Best Portable Dog Water Bottles

Portable dog water bottles are the best way to carry water for our pets. This article looks at the best travel water bottle types available and recommends some depending on dog size and lifestyle habits.

The 10 most important factors of a portable dog water bottle

The best dog water bottle for hiking should tick a minimum number of boxes of a specific list of criteria while still being user-friendly for you, the owner. Things like shape, size, and materials quickly spring to mind when assessing the best travel water bottles designed specifically for dogs.

What exactly are the most important characteristics?

1. Materials
   When looking for the best travel water bottle, you first need to look at materials, which need to be safe, durable and non-toxic. BPA-free plastics are a must if plastics are used. Other popular materials are silicone and stainless-steel.
2. Shape
   The shape of the best travel water bottles designed for dogs can accommodate your pet’s muzzle comfortably, promote easy usage and, ideally, make it easy to clean.
3. Bowl design
   From your dog’s point of view, the only real important thing will be the bowl size and shape. A small puppy will be fine with a 10 cm wide cup while a 30kg dog will require a 20 cm long bowl.
4. Size
   The best travel water bottles should carry enough water to last during an average park walk but small enough so that you won’t unnecessarily carry extra weight. If you like long treks, then larger one-liter bottles will do the trick.
5. Easy to clean
   Your dog water bottle’s mechanics and shape must allow easy access to all parts in order to facilitate cleaning. Being a washing machine safe is also a plus.
6. Quality construction
   Spending a bit more money to ensure a good quality portable dog water bottle will pay off in the long term as high quality means durability. The best travel water bottles are in the $15 range, which is peanuts considering the safety and health of your pet.
7. Well-established company
   Water manufactured by a well-established company will facilitate the availability of replacement parts. Good brands also offer optional items, such as slings.
8. Minimalist construction
   The fewer parts you need to deal with, the better. You want a simple portable dog water bottle that is designed with efficacity in mind and is made of a maximum of 3 parts but ideally only 2. You also don’t want to be bothered with tiny parts that could easily disappear in your washing machine.
9. Versatility
   The ability to hold other things besides liquids would be a net advantage. Some of the best travel water bottles can also accommodate dry food.
10. Portability
    After all, you will be hiking with your dog. The best travel water bottles provide a hook, strap or a sling or have a loop included in their design.

Top 9 Water Bottles for Your Dog

The Highway AutoDogMug is an easy to use squeezable bottle equipped with a clever bowl-shaped lid from which your dog drinks water. The main body of the bottle comes in 6 translucid colors (blue, green, red, purple, smoke and pink) while the bowl-shaped lid remains black. A handy strap enables you to easily carry this dog water bottle.

To use it, you simply hold the bottle vertically and squeeze it in order to force some water into the bowl. After your dog has finished drinking, the remaining water goes back into the bottle. Cleaning the parts on the outside is easy as they are large but a thorough wash of the inside walls of this portable dog water bottle is difficult because of its shape.

Pet hydration meets lovely Asian inspired design, this is what the PYRUS Pet Travel Bottle is all about. Unapologetically whimsical, this bottle charms with its rounded shape, expandable body and disarming cuteness. The Pyrus comes in 2 colors (green and blue) and is composed of 3 parts: a silicone gel body, n BPS-free plastic bowl as well as lid of identical material.

The bottle needs to be completely opened to be used: you will need to remove the lid and the bowl from the main part of the bottle in order to use it. You will then be able to pour water in the bowl and feed it to your dog. Once empty, the silicone body can be compressed, making it the best collapsible water bottle for backpacking. The Pyrus is also suitable to carry dried food and can be used for cats, making it the most versatile bottle on our list.

The Tuff Pupper PupFlask ticks all the boxes one could desire when looking for the best travel water bottle. Its simple 2-part construction and large cup ensure comfortable manipulation. The fact that the stainless-steel bottle comes in two sizes and that the cup fits either size makes this the most convenient and versatile portable dog water bottle on our list.

Portability has been cleverly weaved into the design, thanks to a plastic hand strap that is part of the one-piece cup. The optional insulated sleeve is a smart move on the part of the manufacturer, especially that it features a shoulder strap, but the design would have been more appreciated with a stealthier branding. It’s also one of the most expensive dog water bottles on the market, but quality comes at a price.

Fantastic design and small size will make the 270ml H2O4K9 Stainless Steel Dog Bottle a favorite among small dog owners. Although it lacks what larger bottles usually offer in terms of portability (such as hand straps), you’ll have no problem carrying it in a bag or even a coat pocket.

