Quick Links: Table of Contents
- How Much Water Should a Belgian Sheepdog drink?
- How to Calculate How Much Water Your Belgian Sheepdog Needs
- Belgian Sheepdog Water Calculator
- How Much Water Should a 37-Pound Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 12-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 6-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 30-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 9-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
- Other Factors that Affects How Much Water Your Belgian Sheepdog Needs
- Belgian Sheepdog Not Drinking Enough Water
- Belgian Sheepdog Drinking Too Much Water
- Do Belgian Sheepdogs Drink a Lot of Water?
- How to Tell if Your Belgian Sheepdog is Drinking Too Much, Too Little, or Enough Water
- How To Tell If Your Belgian Sheepdog is Dehydrated
- Conclusion
How Much Water Should a Belgian Sheepdog drink?
Hydrating your hound is very important since water makes up approximately 56 percent of an adult Belgian Sheepdog`s body weight (73 percent of lean body mass). Water is an essential nutrient for your Belgian Sheepdog`s existence.
Your Belgian Sheepdog needs to drink the right amount of water that suits its age, weight, and activity level.
Drinking too much water is not good for your Belgian Sheepdog, and neither is drinking too little water.
According to the recommendations by the vets at PetMD, a dog should drink, in milliliters, 50 times its weight in kilograms. That is, a 10 kg dog needs 500 milliliters of water (2.1 cups).
An adult Belgian Sheepdog weighs 24.9 Kg (55.0 pounds), and therefore requires 1250.0 milliliters (42.3 ounces or 5.3 cups) of water every day, given that your dog is not a very active dog.
Essentially, the amount of water your Belgian Sheepdog needs a day depends very much on how much your Belgian Sheepdog weighs.
Also, the amount of water your Belgian Sheepdog drinks depends on your Belgian Sheepdog activity level. Very active dogs need more water than inactive dogs.
Use our Belgian Sheepdog water calculator to estimate how much water your Belgian Sheepdog should drink every day based on its weight and activity level.
The Belgian Sheepdog is generally a high-activity level dog breed. So, your Belgian Sheepdog will drink more water than the regular average dog breed.
To find out how much food you need to be feeding your Belgian Sheepdog, check out our Belgian Sheepdog feeding guide and food calculator.
How to Calculate How Much Water Your Belgian Sheepdog Needs
Enter the weight and activity level of your Belgian Sheepdog in the Belgian Sheepdog water calculator below to estimate how much water your Belgian Sheepdog needs.
Belgian Sheepdog Water Calculator
*1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.588 milliliters
Our Belgian Sheepdog water calculator above is based on the dog water drinking recommendation provided by the vets at PedMD.com.
However, PetMD`s recommendation applies only to dogs with low activity levels.
However, our calculator goes further to provide recommendations on how much water Belgian Sheepdogs of different activity levels (low, medium, and high) need.
In our calculator, a medium-activity level Belgian Sheepdog needs one and a half as much water as a low-activity level Belgian Sheepdog each day. Similarly, a high-activity level Belgian Sheepdog needs twice as much water as a low-activity level Belgian Sheepdog needs.
Check out our dog water calculator for all dog breeds here.
One way to improve your Belgian Sheepdog`s water drinking experience is to buy your dog a water fountain.
A water fountain will also encourage your Belgian Sheepdog to drink enough water.
This is because the continuously flowing stream of water with a fresh taste from a water fountain will entice your Belgian Sheepdog to drink enough water.
Furthermore, pet water fountains continuously filter the water that it delivers to your dog. A water fountain ensures that your Belgian Sheepdog has access to clean fresh filtered water all the time.
Giving your Belgian Sheepdog water from a fountain is more hygienic than giving your Belgian Sheepdog water from a water bowl.This is because water in the water bowl usually lays around all day, getting polluted as it lays around.
Here are the best water fountains that we recommend for your Belgian Sheepdogs. These water fountains are durable, made with food-grade materials, and operate very quietly with little noise:
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The PetSafe Drinkwell 2 Gallon Pet Fountain with Adjustable Stream. Click here to check price on Amazon.
Dog Water Fountain
How Much Water Should a 37-Pound Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
A 37-pound Belgian Sheepdog should drink 56.9 ounces (7.1 cups) of water every day.
Belgian Sheepdogs are generally high-activity dogs, and about 56.9 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 37-pound Belgian Sheepdog needs every day.
However, if your 37-pound Belgian Sheepdog is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 28.4 ounces of water (3.6 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 37-pound Belgian Sheepdog is of medium activity, then it will need about 42.7 ounces of water (5.3 cups) every day.
Use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to find out how much water Belgian Sheepdog should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 28.4 ounces (3.6 cups) | 42.7 ounces (5.3 cups) | 56.9 ounces (7.1 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 12-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
The average weight of 12-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog is 21 pounds (9.6 kg).
Learn how much 12-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog should weigh here.
A 21-pound Belgian Sheepdog should drink 32.3 ounces (4.0 cups) of water every day.
