Quick Links: Table of Contents
- How Much Water Should a Shiba Inu drink?
- How to Calculate How Much Water Your Shiba Inu Needs
- Shiba Inu Water Calculator
- How Much Water Should a 9-Pound Shiba Inu Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 17-week-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 12-month-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 17-week-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
- How Much Water Should a 13-month-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
- Other Factors that Affects How Much Water Your Shiba Inu Needs
- Shiba Inu Not Drinking Enough Water
- Shiba Inu Drinking Too Much Water
- Do Shiba Inus Drink a Lot of Water?
- How to Tell if Your Shiba Inu is Drinking Too Much, Too Little, or Enough Water
- How To Tell If Your Shiba Inu is Dehydrated
- Conclusion
How Much Water Should a Shiba Inu drink?
Hydrating your hound is very important since water makes up approximately 56 percent of an adult Shiba Inu`s body weight (73 percent of lean body mass). Water is an essential nutrient for your Shiba Inu`s existence.
Your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu, 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 Shiba Inu weighs 8.6 Kg (19.0 pounds), and therefore requires 431.8 milliliters (14.6 ounces or 1.8 cups) of water every day, given that your dog is not a very active dog.
Essentially, the amount of water your Shiba Inu needs a day depends very much on how much your Shiba Inu weighs.
Also, the amount of water your Shiba Inu drinks depends on your Shiba Inu activity level. Very active dogs need more water than inactive dogs.
Use our Shiba Inu water calculator to estimate how much water your Shiba Inu should drink every day based on its weight and activity level.
The Shiba Inu is generally a high-activity level dog breed. So, your Shiba Inu will drink more water than the regular average dog breed.
To find out how much food you need to be feeding your Shiba Inu, check out our Shiba Inu feeding guide and food calculator.
How to Calculate How Much Water Your Shiba Inu Needs
Enter the weight and activity level of your Shiba Inu in the Shiba Inu water calculator below to estimate how much water your Shiba Inu needs.
Shiba Inu Water Calculator
*1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.588 milliliters
Our Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inus of different activity levels (low, medium, and high) need.
In our calculator, a medium-activity level Shiba Inu needs one and a half as much water as a low-activity level Shiba Inu each day. Similarly, a high-activity level Shiba Inu needs twice as much water as a low-activity level Shiba Inu needs.
Check out our dog water calculator for all dog breeds here.
One way to improve your Shiba Inu`s water drinking experience is to buy your dog a water fountain.
A water fountain will also encourage your Shiba Inu to drink enough water.
This is because the continuously flowing stream of water with a fresh taste from a water fountain will entice your Shiba Inu to drink enough water.
Furthermore, pet water fountains continuously filter the water that it delivers to your dog. A water fountain ensures that your Shiba Inu has access to clean fresh filtered water all the time.
Giving your Shiba Inu water from a fountain is more hygienic than giving your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inus. These water fountains are durable, made with food-grade materials, and operate very quietly with little noise:
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The PetSafe Drinkwell Platinum Water Fountain. Click here to check price on Amazon.
Dog Water Fountain -
The Veken Automatic Water Fountain Dog Water Dispenser with Smart Pump. Click here to check price on Amazon.
Dog Water Fountain
How Much Water Should a 9-Pound Shiba Inu Drink?
A 9-pound Shiba Inu should drink 13.8 ounces (1.7 cups) of water every day.
Shiba Inus are generally high-activity dogs, and about 13.8 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 9-pound Shiba Inu needs every day.
However, if your 9-pound Shiba Inu is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 6.9 ounces of water (0.9 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 9-pound Shiba Inu is of medium activity, then it will need about 10.4 ounces of water (1.3 cups) every day.
Use our Shiba Inu dog water calculator to find out how much water Shiba Inu should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 6.9 ounces (0.9 cups) | 10.4 ounces (1.3 cups) | 13.8 ounces (1.7 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 17-week-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
The average weight of 17-week-Old Shiba Inu is 12 pounds (5.5 kg).
Learn how much 17-week-Old Shiba Inu should weigh here.
A 12-pound Shiba Inu should drink 18.4 ounces (2.3 cups) of water every day.
Shiba Inus are generally high-activity dogs, and about 18.4 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 12-pound Shiba Inu needs every day.
However, if your 12-pound Shiba Inu is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 9.2 ounces of water (1.2 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 12-pound Shiba Inu is of medium activity, then it will need about 13.8 ounces of water (1.7 cups) every day.
Use our Shiba Inu dog water calculator to find out how much water Shiba Inu should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 9.2 ounces (1.2 cups) | 13.8 ounces (1.7 cups) | 18.4 ounces (2.3 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 12-month-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
The average weight of 12-month-Old Shiba Inu is 20 pounds (8.9 kg).
Learn how much 12-month-Old Shiba Inu should weigh here.
A 20-pound Shiba Inu should drink 30.7 ounces (3.8 cups) of water every day.
Shiba Inus are generally high-activity dogs, and about 30.7 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 20-pound Shiba Inu needs every day.
However, if your 20-pound Shiba Inu is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 15.4 ounces of water (1.9 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 20-pound Shiba Inu is of medium activity, then it will need about 23.1 ounces of water (2.9 cups) every day.
Use our Shiba Inu dog water calculator to find out how much water Shiba Inu should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 15.4 ounces (1.9 cups) | 23.1 ounces (2.9 cups) | 30.7 ounces (3.8 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 17-week-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
The average weight of 17-week-Old Shiba Inu is 12 pounds (5.5 kg).
Learn how much 17-week-Old Shiba Inu should weigh here.
A 12-pound Shiba Inu should drink 18.4 ounces (2.3 cups) of water every day.
Shiba Inus are generally high-activity dogs, and about 18.4 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 12-pound Shiba Inu needs every day.
