Why Is My Puppy Always Thirsty? Understanding Puppy Water Intake.
Okay, so the other day I was watching my new puppy, Gus, lap up water like he'd just run a marathon. It got me thinking, "Why do puppies drink so much?" I mean, he pees like a racehorse too, so it's clearly going somewhere!
First, I just observed. I made sure Gus had a full bowl of fresh water all day. I noticed he drank most after:
- Playing fetch (obviously!)
- Waking up from a nap
- Eating his kibble
- Just… randomly, throughout the day
It felt like he was drinking way more than my old dog, Buster. So, I did what any curious (and slightly worried) pet owner would do – I started Googling.
My Little Research Deep Dive
I scrolled through a bunch of articles, some from vet websites, some from other pet blogs. I quickly realized that I wasn't gonna use the overly-scientific language. I just wanted the plain English explanation!
Here's the gist of what I figured out:
- Puppies are growing, like, really fast. All that building of new tissues and stuff needs water.
- Their kidneys aren't as good at holding onto water as adult dogs' kidneys are. So, they lose more water through pee.
- They're little bundles of energy! All that running, playing, and exploring burns through water quickly.
- They eat dry food, dry food makes a dog thirsty, easy.
So, I compared Gus's water intake to what the articles said was "normal" – roughly one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. He was drinking a bit more than that, but not a crazy amount.
Then, to be extra sure, I called my vet. She basically confirmed everything I'd read online. She said as long as Gus was acting normal (eating, playing, pooping regularly), the extra water probably wasn't a problem. She did say to watch out for signs of excessive thirst, like constantly draining the bowl or acting lethargic, which could indicate a problem.
Finally, I just kept an eye on Gus. I made sure his water bowl was always full, and I paid attention to his bathroom habits. Over the next few weeks, his drinking seemed to level out a bit as he got older.
So, my conclusion? Puppies drink a lot because they're growing, active, and their little bodies are still figuring things out. Just keep that water bowl full, and you're probably good!
