Here's what happens: Especially in summer or after long walks, Calus's water bowl sometimes stays full, even though he's lying panting on the cool tiles. If we extrapolate from humans to dogs, we'd expect the dog to rush straight to the water bowl after such a summer walk. But what exactly are a dog's fluid needs?
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In this blog, we'll tell you what a dog's daily water requirement is and what factors determine this. We'll also give you tips on how to encourage your dog to drink.
About the author: Lea Reich
Lea is the founder of Alpenwuff and an expert in dog nutrition. Drawing on her extensive scientific training, the development of several Alpenwuff food varieties, and years of experience working with dogs, she summarizes current topics and shares her knowledge in our Alpenwuff blog.
Water needs of dogs: How much should a dog drink?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much your dog should drink per day. The following factors contribute to a dog's water needs :
- Height, body weight and age
- Feeding method
- Activity and
- Outside temperature
Roughly speaking, if you feed your four-legged friend, for example, Alpenwuff dry food , he needs at least 50ml of water per kg of body weight . If you feed him wet food , the required amount of water drops to approximately 5ml per kg of body weight at normal temperatures and with low to moderate activity.
If the temperature is high and/or your dog is very active, he needs about 100ml of water per kg of body weight when fed dry food and 10ml when fed wet food.
The following figure provides an overview:
Now you have an initial indication of how much a dog needs to drink per day and can estimate your dog's fluid needs.
At this point, it's important to reiterate that there's an increased risk of dehydration, especially on hot days and during periods of above-average activity. When dehydrated, your dog loses more water than he consumes. Signs of this can include strange behavior or a very dry nose or gums . Caution is advised here. If your dog's condition worsens, consult a veterinarian immediately.
Sometimes it helps to encourage your dog to drink. Here are a few tips if your dog sometimes doesn't drink enough.
How do I encourage my dog to drink?
If your four-legged friend (like Calu) only drinks water very rarely, you will now receive some practical tips on how to get your dog to drink more water .
The easiest way is to soften some dry food in the water bowl , or add a little water to your wet food. Alternatively, you can also enrich the water with a little broth or carrot juice to make it more flavorful.
It can also be helpful to offer water in various locations throughout your home (and garden ). Also, always make sure the water is at room temperature and not too hot or cold. This makes it easier for your dog to digest.
Also, always make sure you have some water for your beloved four-legged friend with you when you're out and about.
Does a dog always need water?
How much your dog should drink depends on, among other things, their body weight , the type of feeding , their activity level , and the outside temperature . If it's warm or you've had an active day, your dog should drink more. If your dog doesn't drink enough, this can have serious consequences for their health, as the section on dehydration showed.
All in all, it's recommended to give your four-legged friend access to clean drinking water at all times . This is also important when you're on the go . However, keep an eye on how much your dog drinks per day, so you can ensure it's sufficient.
Finally, I hope you were able to learn something about keeping your four-legged friend hydrated. Besides providing enough water, it's also important that your four-legged friend gets high-quality food. You can also read our article oncold-pressed dog food or check out our Alpenwuff dog food .
Conclusion:
A dog's water needs depend on size, body weight, age, feeding type, activity and outside temperature.
"Food without compromise" - We want more dogs to be fed healthy food!
What does "open declaration" mean?
The " open declaration " in the context of dog food refers to the transparent disclosure of information about the composition of the food in terms of the individual ingredients and their processed quantities.
"Open declaration" means that we transparently list all ingredients and their exact percentages in Alpenwuff food. So you always know exactly what's in every bag of Alpenwuff.
An open declaration serves to give pet owners clear information about the food so they can make informed decisions about their daily diet. By reading the declaration, pet owners can determine which main ingredients are contained in the food. This helps to rule out allergens, evaluate the quality of a food, and develop an understanding of a dog's behavior. For example, if a food consists primarily of corn, this is often reflected in its behavior. An open declaration therefore makes it possible to ensure that the food meets the dog's individual needs and promotes its health. In addition, the declaration ideally includes information about the manufacturer and the manufacturing process, which creates confidence in the product quality and traceability of the raw materials.
Why should cold-pressed food be better?
The comparison between extruded and cold-pressed dog food can be shown using several aspects that illustrate the advantages of cold-pressed food:
- Gentle manufacturing process: Cold-pressed feed is produced at lower temperatures (60°C). In contrast, extruded feed is produced at high temperatures (up to 200°C), resulting in a greater loss of natural nutrients.
- Better nutrient preservation: The gentle manufacturing process helps to better preserve the natural nutrients of the ingredients, similar to steam cooking. Due to the gentle temperatures, natural vitamins and nutrients in cold-pressed food remain largely intact.
- Better digestibility: Cold-pressed food breaks down quickly into its components in the dog's stomach and doesn't bloat when exposed to liquid like most extruded food briquettes. This means the nutrients are quickly accessible and digestible. The easier digestibility of cold-pressed food can help dogs experience fewer digestive problems. This leads to less bloating and an overall happier dog.
To what temperature is the food heated?
Our feed is gently cold-pressed at low temperatures to preserve nutrients. The cold press reaches a maximum temperature of approximately 60°C.
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