How much water should a dog drink?
Enter your dog's weight to see how much water a healthy adult dog typically drinks in a day, in cups, ounces and milliliters. A chart by weight follows below.
Range 5.2 to 7.1 cups
- Fluid ounces
- 45 oz
- Milliliters
- 1,331 ml
- Liters
- 1.33 L
Dog water chart by weight
| Dog weight (lb) | Ounces a day | Cups a day | Cups, range | Liters a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 0.6 | 0.6 to 0.8 | 0.15 |
| 10 | 10 | 1.3 | 1.2 to 1.6 | 0.30 |
| 20 | 20 | 2.5 | 2.3 to 3.1 | 0.59 |
| 30 | 30 | 3.8 | 3.5 to 4.7 | 0.89 |
| 40 | 40 | 5.0 | 4.6 to 6.3 | 1.18 |
| 50 | 50 | 6.3 | 5.8 to 7.9 | 1.48 |
| 60 | 60 | 7.5 | 6.9 to 9.4 | 1.77 |
| 80 | 80 | 10.0 | 9.2 to 12.6 | 2.37 |
| 100 | 100 | 12.5 | 11.5 to 15.7 | 2.96 |
One cup here is 8 US fluid ounces (about 237 ml). The range is the spread seen in a study of healthy dogs.
How the estimate works
This is a widely used rule of thumb. A study that measured total water intake in healthy adult dogs on dry food found an average of 71 ml per kg a day, with individual dogs between 60 and 82 ml per kg, and the range above uses those two numbers. Another way to estimate is about 1 to 1.4 ml of water for every calorie the dog eats, which gives similar answers for an average adult dog.
Wet food is mostly water, so dogs that eat it drink less from the bowl. Hot weather, exercise, pregnancy and nursing, and some medicines raise thirst, and puppies drink more for their size.
When to call a vet
A sudden, lasting increase in drinking is worth a call to your vet, since it can be a sign of illness. As a rough guide, drinking far above the range here for several days, for example more than about 100 ml per kg (1.5 oz per lb), is a reason to ask your vet. So is a dog that drinks very little, seems tired, or has dry gums or loses appetite.
Questions
How much water should a dog drink a day?
About 1 fluid ounce per pound of body weight, or around 65 ml per kg. A 50 lb dog would drink about 50 oz, a little over 6 cups.
Does food type matter?
Yes. A dog on dry kibble drinks more than a dog on wet or fresh food, because the food itself carries water. The estimate here is for dry food.
How much water should a puppy drink?
Puppies drink more for their size because they are growing. Keep fresh water available at all times and ask your vet if you are worried about how much your puppy drinks.
Should I limit my dog's water?
Not unless your vet says so. Healthy dogs should have fresh water available all day. Drinking too much too fast right after exercise can make some dogs vomit, so offer small amounts at first.
How much should a dog eat?
Sources
- Zanghi B.M. and Gardner C.L., "Total Water Intake and Urine Measures of Hydration in Adult Dogs Drinking Tap Water or a Nutrient-Enriched Water", Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2018 (average 71 ml per kg a day, range 60 to 82, and about 1.2 to 1.4 ml per kcal). The study was funded by a pet food company and was small, so treat the range as a guide.
Last reviewed 2026-10-26. This page is general information and not veterinary advice.