How much water does a dog need? Why a dried treat and a full bowl go together

Every dried treat we make is fed alongside a bowl of fresh water, and that is not a throwaway line on the bag. Water is the nutrient a dog cannot go without for long. A healthy adult in mild weather drinks somewhere around 44 to 66 millilitres per kilogram of body weight a day, so a 20 kg dog is in the region of a litre, and more when it is hot or the dog has been running. Dried food and dried treats have had most of their water taken out, which means the dog makes it up at the bowl. Keep the bowl full, clean and easy to reach, and the rest looks after itself.

How much water does a dog drink in a day?

Veterinary references put the figure for most mammals at roughly 44 to 66 millilitres per kilogram a day in comfortable conditions (MSD Veterinary Manual). For a 5 kg terrier that is a cup or so. For a 30 kg labrador it is closer to a litre and a half, sometimes two. Treat those numbers as a range, not a target. Diet, weather, exercise, age and health all move the number, and a dog with steady access to water is very good at settling on the right amount by itself.

That last point matters. The advice from vets and from the RSPCA is the same: fresh water available at all times, no rationing. The National Research Council's 2006 nutrient requirements treat water as an essential nutrient alongside protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, and a healthy dog does not overdrink for the sake of it. A dog that suddenly drinks far more, or far less, than usual is telling you something, and that is a change worth mentioning to your vet.

Do dried treats make a dog drink more?

Yes, a little, and it is worth understanding why. Fresh meat is mostly water. Canned food sits somewhere between 60 and 87 percent moisture, and dry kibble between 3 and 11 percent (MSD Veterinary Manual). A naturally dried treat lands at the dry end, because drying is exactly how it keeps without a preservative. A dog eating mostly dry food gets less water from its meals and drinks more to balance it, which is normal and expected.

So a handful of kangaroo jerky or a long session on a beef tendon is not a problem for hydration. It is simply food that arrives without its water, and the bowl supplies the difference. The one habit we would ask for: check the bowl after a chew, not just at mealtimes. Chewing is thirsty work, and the dog will want a drink when it is done.

How do you know a dog is drinking enough?

Look at the bowl and look at the dog. A bowl that goes down steadily through the day is the first sign. On the dog, gums should be moist and pink, and the skin at the back of the neck should fall back flat when gently lifted rather than staying tented. Pale or tacky gums, unusual lethargy or a dog that stops drinking altogether are reasons to call your vet, not to wait.

The practical fixes are small. Wash the bowl daily, since a slimy bowl puts some dogs off. Put a second bowl somewhere else in the house or yard, because more than one source encourages drinking. In hot weather, refresh it more often and keep it in the shade. On walks and in the car, carry water and offer it, especially if a treat is going in the pocket for the trip.

None of this changes how much treat a dog should have: under about 10% of the day's food, whatever the cut. Everything in the Pudel range is naturally dried and carries the same instruction on the bag: fresh water always. It is the simplest thing on the label and the one that matters most.

Every dog is different. For an ongoing issue, your vet is the first call. This is general information, not veterinary advice.

Keep reading: How many treats can a dog have a day? The 10% rule, explained · How to store air-dried dog treats: cupboard, not fridge

Sources

• MSD Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. msdvetmanual.com
• RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase. What should I feed my dog? kb.rspca.org.au
• National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. The National Academies Press. doi.org/10.17226/10668

Pudel · Reviewed September 2026 · Single protein, naturally dried dog treats, made in Australia. General information, not veterinary advice.