Belgian Sheepdogs are generally high-activity dogs, and about 32.3 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 21-pound Belgian Sheepdog needs every day.
However, if your 21-pound Belgian Sheepdog is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 16.1 ounces of water (2.0 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 21-pound Belgian Sheepdog is of medium activity, then it will need about 24.2 ounces of water (3.0 cups) every day.
Use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to find out how much water Belgian Sheepdog should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 16.1 ounces (2.0 cups) | 24.2 ounces (3.0 cups) | 32.3 ounces (4.0 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 6-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
The average weight of 6-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog is 40 pounds (18.1 kg).
Learn how much 6-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog should weigh here.
A 40-pound Belgian Sheepdog should drink 61.5 ounces (7.7 cups) of water every day.
Belgian Sheepdogs are generally high-activity dogs, and about 61.5 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 40-pound Belgian Sheepdog needs every day.
However, if your 40-pound Belgian Sheepdog is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 30.7 ounces of water (3.8 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 40-pound Belgian Sheepdog is of medium activity, then it will need about 46.1 ounces of water (5.8 cups) every day.
Use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to find out how much water Belgian Sheepdog should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 30.7 ounces (3.8 cups) | 46.1 ounces (5.8 cups) | 61.5 ounces (7.7 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 30-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
The average weight of 30-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog is 46 pounds (20.6 kg).
Learn how much 30-week-Old Belgian Sheepdog should weigh here.
A 46-pound Belgian Sheepdog should drink 70.7 ounces (8.8 cups) of water every day.
Belgian Sheepdogs are generally high-activity dogs, and about 70.7 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 46-pound Belgian Sheepdog needs every day.
However, if your 46-pound Belgian Sheepdog is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 35.4 ounces of water (4.4 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 46-pound Belgian Sheepdog is of medium activity, then it will need about 53.0 ounces of water (6.6 cups) every day.
Use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to find out how much water Belgian Sheepdog should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 35.4 ounces (4.4 cups) | 53.0 ounces (6.6 cups) | 70.7 ounces (8.8 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 9-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog Drink?
The average weight of 9-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog is 49 pounds (22.4 kg).
Learn how much 9-month-Old Belgian Sheepdog should weigh here.
A 49-pound Belgian Sheepdog should drink 75.3 ounces (9.4 cups) of water every day.
Belgian Sheepdogs are generally high-activity dogs, and about 75.3 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 49-pound Belgian Sheepdog needs every day.
However, if your 49-pound Belgian Sheepdog is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 37.7 ounces of water (4.7 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 49-pound Belgian Sheepdog is of medium activity, then it will need about 56.5 ounces of water (7.1 cups) every day.
Use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to find out how much water Belgian Sheepdog should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 37.7 ounces (4.7 cups) | 56.5 ounces (7.1 cups) | 75.3 ounces (9.4 cups) |
Other Factors that Affects How Much Water Your Belgian Sheepdog Needs
In addition to its weight and activity level, your Belgian Sheepdog may need more or less water depending on other factors in your Belgian Sheepdog`s life such as:
- The weather: Belgian Sheepdogs need more water during the hot summer than in the cold winter.
- Your Belgian Sheepdog`s Diet: Belgian Sheepdogs that eat moist/wet food will require less water than Belgian Sheepdogs that eat dry food (kibble). Wet dog food contains 65-80% water, while dry dog food contains 10-12% water.
- Your Belgian Sheepdog`s age: Senior Belgian Sheepdogs are generally more laid back than younger Belgian Sheepdogs, therefore senior Belgian Sheepdogs need less water.
- Pregnant Belgian Sheepdogs and lactating Belgian Sheepdogs: These need more water than normal.
- Belgian Sheepdogs on Medication: Certain medications may make your Belgian Sheepdog drink more water.
Belgian Sheepdog Not Drinking Enough Water
If your Belgian Sheepdog is not drinking enough water, then your Belgian Sheepdog is at risk of dehydration, and the problems that come with dehydration.
Problems that come with your Belgian Sheepdog not drinking enough water include urinary tract issues like kidney stones and organ failure.
Your Belgian Sheepdog may be drinking less water than usual because of the following reasons:
- Your Belgian Sheepdog has limited access to fresh clean water.
- You changed your Belgian Sheepdog`s food (e.g. from dry food to wet food)
- You changed your Belgian Sheepdog`s water source
- The weather is cooler than it used to be
- Your Belgian Sheepdog is less active than it used to be
- Your Belgian Sheepdog is growing old
If none of these applies to your Belgian Sheepdog, then it might be that your Belgian Sheepdog has an underlying health condition and you might want to talk to your vet.
Also, your Belgian Sheepdog may drink less water if it does not have access to clean fresh water always.
Some dogs are picky drinkers, and they won`t drink water that is not fresh or water with dirt and debris in it.
