Therefore it’s important to stop feeding your dog milk as soon as he is no longer a puppy!
Symptoms of lactose intolerance:
- Stomach aches
- Feeling unwell
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
Fermented products, such as hard cheese, yogurt or buttermilk, contain a smaller amount of lactose. Due to this reason, they are less harmful.
During the fermentation process, various supplements such as bacteria are added to the milk, which turns the lactose into a more digestible form.
Some dogs will tolerate milk better. This category includes mostly livestock guardian dogs, since milk(products) were often the only ones available. In case you wish to feed your dog milk, in addition to water, make sure to choose a lactose-free milk. These can be found in almost every supermarket nowadays.
Facts check: Almost three-quarters of the human population doesn’t have the lactose enzyme and is therefore lactose intolerant.
Persuading your dog to drink water
In any circumstance, a dog should drink regularly. If this isn’t happening, there’s a few things you can do to further persuade your dog to drink water:
- Changing position: Simply changing the position of the water bowl may sometimes work.
- Mixing food: Another solution is mixing wet dog food with water. Even though your dog won’t drink from the bowl, he may happily drink water when it’s mixed with food.
- Clean water bowl: It is also worth making sure that the water bowl is clean. It’s a simple thing to do, but it might work.
- Contact vet: If your dog still won’t drink water, or if he/she is suffering from an illness, you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. In case of illness proper hydration is important to the recovery process and it is therefore very important that your pet gets professional help.
- Exchange the water bowl: Try to avoid water bowls made out of metal because your dog can fear the noise. Use a glass water bowl if possible.
Overview of how much water your dog really needs
All dogs are different and so are their water needs. You may be wondering, how much water should your dog drink everyday, to satisfy his needs. Get a good orientation on how much water does your dog really need, depending on his weight, food diet and activity level:
| Weight Class & Dog Breed | Activity Level & Temperature | Dry Food vs.Wet Food |
|---|---|---|
| ~ 5 KGE.g. German Spitz Klein, Pekinese, Poodle, Havaneser, Chihuaha … | Normal< 20°C | 200 – 250 ml25 – 50 ml |
| Normal> 20°C | 250 – 500 ml100 – 250 ml | |
| Active< 20°C | Up to 500 mlUp to 250 ml | |
| Active> 20°C | Up to 750 mlUp to 500 ml | |
| ~ 10 KGE.g. Basset, West Highland Terrier, Beagle, Cairn Terrier … | Normal< 20°C | 400 – 500 ml50 – 100 ml |
| Normal> 20°C | 500 – 1000 ml200 – 500 ml | |
| Active< 20°C | Up to 1000 mlUp to 500 ml | |
| Active> 20°C | Up to 1500 mlUp to 1000 ml | |
| ~ 20 KGE.g.Husky, Munsterlander (small), Border Collie, Dalmatian … | Normal< 20°C | 800 – 1000 ml100 – 200 ml |
| Normal> 20°C | 1000 – 2000 ml400 – 1000 ml | |
| Active< 20°C | Up to 2000 mlUp to 1000 ml | |
| Active> 20°C | Up to 3000 mlUp to 2000 ml | |
| ~ 30 KGE.g. Afghan Hound, German Wirehaired, Pointer, Labrador Retriever, Boxer … | Normal< 20°C | 1200 – 1500 ml150 – 300 ml |
| Normal> 20°C | 1500 – 3000 ml600 – 1500 ml | |
| Active< 20°C | Up to 3000 mlUp to 1500 ml | |
| Active> 20°C | Up to 4500 mlUp to 3000 ml | |
| ~ 40 KGE.g. German Shepherd, Hovawart, Rottweiler, Giant Schnauzer, Bernese Mountain Dog … | Normal< 20°C | 1600 – 2000 ml200 – 400 ml |
| Normal> 20°C | 2000 – 4000 ml800 – 2000 ml | |
| Active< 20°C | Up to 4000 mlUp to 2000 ml | |
| Active> 20°C | Up to 6000 mlUp to 4000 ml |