The BPA-free plastic cup, which also acts as a lid, is specifically designed for smaller dogs in mind. In fact, the entire concept of this portable dog water bottle is aimed at puppies and small pets since 270ml simply won’t be enough to quench the thirst of an adult Doberman or German Shepard. For these, H2O4K9 a larger model that we review later in this article will be a better option.

If quality construction and style are your main concerns, this option will be the best travel bottle for you. The Vivaglory is simply built like a tank and one of the best travel water bottles on the market. And the slightly odd matt finish colors make this portable dog water bottle stand out from the crowd.

Contrary to many of the best travel water bottles that provide color options, the provided bowl only comes in black and features a useful hand strap. Its capacity of 740ml is also ideal to cover all bases and should provide enough water for a large dog during a 2 or 3-hour trek.

Its unique bullet shape gives it an aerodynamic look and enables you to stash it in a bag or a large pocket without worrying about tearing something. Vivaglory has also launched a neoprene sling that comes in 4 colors, black, red, yellow and orange, that you can buy separately.

Not the slickest but definitely the most practical dog water bottle for walking on our list. The clever design of the flexible silicone cup enables you to simply invert it as it remains attached to the bottle. Once the cup is inverted and ready to receive water, simply open the lid and squeezy the bottle to provide water to your dog.

The user-friendly aspect of this portable dog water bottle is due to its rather complex cup apparatus. A smart design that comes in 2 bowl colors (grey and green) while the body of the bottle, made of BPA-free plastic, is clear. At 580ml, we can expect that small and medium-sized dogs will be perfectly quenched during an average walk.

Bringing water on a sunny day for your furry friend is a given, but what about food? If you would ask your dog, he would most probably say that food is just as important as water. This is where the PetFusion On-the-Go Dog Water Bottle shines. What allows this portable dog water bottle to also carry food in its canister shaped body.

The other factor that sets it apart is its double-layer insulated stainless walls. Two or 3-hour long walks in the hot sun won’t be a problem with this bottle as it promises to keep water cool for up to 8 hours! Use the large cup provided to serve your dog either water or food.

The PetFusion On-the-Go bottle comes in a fun black and blue version or a stylish black and metallic “bare” look. A metal clip on top of the cup enables you to easily attach your portable dog water bottle to a belt or a bag pack.

Slick, sexy, stunning design. The bigger brother of the 2-bottle H2O4K9 set, the 770ml model is the reigns supreme as the stylish king on the list. And the discreet and modern branding adds the perfect touch. Besides being a larger portable water bottle, the 770ml version also provides a bigger bowl, more suitable for larger dogs.

The BPA-free plastic cup is available in 4 colors: Deep Navy, Lime Green, Orange, Perfect Pink, and Sunshine Yellow, and also features a large and convenient loop that will enable you to hook your bottle on a backpack. The curvy design also makes this bottle easy to handle and carry. A neoprene sling is also available and is offered in 9 colors.

A special design that will allow you to share water with your dog. These bottles feature a detachable part that acts as water. You can pour water in the bowl for your dog and quench your own thirst by drinking directly from the snout, like with the best travel water bottles.

Its 4 bright colors (yellow, purple, green and blue) make this bottle a fun and attractive item to share with your pet. Fully machine safe, the BPA-free plastic parts are fairly easy to clean but a thorough clean of its inner walls will be challenging. Looking for that perfect gift idea to please both a furry cutie and its owner? Boom! This baby will do the job.

Two sizes are available: the smaller 600ml bottle is ideal for dogs weighing up to 11kgs while the 1-liter bottle will suit larger dogs.

How to choose a portable dog water bottle for walking

Bowl shape and size

Dog water bottle size

The best travel water bottles will need to reflect this essential criterion by providing an appropriately shaped cup. Obviously, larger dogs will require a larger cup, which brings me to discuss the second most important factor: bottle size.

The daily water requirements for dogs will mostly depend on their weight. We’re discussing this subject in detail in the next section and you can quickly assess your dog’s daily water requirement by taking a look at our table presented lower.

Define your walking/trekking habits

Are you planning for a 30-minute walk in the local park? In this case, a small portable dog water bottle made of high-quality BPA-free plastic will do the trick.

Do you have an adventurous soul and plan on taking your 35kg Golden Retriever on a 5-hour trek through woodlands on a July day? Then a large stainless-steel bottle will be in order. Don’t forget to pack a few more liters in your backpack. Remember: dogs need constant access to water to help them regulate their body temperature.

How much water should a dog drink per day?

Generally speaking, dogs are completely independent when regarding their water needs. But unlike humans, who are aware of the possible dangers associated with dirty water, dogs can easily venture off the beaten path and quench their thirst in a puddle and pale.

