Water is vital to keep your dog hydrated and should always be available. Unlike food bowls which can be taken out of the way in-between meals, deciding where to put your dog’s water bowl isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds. Perhaps water bowl location wasn’t the first thing you thought of when moving home or welcoming a set of paws to your family and now it just seems to be in the way. Or maybe your puppy or newly crawling baby is having a marvellous time, making a marvellous mess having discovered water play! 

Often one question leads to another and perhaps you’re wondering what sort of bowl is best and how big the bowl should be; how much do dogs drink in a day? Maybe your dog is reluctant to drink from their bowl or suddenly seems to be thirsty all the time and you’re wondering if it’s normal. Keep reading to find answers to these common queries. 

Where shall I put the dog’s water bowl? 

As well as being easily accessible for your dog, try to find a place out of the way for the water bowl so that you aren’t constantly tripping over it. Water bowls can get easily bumped and/or spilt especially in high traffic areas such as hallways or near doorways. Most homes will have somewhere a bowl can be tucked away – for example, in a corner, up against a wall, under a shelf or in a utility room. Once a suitable location has been found, try to keep the bowl in the same place, so your dog knows where it is. Make sure that the bowl is also away from cat litter trays. 

Although it’s almost inevitable that at some point your new crawler or toddler will investigate the water bowl (mine certainly did!), in my opinion children shouldn’t play with pets’ bowls due to the risk of parasites and germ transmission as well as the potential risk of getting bitten due to resource guarding. Most of the time young children will learn that the water bowl is not a toy and is out of bounds. Stairgates are useful to keep children away from dogs’ bowls and/or to segregate dogs and children as required. If your dog is crate trained, water bowls can be put down in the crate where they will be out of the way and easily accessible 

Some dogs are particularly messy drinkers  

Others have a habit of playing in the water and seem to get water everywhere so a room with an easy clean floor surface such as tiles or linoleum will make things easier. Non-slip mats or feeding mats are available for more vulnerable surfaces such as wooden floors or carpets and to help catch spills and stop bowls skidding around the floor.  

Bowls should be cleaned and rinsed regularly and fresh water supplied. If you have an outdoor space it’s usually easy to find space for a second bowl outside but don’t forget to clean these too, bowls (especially food bowls) can attract slugs and snails increasing the risk of lungworm which is a parasite spread by these gastropods. 

What sorts of bowl are available? 

There are many different bowls available of different designs and made from different materials. Sometimes multiple materials might be used in a bowl design, for example, a stainless steel bowl may have a silicone base to prevent slipping.  

  • Stainless steel bowls are easy to clean and are also the most durable and can last for decades, but they can be noisy on a hard floor and being lightweight are also easy to tip.  
  • Ceramic bowls are also easy to clean (although not all ceramic is dishwasher safe). Ceramic is heavy and therefore less likely to tip over or skid across the floor so can be a good option for puppies or dogs who play with their bowls. They are available in in a huge range of colours and designs if the interior style of your home is important to you. However, they are easily chipped or broken. 
  • Plastic bowls are cheap, but plastic can be chewed, scratched or cracked, and lightweight bowls are easily tipped over. 
  • Silicone dog bowls are available in lots of shapes and colours, they should be made from food grade silicone. Although easily cleaned, a gentle non-abrasive cleaner should be used. Silicone is not indestructible so might not be suitable for dogs who like to play with, chew or carry their bowls.  
  • Breed specific bowls; some bowls are designed for certain breeds e.g. spaniel bowls have a narrow top, the theory being that their long ears will fall either side of the bowl. Bowls designed for brachycephalic (flat faced) breeds are often wider and flatter or sloped. Of course, the bowl needs to suit all the dogs in your household. If you live with a French bulldog and a cocker spaniel your Frenchie will struggle drinking from a spaniel bowl!  
  • Spill proof bowls tend to have a floating disk or plate which regulates the amount of water available. Non-spill bowls might also incorporate a rim which curves inwards stopping water splashing over the sides. These bowls are great for dogs who like to play in their water bowls or tend to drool or slobber when drinking. They are also useful for travelling. The aptly named road refresher was featured on Dragons Den in 2008 and since then more designs have become available. They are usually made from plastic, though, so take care with dogs that chew or play with bowls. 
  • Collapsible or packable bowls can be made of silicone or waterproof fabric. I have used silicone versions which are usually a flat disc shape and unfold into a bowl. Fabric versions are packable and can be squashed flat. These bowls are useful for camping, hiking in hot weather or when you aren’t sure if there will be a fresh water source such as the beach. You can pour some water from your own bottle into one of these bowls as and when it’s needed avoiding spill or waste. 

How big does the bowl need to be? 

Having thought about where to put the bowl and what sort of bowl you might use the next step is to determine how big the bowl needs to be. Unless you’re able to fill the bowl throughout the day or have multiple bowls it should be big enough to hold as much water as your dog is likely to need until you can next refill it.  

Water intake references in textbooks range between 30-70ml/kg/day. The reason for the breadth of these figures is because many factors influence water intake including; age, activity level and weather conditions as well as medication and medical conditions. Diet also plays a part as a dry kibble diet has a lower moisture content than tinned / wet food. 

An increase in thirst (polydipsia) is defined as drinking more than 100ml/kg/day. Polydipsia can be caused by several different underlying medical conditions so if you think your dog is drinking (and urinating) more it’s worth booking a consultation with your vet. 

Help – my dog won’t drink from their bowl! 

Although most dogs love to lap up contents of a muddy puddle some are quite discerning when it comes to the water provided in a bowl. The most common causes for this are;  

The bowl and/or water is dirty or has a strange taste

Yes, really! If your dog is used to water sourced from a spring or borehole at home and you are on holiday where there is a mains water supply this will taste different to your dog so may take some adjusting to. Mains water taste also varies around the UK. In addition, if detergent hasn’t been rinsed out properly the water may have a peculiar taste. In these instances, thoroughly clean and rinse the bowl and provide fresh water. For particularly fussy dogs you could even buy bottled water then mix this with tap water slowing increasing the amount of tap water each day until it is accepted by your dog. 

A negative experience

There could be many underlying causes – for example, your dog may have been attacked when drinking from a communal bowl or one of your other dogs guards the bowl at home. Perhaps something scared your dog whilst drinking such as thunder, a door banging or something was dropped on your dog. I once looked after a dog who wouldn’t drink from a bowl whilst wearing their collar as the noise of the metal tag on their stainless-steel bowl scared them. Depending on the situation you can try offering reassurance or providing multiple bowls  

Illness

If your dog is lethargic, seems to be in pain, has lost their appetite, has vomited or just doesn’t seem themselves then seek advice from your vet. Some dogs struggle with mobility as they get older so make sure their bowl is easily accessible.  

Conclusion 

The best place for your dog’s bowl is unique to the layout of your individual home as well as the temperament of your dog, other pets and if there are young children in the home. Make sure it’s easily accessible, holds enough water and the design suits your lifestyle and your dog. If you notice an unexplained increase or decrease in thirst, it’s best to book a consultation with your vet.  

Related articles and further reading 

Why does my dog drink so much water? 

Wheres the best place to put a cats water bowl? 

Why is my dog drinking lots of water and weeing more than usual?