Border Collie Water Drinking Guide. Border Collie Water Calculator.

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How Much Water Should a Border Collie drink?

Hydrating your hound is very important since water makes up approximately 56 percent of an adult Border Collie`s body weight (73 percent of lean body mass). Water is an essential nutrient for your Border Collie`s existence.

Your Border Collie 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 Border Collie, 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 Border Collie weighs 15.9 Kg (35.0 pounds), and therefore requires 795.5 milliliters (26.9 ounces or 3.4 cups) of water every day, given that your dog is not a very active dog.

Essentially, the amount of water your Border Collie needs a day depends very much on how much your Border Collie weighs.

Also, the amount of water your Border Collie drinks depends on your Border Collie activity level. Very active dogs need more water than inactive dogs.

Use our Border Collie water calculator to estimate how much water your Border Collie should drink every day based on its weight and activity level.

The Border Collie is generally a high-activity level dog breed. So, your Border Collie will drink more water than the regular average dog breed.

Activity Levels in Dogs

To find out how much food you need to be feeding your Border Collie, check out our Border Collie feeding guide and food calculator.

How to Calculate How Much Water Your Border Collie Needs

Enter the weight and activity level of your Border Collie in the Border Collie water calculator below to estimate how much water your Border Collie needs.

Border Collie Water Calculator

Your Border Collie`s Weight:   

Activity Level:




Daily Water requirement:

*1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.588 milliliters

Our Border Collie 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 Border Collies of different activity levels (low, medium, and high) need.

In our calculator, a medium-activity level Border Collie needs one and a half as much water as a low-activity level Border Collie each day. Similarly, a high-activity level Border Collie needs twice as much water as a low-activity level Border Collie needs.

Check out our dog water calculator for all dog breeds here.

One way to improve your Border Collie`s water drinking experience is to buy your dog a water fountain.

A water fountain will also encourage your Border Collie to drink enough water.

This is because the continuously flowing stream of water with a fresh taste from a water fountain will entice your Border Collie to drink enough water.

Furthermore, pet water fountains continuously filter the water that it delivers to your dog. A water fountain ensures that your Border Collie has access to clean fresh filtered water all the time.

Giving your Border Collie water from a fountain is more hygienic than giving your Border Collie 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 Border Collies. These water fountains are durable, made with food-grade materials, and operate very quietly with little noise:

  1. The PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Water Fountain. Click here to check price on Amazon.
    Dog Water Fountain
  2. The Veken Automatic Water Fountain Dog Water Dispenser with Smart Pump. Click here to check price on Amazon.
    Dog Water Fountain
How to measure a cup of water for your Border Collie. Cup available here on Amazon

How Much Water Should a 28-Pound Border Collie Drink?

A 28-pound Border Collie should drink 43.0 ounces (5.4 cups) of water every day.

Border Collies are generally high-activity dogs, and about 43.0 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 28-pound Border Collie needs every day.

However, if your 28-pound Border Collie is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 21.5 ounces of water (2.7 cups) every day.

Similarly, if your 28-pound Border Collie is of medium activity, then it will need about 32.3 ounces of water (4.0 cups) every day.

Use our Border Collie dog water calculator to find out how much water Border Collie should drink at different weights.

Low Activity Medium Activity High Activity
21.5 ounces (2.7 cups) 32.3 ounces (4.0 cups) 43.0 ounces (5.4 cups)
How Much Water a 28-pound Border Collie should drink

How Much Water Should a 24-week-Old Border Collie Drink?

The average weight of 24-week-Old Border Collie is 26 pounds (12.0 kg).

Learn how much 24-week-Old Border Collie should weigh here.

A 26-pound Border Collie should drink 40.0 ounces (5.0 cups) of water every day.

Border Collies are generally high-activity dogs, and about 40.0 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 26-pound Border Collie needs every day.

However, if your 26-pound Border Collie is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 20.0 ounces of water (2.5 cups) every day.

Similarly, if your 26-pound Border Collie is of medium activity, then it will need about 30.0 ounces of water (3.7 cups) every day.

Use our Border Collie dog water calculator to find out how much water Border Collie should drink at different weights.

Low Activity Medium Activity High Activity
20.0 ounces (2.5 cups) 30.0 ounces (3.7 cups) 40.0 ounces (5.0 cups)
How Much Water a 26-pound Border Collie should drink

How Much Water Should a 5-month-Old Border Collie Drink?

The average weight of 5-month-Old Border Collie is 23 pounds (10.5 kg).

Learn how much 5-month-Old Border Collie should weigh here.

A 23-pound Border Collie should drink 35.4 ounces (4.4 cups) of water every day.

Border Collies are generally high-activity dogs, and about 35.4 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 23-pound Border Collie needs every day.

However, if your 23-pound Border Collie is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 17.7 ounces of water (2.2 cups) every day.

Similarly, if your 23-pound Border Collie is of medium activity, then it will need about 26.5 ounces of water (3.3 cups) every day.

Use our Border Collie dog water calculator to find out how much water Border Collie should drink at different weights.

Low Activity Medium Activity High Activity
17.7 ounces (2.2 cups) 26.5 ounces (3.3 cups) 35.4 ounces (4.4 cups)
How Much Water a 23-pound Border Collie should drink

How Much Water Should a 27-week-Old Border Collie Drink?

The average weight of 27-week-Old Border Collie is 28 pounds (12.9 kg).

Learn how much 27-week-Old Border Collie should weigh here.

A 28-pound Border Collie should drink 43.0 ounces (5.4 cups) of water every day.

Border Collies are generally high-activity dogs, and about 43.0 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 28-pound Border Collie needs every day.