They contains stagnant and unsafe water, therefore dogs possibly exposing themselves to nasty pathogens.

This is why you must constantly provide fresh and clean water in your house for your pet and carry some with you during walks as a safety measure.

How much water does a dog need?

The universal formula to calculate the appropriate quality of water for a dog is the following: 50 to 70 ml per kilogram.

A dog weighing 3 kg will, therefore, need 150 to 225 ml, a 10 kg dog from 500 to 750 ml, a 30 kg dog from 1.5 to 2.25 liters. As for a massive dog weighing 80 kg, he will drink more than 5 liters per day.

The variation depends on several factors including the dog’s eating habits. A diet mostly made of dry food will require larger water intake. The age of the dog is also important. A puppy, as mentioned earlier, will have higher water needs as it’s going through the growth period of his life.

You can use the following table as a quick guide to estimate the daily water requirement of an adult dog according to weight up to 50 kgs:

Adult dog weight in kgs	Water in milliliters per day
1	50 to 70
2	100 to 140
3	150 to 210
5	250 to 350
6	300 to 420
8	400 to 560
10	500 to 700
12	600 to 840
15	750 to 1,050
20	1,000 to 1,400
25	1,250 to 1,750
30	1,500 to 2,100
40	2,000 to 2,800
50	2,500 to 3,500

Water intake of dogs during hot weather

Unlike humans, dogs don’t sweat. Dogs manage their body temperature during hot days through breathing and water consumption. A great practice is to add one or two bowls of water in the house. And then keep checking throughout the day as soon as the weather surpasses 25 Celsius at midday.

During long walks, you can carry an extra-large regular bottle of water, from which you will refill your dog’s portable water bottle as needed.

Pregnant females

Pregnant females also need more water.Especially during the second month of their pregnancy, as their metabolism becomes more active at that time. This situation will continue throughout the breastfeeding period when water, in addition to that which the dog normally needs, will promote lactation.

Pay attention for signs of dehydration

The biggest health risk for dogs is dehydration. Remember that dehydration can quickly turn into a more serious and even life-threatening situation.

What are the signs of dehydration in dogs?

1. Sunken eyes
2. Dry muzzle
3. Dry nostrils
4. Lack of appetite
5. Lack of energy
6. Apathy

What to do if you suspect that your dog is dehydrated?

Checking if your dog is experiencing dehydration is quick and easy by immediately performing a “skin fold test”.

Pinch the dog’s skin lightly. If the skin gets back into place right away, the dog is not dehydrated; if the skin takes a few seconds, your dog is at the beginning stage of dehydration.

If your dog’s skin takes more than 2 or 3 seconds to resume its normal shape, then you’re dealing with an emergency situation and immediate action needs to be taken.

Bring your dog to a vet where he’ll be administered fluids intravenously. The vet will most likely perform additional tests in order to rule out more serious diseases, of which dehydration is a symptom.

What to do if the dog drinks too much or not enough

Except in the case of extreme heat or exercise, a dog should not drink more than 100 ml per kilogram in a period of 24 hours.

Measuring the amount of water swallowed by your pet is easy to track over the course of two or three days. You should just fill the bowl with a measuring cup and subtract the water with the same container.

If your dog drinks too much

A dog who drinks too much is a dog who suffers from a condition called polydipsia, and it could be a symptom of a serious disease such as diabetes or kidney failure.

If your dog doesn’t drink enough

Conversely, a dog who doesn’t drink enough mostly indicates a difficult behavior, even if dogs naturally manage their own consumption. Poor water consumption is a clear sign that something is bothering him. This may be the bowl shape or color, the temperature of the water or even its taste (in this case, you want to try some spring water).

Flavoring water or even making ice cubes with meat juice is a good way to get a dog to drink more.

FAQ

Final Thoughts

In this article, we’ve reviewed some of the highest-rated portable dog water bottles currently available on the market. Choosing the best travel water bottle can be a bit more challenging than simply relying on reviews. What works for one dog may not work for another. Some dogs may not like the small bowl-shaped lids that attach to most of these water bottles and may prefer one with a larger bowl.

One important aspect which dominates all factors is the size; in other words, the amount of water that you’re your dog requires during an average walk is the most imports criteria. If you pick a smaller bottle for a large dog, you’ll have to carry extra water separately.

All dogs are different and every dog owner has different habits; this means that there’s not one particular bottle that is guaranteed to be universally loved and appreciated.

This article should enable you to zone-in on the best travel water bottles for your canine buddy and make the best purchasing decision for your dog and lifestyle.