If your Belgian Sheepdog is a picky drinker as such, then you should consider getting your Belgian Sheepdog a water fountain like one of these. A water fountain will entice your Belgian Sheepdog to drink water. With a water fountain, you can be sure that your Belgian Sheepdog will have access to fresh clean water always.
Also, oral infections such as tooth decay, gum decay, and broken tooth are some of the reasons your Belgian Sheepdog might not be drinking enough water.
Check your Belgian Sheepdog`s mouth for any oral infection. When checking your Belgian Sheepdog`s mouth, pay attention to the smell of your Belgian Sheepdog`s breath to make sure that your Belgian Sheepdog does not have bad breath as bad breath could be a sign of oral infection.
Furthermore, if you recently changed your Belgian Sheepdog`s water source, and your Belgian Sheepdog starts drinking less water, then you might want to change back to the old source.
Belgian Sheepdog Drinking Too Much Water
Your Belgian Sheepdog may be drinking too much water simply because you give it unrestricted access to water. Also, your Belgian Sheepdog may be drinking too much because it has a health problem such as diabetes.
If your Belgian Sheepdog is drinking too much water, then your Belgian Sheepdog is at risk of overhydration and the problems that come with overhydration.
Problems that come with water overhydration in dogs include staggering, loss of coordination, vomiting, dilated pupils, over salivation, and stomach bloat.
Excessive and unexplainable thirst in your dog is called polydipsia. Polydipsia makes your dog drink more.
Ordinarily, when your Belgian Sheepdog drinks too much water for just a day or two, there may be nothing to be worried about. However, if this condition persists, you should see a veterinarian.
Also, if your Belgian Sheepdog is drinking too much water, then your Belgian Sheepdog will need to urinate frequently and take unnecessary bathroom breaks. This can be an inconvenience for your if you have to take your Belgian Sheepdog out of the house for its bathroom breaks.
If your Belgian Sheepdog is drinking too much water for no obvious reason, talk to your vet. However, if your Belgian Sheepdog is drinking too much water because it has access to water, then limit your Belgian Sheepdog`s access to water.
Do Belgian Sheepdogs Drink a Lot of Water?
The amount of water a Belgian Sheepdog needs is proportional to the Belgian Sheepdog`s body weight and activity level. Older bigger adult Belgian Sheepdogs drink a lot of water compared to younger smaller Belgian Sheepdogs.
Also, Belgian Sheepdogs that are not very active drink a lot less water than very active Belgian Sheepdogs. Also, Belgian Sheepdogs drink lots of water in the hot summer months than in the cold winter months.
To find how much water your Belgian Sheepdog should be drinking, use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to estimate your Belgian Sheepdog`s daily water needs.
How to Tell if Your Belgian Sheepdog is Drinking Too Much, Too Little, or Enough Water
A simple way to check if your Belgian Sheepdog is drinking too much, too little or enough water is to first measure a large volume of water (many cups).
Then, at the start of the day, pour this water into your Belgian Sheepdog`s bowl so that your Belgian Sheepdog can drink water without a limit.
Then, in the evening, measure the amount of water left in your Belgian Sheepdog`s water bowl.
Then, subtract the amount of water left in the bowl in the evening from the initial amount of water that you put in the bowl in the morning. This will give you how much water your Belgian Sheepdog has drunk.
Finally, use our Belgian Sheepdog dog water calculator to check to see how the amount of water your dog has drunk compares with how much water your dog should be drinking for its size and its activity level.
This will tell you if your dog is drinking too much, too little, or just enough water.
Then you can switch to giving your Belgian Sheepdog water with a water fountain.
How To Tell If Your Belgian Sheepdog is Dehydrated
If your Belgian Sheepdog is not drinking enough water she may become dehydrated. Dehydration in dogs can have mild to severe consequences. Always be on the watch to prevent the accidental dehydration of your Belgian Sheepdog. Here are ways to know if your dog is dehydrated:
- Check her gums: Press on her gums and release it; if it quickly becomes pink back, she is not dehydrated. If it remains white, she may be dehydrated.
- Loss of skin elasticity: You can check your dog`s hydration level by pinching her skin. If her skin goes flat right away, that is a sign that your dog is properly hydrated. However, if it takes several seconds for your dog`s skin to go flat after a pinch, then that could be a sign that your dog is dehydrated.
- Weakness and low activity: A dehydrated dog will be weaker and less active than usual.
- Dry mouth: If your dog`s mouth is dry or if your dog salivates less, then she may be dehydrated and need water.
- Dry Nose
Conclusion
To keep your Belgian Sheepdog in good health, you need to keep your Belgian Sheepdog hydrated. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on your Belgian Sheepdog`s water intake to make sure your Belgian Sheepdog is getting the right amount of water that it needs.
To encourage your Belgian Sheepdog to drink enough water, make sure that your Belgian Sheepdog has access to clean water all the time.
A good way to ensure your Belgian Sheepdog has clean water available to it is to invest in a good water fountain like one of these.
If you think your Belgian Sheepdog is drinking an unusual amount of water (too much or too little), then do not hesitate to speak with a pet vet.