6 liters of water every day. It is, translated to us, a situation in which a person drinks as much as 72 glasses a day.
Dogs’ needs for fluids will also increase if dry food, such as meat or industrial dehydrated food, predominates in their diet. It contains only ten percent of moisture, and much more is needed for its decomposition. Granules, which we usually give to our pets, also quickly dehydrate the body and slow down digestion, so the dogs that are most often on the menu take more water.
Pets that eat home-cooked food or canned food have a lower need for fluids. The rule is that voracious breeds of dogs, due to the branched menu, drink less compared to breeds that eat less.
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