How Much Water Should a Sheltie Puppy Drink?

Giving your Sheltie plenty of water, without overdoing it, can be a great way to help them stay healthy and happy. Just like with humans, Shelties need water to make sure they are not dehydrated and that they can continue to grow nice and strong. But how much water should your Sheltie puppy be drinking?

A Sheltie puppy should drink half a cup of water every two hours when they are really young. This can be reduced to half an ounce to an ounce per pound based on the weight of the puppy when they get older. This means a 20-0pound Sheltie can take between 10 to 20 ounces of water a day. Consider increasing the amount of water given if the puppy spends a lot of time outside in the hot sun.

Let’s take a closer look at how much water your Sheltie may need based on their size and age and the kind of physical activity that they do during the day.

How Much Water Should a Sheltie Puppy Drink?

Your Sheltie puppy will need to get enough water in each day to help them stay hydrated and to make it easier to grow. This is similar to what we find in humans. Water will aid in digestion, feeling good, energy levels, and so much more. But many new pet owners are worried that they are giving their Sheltie puppies too much or too little water during the day.

The general rule is that your younger puppy will need to drink about half a cup of water every two hours during the day. You should make sure the water is fresh, rather than letting it sit in the bowl all day long. Keep an eye on your puppy as well to ensure that they are getting just the right amount of water.

As your puppy gets older, they will need to drink a little bit more to keep up. For older puppies, you should give them one half to a full ounce of water per each pound they weigh. So if you have a puppy that weighs 10 pounds, they should drink between 10 to 20 ounces each day. This can change if they get dehydrated or it is really hot outside. Some dogs do need more water than others.

How Much Water Does My Sheltie Need Before Bed?

If you are house training your puppy, you will need to stop giving water to your puppy about two to three hours before they go to sleep. This helps to prevent accidents and can speed up the house training process.

Even if you do not plan to house train or you are done with it, you may want to remove the water a bit before bedtime. This helps your Sheltie to get a good drink and then have time to relieve themselves before they fall asleep. This is healthy for your puppy and can save you from having to get up and down a bunch during the night.

Why Does My Sheltie Need So Much Water?

Puppies need a lot of water just to keep themselves hydrated. Water is a great thing to use to improve metabolic processes in dogs. It is also a necessary component to help with blood flow, brain activity, and even the breathing your dog does. On hot days, it can make sure that your Sheltie is able to stay nice and cool.

As the water your Sheltie drinks moves through the body, it can be a good detox as well. This water is a great tool to help remove any toxins that are left behind in the body while delivering the all-important oxygen to the blood and organs as well. When the Sheltie does not get the water that they need each day, none of these processes are going to finish effectively.

Water is also good for helping your puppy regulate their own internal temperature. This is very important when the summer months come along and things start to get hot.

Does My Sheltie Need More Water When It is Hot Out?

When you take your Sheltie out to play or on a long walk, be prepared for them to need extra water when you get back. They can feel thirsty, just like you will when the walk is over. When you have your Sheltie outside playing with you and the sun is nice and hot, you will want to give them a little extra water to help out.

It is likely that a little time in the sun is not going to add too much to the amount of water that your Sheltie will want to drink when averaged around the whole day. It is fine to give them a little extra after coming back inside as they are thirsty and need it to cool down. If you do end up playing and spending a good deal of time outside on a hot day, expect your Sheltie to drink a little more.

When giving your Sheltie more than the recommended amount for the day, do so slowly. You do not want to overload them with too much water or they may become sick as well. Start by just giving half a cup more at a time and wait to see how the puppy is doing. If you give them that extra half cup and they walk away seeming satisfied, then stop there and wait until they appear to be thirsty again. They may go more than the two hours to compensate.

Can I Give My Sheltie Too Much Water?

It is possible to give your Sheltie too much water. Many pet owners ask the question about how much water to give their Sheltie because they are worried about the dangers of dehydration, While this is a valid concern, it is also important to not give your Sheltie too much water. This can cause issues as well.

The biggest issue with your Sheltie drinking too much water is that they will deplete their sodium levels, which is called hyponatremia. To help rebalance itself, your dog’s body will work to increase the intake of fluids inside the cells to make the blood sodium seem more even. Some organs, such as the liver, can handle this extra volume without an issue. But some can’t.

There are a few different signs that you should watch for in your Sheltie puppy if you worry that they are drinking too much during the day. Keep in mind that these are only going to show up in your Sheltie puppy drinks a considerable amount more each day than the recommended amounts:

• Bloating
• Lethargy
• Loss of coordination
• Vomiting
• Restlessness
• Pale gums
• Drooling
• Glazed eyes
• Dilated pupils

Administering electrolytes can be a good way to help this problem once it occurs. And monitoring how much wat er your dog drinks can prevent it from happening in the first place.

The good news is that it takes quite a bit of water for your dog to overdrink so giving them an extra half cup is not going to be the end of the world. And if your dog spends a lot of time in the hot sun, some extra water is not a bad thing either. The problem comes when you consistently give your dog way too much water when they do not need it. When your dog sits inside all day and you double their intake of water, it can be dangerous.

How Much Water Should a Sheltie Drink When Potty Training?

It is generally best if your puppy can have access to fresh water all the time. This helps to keep them properly hydrated. However, when you are potty training your puppy, you may want to monitor when the water is ingested to help make the process easier. The recommendation is to remove the water about two or three hours before bedroom.

Do not limit how much water the puppy gets during the day. It is tempting to do this to avoid having to take the puppy out as much. But your puppy still needs to get the adequate amount of hydration or they will get sick. Allow them to catch up on the water they missed during the night when they wake up. And continue to give them the recommendations above throughout the day.

The only difference is that you will limit the water right before they go to bed. If you exercise your dog or take them on long walks, make sure you are done at least two or three hours before bed. This gives your dog time to drink the water and rehydrate before you take it away for the night.

Giving Your Sheltie the Hydration They Need

No matter what stage your Sheltie is in, they will need plenty of water to help them stay hydrated and healthy. It is sometimes confusing as a pet owner to know exactly how much to give your Sheltie without under or over doing it. With the recommendations above, you can make sure your Sheltie gets the exact amount of water they need each day.