Proven Ways to Get Your Dog to Drink More Water

Do you have growing concerns over your dog’s lack of drinking in the past day? Is this happening even though your dog has access to a bowl or dish full of water right in front of him? Here are some tips to get your dog to drink more water although how effective these tips are will depend on the reason why your dog isn’t drinking as much.

1. Rule of Medical and Health Conditions

First, it’s important to rule out any medical conditions that could discourage your dog from drinking more water. Kidney disease, urinary tract infection, and pancreatitis are just a few examples of medical conditions that could make your dog less thirsty. If you notice any other concerning symptoms, such as lethargic body movement and diarrhea, then we strongly suggest calling the vet to ensure the lack of water-drinking isn’t a result of sickness.

2. The Water isn’t Fresh

Just like us, dogs like having access to clean and fresh water. Who doesn’t like drinking nice, cold water after a long day? The dog might not be drinking because the water in the bowl is stale and has debris floating like dog hair and leftover food particles. We suggest you replace the drinking water on a regular basis if you haven’t already been doing so. For a more automated solution, it may help to get a dog drinking fountain, which provides a continuous stream of fresh, running water.

3. The Water Bowl is too Low

Your dog might not be drinking as much water as he needs to because the elevation of the bowl is putting too much strain on his neck. This is especially applicable to older dogs that are susceptible to joint diseases like arthritis. Ideally, you should get a bowl that allows the dog to not bend down as much while drinking. Keep in mind, however, that there could be certain drawbacks to using elevated dog bowls. Studies have found that elevated dog bowls could be linked to the development of bloat for larger-breed dogs for example.

4. Difference in Dry and Wet Food

The type of food your dog eats can impact his drinking behavior. For example, dogs that are primarily fed wet food won’t need to drink as much water because they already get plenty of moisture from the wet food. Dogs on a dry food diet, on the other hand, will need to drink water to keep themselves hydrated. As a general rule of thumb, dogs should drink 2.5 times the amount of dry food they eat.