The Importance of Hydration: Creative Ways to Get Your Dog to Drink More Water

You fill the water bowl. Your dog takes one look at it, sniffs the air, and walks off to lie in a sunny spot. You check it an hour later. Barely touched.

Sound familiar?

Lots of dogs don't drink enough plain water. Not because something is wrong with them, but because water is, let's be honest, a bit dull. In winter that's usually fine. But when the summer heat kicks in, it becomes a real problem. Dehydration puts pressure on your dog's kidneys and bladder, and it can get serious faster than you'd think.

The good news is that getting your dog to drink more isn't hard. Some of the best tricks use things you've already got at home.

Water does a lot more than just quench thirst. Your dog's body uses it for almost everything: keeping cool, flushing out waste through the kidneys, keeping joints moving, and helping with digestion.

When a dog doesn't drink enough, the kidneys feel it first. They need a good supply of water to work properly. Over time, not drinking enough can damage kidney tissue and make urinary infections and bladder problems much more likely. Both of those are painful and expensive to deal with.

As a rough guide, dogs need about 50 to 60 millilitres of water for every kilogram they weigh, each day. A 10kg Cocker Spaniel needs around 500 to 600ml daily. That goes up in hot weather, after exercise, or if your dog eats dry kibble, which has almost no water in it at all.

Many dogs just don't drink enough on their own. It's our job to make it easy and appealing for them.

You don't need to go to the vet for a basic check. There are two simple tests you can do at home.

The scruff test

Gently pinch the loose skin on the back of your dog's neck, lift it a little, then let go. If your dog is well hydrated, the skin bounces straight back. If it moves back slowly, or stays slightly raised for a second, that's a sign they need more water. This test doesn't work perfectly on all breeds, especially older dogs or those with very loose skin, but it's a good starting point.

Check the gums

Press one finger gently onto your dog's gums, then take it away. The spot should go pale, then turn back to a healthy pink within about two seconds. If the gums feel dry or sticky instead of wet and smooth, your dog likely needs more fluid. Very pale, grey, or bluish gums are a sign to call the vet straight away.

Other things to look out for: your dog seems more tired than usual, their eyes look a little sunken, they're weeing less, or their wee is darker than normal.

Here's where it gets fun. If your dog turns their nose up at a plain water bowl, try some of these ideas.

This one is a summer favourite for a reason. It works really well for dogs who love food and treats.

Pour some dog-safe, low-salt stock into an ice cube tray or silicone mould. You can also use Beef Bone Broth or plain water with a few blueberries or bits of cucumber. Pop them in the freezer overnight and give one to your dog during the hottest part of the day.

The cold is refreshing, the flavour gets their attention, and as the lolly melts they take on water without any fuss. It's basically a treat that secretly hydrates them.

If your dog eats dry food, try adding a small splash of warm water to each meal. It's one of the easiest ways to top up their fluid intake, especially for dogs who don't drink much from a bowl. Warm water also brings out the smell of the food, which can make meals feel more exciting.

You can take it a step further by mixing in a little Beef Bone Broth Powder or Goats Milk Powder. Most dogs go mad for the flavour, and both give a nutritional boost on top of the extra hydration. Goats milk is naturally high in electrolytes, which is really useful when the weather is warm.

Some dogs are put off by the taste of plain tap water, especially if it smells of chlorine. Try adding a small amount of Beef Bone Broth Powder to fresh water to give it a light, appealing flavour. You're not making soup, just a gentle hint of something tasty is enough to get them drinking more throughout the day.

If your dog is very fussy about tap water, try filtered water or water that's been boiled and cooled.

A lot of dogs don't drink simply because the bowl is too far away or in the wrong spot. Try putting two or three bowls in different places around the house and garden. One near their bed, one in the living room, one outside. Making water easier to reach really does make a difference.

Moving water is much more interesting to many dogs than still water sitting in a bowl. A pet fountain keeps water flowing, which also keeps it cool and fresh. For dogs who've never been great drinkers, a fountain can genuinely change their habits.

Two of our favourite tools for boosting fluid intake are Beef Bone Broth and Goats Milk Powder, and both are brilliant in summer.

Beef Bone Broth Powder is packed with natural collagen, amino acids, and minerals. Add it to your dog's water bowl (and stir) or stir it into their food, and suddenly water becomes something they actively want. You can also freeze it in moulds or lolly trays for a summer treat that keeps them licking and hydrating at the same time.

Goats Milk Powder mixed with water makes a natural, electrolyte-rich drink that's great for kidney health and gut health at the same time. It's easy on sensitive stomachs, simple to digest, and most dogs love it. It's a brilliant option after a long walk or on really hot days when your dog needs to take on fluid quickly.

Both products support your dog's digestive health as well as their hydration. To find out more about how gut health and fluid intake are linked, take a look at our digestive health guides.

Keeping your dog well hydrated is one of the best things you can do for their urinary health. When your dog drinks plenty, their urine stays dilute, which helps flush bacteria and mineral deposits out of the bladder before they can cause problems. Dogs who drink well are much less likely to get urinary infections or develop bladder stones.

This is particularly important for female dogs, who are more likely to get urinary infections, and for certain breeds like Dalmatians, Miniature Schnauzers, and Bichon Frises, who are more prone to bladder crystals.

If your dog is already showing signs of discomfort when weeing, going to the toilet more often than normal, or if their wee looks cloudy or has blood in it, see your vet. Good hydration helps prevent problems, but it can't treat an infection or blockage that's already there.

A dog who isn't drinking enough is putting their kidneys under pressure every single day. In the summer months, when it's hot and your dog's body needs more water than ever, that really matters.

You don't need fancy equipment or a complicated routine. A bit of flavour, a few extra bowls, and the odd frozen treat can make all the difference.

Pick one idea from this list and try it today. Your dog's kidneys will thank you, even if your dog doesn't.