However, if your 28-pound Border Collie is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 21.5 ounces of water (2.7 cups) every day.

Similarly, if your 28-pound Border Collie is of medium activity, then it will need about 32.3 ounces of water (4.0 cups) every day.

Use our Border Collie dog water calculator to find out how much water Border Collie should drink at different weights.

Low Activity Medium Activity High Activity
21.5 ounces (2.7 cups) 32.3 ounces (4.0 cups) 43.0 ounces (5.4 cups)
How Much Water a 28-pound Border Collie should drink

How Much Water Should a 4-month-Old Border Collie Drink?

The average weight of 4-month-Old Border Collie is 19 pounds (8.7 kg).

Learn how much 4-month-Old Border Collie should weigh here.

A 19-pound Border Collie should drink 29.2 ounces (3.7 cups) of water every day.

Border Collies are generally high-activity dogs, and about 29.2 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 19-pound Border Collie needs every day.

However, if your 19-pound Border Collie is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 14.6 ounces of water (1.8 cups) every day.

Similarly, if your 19-pound Border Collie is of medium activity, then it will need about 21.9 ounces of water (2.7 cups) every day.

Use our Border Collie dog water calculator to find out how much water Border Collie should drink at different weights.

Low Activity Medium Activity High Activity
14.6 ounces (1.8 cups) 21.9 ounces (2.7 cups) 29.2 ounces (3.7 cups)
How Much Water a 19-pound Border Collie should drink

Other Factors that Affects How Much Water Your Border Collie Needs

In addition to its weight and activity level, your Border Collie may need more or less water depending on other factors in your Border Collie`s life such as:

  • The weather: Border Collies need more water during the hot summer than in the cold winter.
  • Your Border Collie`s Diet: Border Collies that eat moist/wet food will require less water than Border Collies that eat dry food (kibble). Wet dog food contains 65-80% water, while dry dog food contains 10-12% water.
  • Your Border Collie`s age: Senior Border Collies are generally more laid back than younger Border Collies, therefore senior Border Collies need less water.
  • Pregnant Border Collies and lactating Border Collies: These need more water than normal.
  • Border Collies on Medication: Certain medications may make your Border Collie drink more water.

Border Collie Not Drinking Enough Water

If your Border Collie is not drinking enough water, then your Border Collie is at risk of dehydration, and the problems that come with dehydration.

Problems that come with your Border Collie not drinking enough water include urinary tract issues like kidney stones and organ failure.

Your Border Collie may be drinking less water than usual because of the following reasons:

  • Your Border Collie has limited access to fresh clean water.
  • You changed your Border Collie`s food (e.g. from dry food to wet food)
  • You changed your Border Collie`s water source
  • The weather is cooler than it used to be
  • Your Border Collie is less active than it used to be
  • Your Border Collie is growing old

If none of these applies to your Border Collie, then it might be that your Border Collie has an underlying health condition and you might want to talk to your vet.

Also, your Border Collie 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 Border Collie is a picky drinker as such, then you should consider getting your Border Collie a water fountain like one of these. A water fountain will entice your Border Collie to drink water. With a water fountain, you can be sure that your Border Collie 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 Border Collie might not be drinking enough water.

Check your Border Collie`s mouth for any oral infection. When checking your Border Collie`s mouth, pay attention to the smell of your Border Collie`s breath to make sure that your Border Collie does not have bad breath as bad breath could be a sign of oral infection.

Furthermore, if you recently changed your Border Collie`s water source, and your Border Collie starts drinking less water, then you might want to change back to the old source.

Border Collie Drinking Too Much Water

Your Border Collie may be drinking too much water simply because you give it unrestricted access to water. Also, your Border Collie may be drinking too much because it has a health problem such as diabetes.

If your Border Collie is drinking too much water, then your Border Collie 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 Border Collie 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 Border Collie is drinking too much water, then your Border Collie will need to urinate frequently and take unnecessary bathroom breaks. This can be an inconvenience for your if you have to take your Border Collie out of the house for its bathroom breaks.

If your Border Collie is drinking too much water for no obvious reason, talk to your vet. However, if your Border Collie is drinking too much water because it has access to water, then limit your Border Collie`s access to water.

Do Border Collies Drink a Lot of Water?

The amount of water a Border Collie needs is proportional to the Border Collie`s body weight and activity level. Older bigger adult Border Collies drink a lot of water compared to younger smaller Border Collies.

Also, Border Collies that are not very active drink a lot less water than very active Border Collies. Also, Border Collies drink lots of water in the hot summer months than in the cold winter months.

To find how much water your Border Collie should be drinking, use our Border Collie dog water calculator to estimate your Border Collie`s daily water needs.

How to Tell if Your Border Collie is Drinking Too Much, Too Little, or Enough Water

A simple way to check if your Border Collie 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 Border Collie`s bowl so that your Border Collie can drink water without a limit.

Then, in the evening, measure the amount of water left in your Border Collie`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 Border Collie has drunk.

Finally, use our Border Collie 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 Border Collie water with a water fountain.

How To Tell If Your Border Collie is Dehydrated

If your Border Collie 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 Border Collie. 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 Border Collie in good health, you need to keep your Border Collie hydrated. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on your Border Collie`s water intake to make sure your Border Collie is getting the right amount of water that it needs.

To encourage your Border Collie to drink enough water, make sure that your Border Collie has access to clean water all the time.

A good way to ensure your Border Collie has clean water available to it is to invest in a good water fountain like one of these.

If you think your Border Collie is drinking an unusual amount of water (too much or too little), then do not hesitate to speak with a pet vet.