However, if your 12-pound Shiba Inu is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 9.2 ounces of water (1.2 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 12-pound Shiba Inu is of medium activity, then it will need about 13.8 ounces of water (1.7 cups) every day.
Use our Shiba Inu dog water calculator to find out how much water Shiba Inu should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 9.2 ounces (1.2 cups) | 13.8 ounces (1.7 cups) | 18.4 ounces (2.3 cups) |
How Much Water Should a 13-month-Old Shiba Inu Drink?
The average weight of 13-month-Old Shiba Inu is 20 pounds (9.0 kg).
Learn how much 13-month-Old Shiba Inu should weigh here.
A 20-pound Shiba Inu should drink 30.7 ounces (3.8 cups) of water every day.
Shiba Inus are generally high-activity dogs, and about 30.7 ounces is the amount of water a High Activity Level 20-pound Shiba Inu needs every day.
However, if your 20-pound Shiba Inu is a low-activity dog, then it will need about 15.4 ounces of water (1.9 cups) every day.
Similarly, if your 20-pound Shiba Inu is of medium activity, then it will need about 23.1 ounces of water (2.9 cups) every day.
Use our Shiba Inu dog water calculator to find out how much water Shiba Inu should drink at different weights.
| Low Activity | Medium Activity | High Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 15.4 ounces (1.9 cups) | 23.1 ounces (2.9 cups) | 30.7 ounces (3.8 cups) |
Other Factors that Affects How Much Water Your Shiba Inu Needs
In addition to its weight and activity level, your Shiba Inu may need more or less water depending on other factors in your Shiba Inu`s life such as:
- The weather: Shiba Inus need more water during the hot summer than in the cold winter.
- Your Shiba Inu`s Diet: Shiba Inus that eat moist/wet food will require less water than Shiba Inus that eat dry food (kibble). Wet dog food contains 65-80% water, while dry dog food contains 10-12% water.
- Your Shiba Inu`s age: Senior Shiba Inus are generally more laid back than younger Shiba Inus, therefore senior Shiba Inus need less water.
- Pregnant Shiba Inus and lactating Shiba Inus: These need more water than normal.
- Shiba Inus on Medication: Certain medications may make your Shiba Inu drink more water.
Shiba Inu Not Drinking Enough Water
If your Shiba Inu is not drinking enough water, then your Shiba Inu is at risk of dehydration, and the problems that come with dehydration.
Problems that come with your Shiba Inu not drinking enough water include urinary tract issues like kidney stones and organ failure.
Your Shiba Inu may be drinking less water than usual because of the following reasons:
- Your Shiba Inu has limited access to fresh clean water.
- You changed your Shiba Inu`s food (e.g. from dry food to wet food)
- You changed your Shiba Inu`s water source
- The weather is cooler than it used to be
- Your Shiba Inu is less active than it used to be
- Your Shiba Inu is growing old
If none of these applies to your Shiba Inu, then it might be that your Shiba Inu has an underlying health condition and you might want to talk to your vet.
Also, your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu is a picky drinker as such, then you should consider getting your Shiba Inu a water fountain like one of these. A water fountain will entice your Shiba Inu to drink water. With a water fountain, you can be sure that your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu might not be drinking enough water.
Check your Shiba Inu`s mouth for any oral infection. When checking your Shiba Inu`s mouth, pay attention to the smell of your Shiba Inu`s breath to make sure that your Shiba Inu does not have bad breath as bad breath could be a sign of oral infection.
Furthermore, if you recently changed your Shiba Inu`s water source, and your Shiba Inu starts drinking less water, then you might want to change back to the old source.
Shiba Inu Drinking Too Much Water
Your Shiba Inu may be drinking too much water simply because you give it unrestricted access to water. Also, your Shiba Inu may be drinking too much because it has a health problem such as diabetes.
If your Shiba Inu is drinking too much water, then your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu is drinking too much water, then your Shiba Inu will need to urinate frequently and take unnecessary bathroom breaks. This can be an inconvenience for your if you have to take your Shiba Inu out of the house for its bathroom breaks.
If your Shiba Inu is drinking too much water for no obvious reason, talk to your vet. However, if your Shiba Inu is drinking too much water because it has access to water, then limit your Shiba Inu`s access to water.
Do Shiba Inus Drink a Lot of Water?
The amount of water a Shiba Inu needs is proportional to the Shiba Inu`s body weight and activity level. Older bigger adult Shiba Inus drink a lot of water compared to younger smaller Shiba Inus.
Also, Shiba Inus that are not very active drink a lot less water than very active Shiba Inus. Also, Shiba Inus drink lots of water in the hot summer months than in the cold winter months.
To find how much water your Shiba Inu should be drinking, use our Shiba Inu dog water calculator to estimate your Shiba Inu`s daily water needs.
How to Tell if Your Shiba Inu is Drinking Too Much, Too Little, or Enough Water
A simple way to check if your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu`s bowl so that your Shiba Inu can drink water without a limit.
Then, in the evening, measure the amount of water left in your Shiba Inu`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 Shiba Inu has drunk.
Finally, use our Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu water with a water fountain.
How To Tell If Your Shiba Inu is Dehydrated
If your Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inu. 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 Shiba Inu in good health, you need to keep your Shiba Inu hydrated. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on your Shiba Inu`s water intake to make sure your Shiba Inu is getting the right amount of water that it needs.
To encourage your Shiba Inu to drink enough water, make sure that your Shiba Inu has access to clean water all the time.
A good way to ensure your Shiba Inu has clean water available to it is to invest in a good water fountain like one of these.
If you think your Shiba Inu is drinking an unusual amount of water (too much or too little), then do not hesitate to speak with a pet vet.