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Man’s best friend has been part of our history since literally ancient history. They’ve stayed by our side all around the world in all sorts of shapes and adventures, from the Chinese emperor’s Shi Tzu breeds to the all-classic German shepherds that help with cattle and hunting season.
Because of this long history between us, dogs still fill our days with joy every day, and being a pet owner nowadays can be an incredible experience, yet frustrating due to the changing times.
It’s often hard to know which products are best for our furry friends, as their needs are different from ours. And this is especially important when taking a look at CBD.
In this article, we’ve gathered everything you have to know about CBD for dogs, its potential benefits, how they work, and our favorite brands to give our puppies. So if you want to know how to make your pup feel better and what to look for when looking for the best CBD treats for dogs, you can explore more down below.
Key Takeaways
- CBD treats are dog-specific treats that have been infused with CBD extract.
- CBD for dogs can have many potential uses and benefits, like aiding with separation anxiety, helping with joint pain, to possibly reducing seizures.
- There’s a world of CBD treats out there from different flavors, dosages, and even sizes. Check out some of our favorite treats down below!
A Quick Look at the Best CBD Treats for Dogs
- FAB CBD Dog Treats
- Penguin CBD Dog Treats
- cbdMD CBD Dog Treats
- Kangaroo CBD Bacon and Cheese Strips CBD Dog Treats
- CBD Fx CBD Dog Treats – Calming 450mg
- Leef x Paleo Paw – CBD Dog Treats
- Bad Apple Pets – Doggie Dreams Serenity Treats
- EVN CBD Dog Treats
- PureKana Hemp Dog Treats
- Lazarus Naturals CBD Dog Treats Calm+Vitality
What are CBD Treats for Dogs?
Think of CBD treats like your dog’s version of CBD-infused gummies. These small treats usually have dog-specific ingredients and use a CBD extract or isolate in minor quantities.
These treats come in many shapes and flavors, from bones to heart-shaped nuggets; they usually are made with your furry friends in mind. This means they use little flour and cereals and bigger protein and superfood quantities. Some of them can even come in bacon, salmon, or peanut butter flavor.
CBD can also be administered through a tincture, which has the cannabinoid extract and a dog-safe carrier oil. Some dogs prefer getting a treat as part of their enrichment, and others just like to calm down directly with some oil. So, generally speaking, they have the same purpose but use different presentations. The decision to use CBD oil vs treats for dogs depends on your pet’s preferences, so feel free to experiment a little until you think your dog is happy.
You can also learn more about how CBD affects dogs in this video.
How CBD Treats Work for Dogs
So, how does CBD actually work? Well, CBD for dogs works pretty closely to how it does for human bodies by interacting with the endocannabinoid system. All mammals have a similar nervous system, which is the home for the endocannabinoid receptors that are responsible for certain signaling, like pain or hunger.
Now, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system with dogs, too, letting the chemical signals know it is okay to calm down and stop sending stress signals to the body.
This could lead to both a sedative and analgesic effect that lets them feel at ease and also has an anti-inflammation effect on their body. But we’ll talk more about the potential benefits later in the article.
But to sum it up, CBD basically aids the nervous system in unwinding and relaxing. This is completely natural, as endocannabinoids already exist in your pup’s body, and the use of CBD only interacts without intoxicating their system at low doses.
How to Give Your Dog CBD Treats
All this might sound great, but if you can’t get your dog to eat a pill, how could you get it to try a dog chew? Well, this is where the flavors and “treat” part come in handy. Some CBD treats have specific flavors that are catered to dogs’ tastes, like bacon, peanut butter, salmon, and even meat.
Before giving your doggo a CBD treat, it is important you have a quick talk with your vet to double check if they are a candidate to take CBD and which dosage is best for their body weight.
Dogs do not need much CBD to get benefits. It’s important to always start low. We usually recommend 2.5 mg doses to start for small to medium breeds, a 5 mg dose for medium to large dog breeds. However, large dogs may only need 2.5 mg, so always begin with a little CBD and work your way up if needed. Some dogs may need more, while others may not be affected by CBD at all.
You can give CBD treats as part of a recreational experience while playing with them, breaking the chew up and adding it to their food, or try giving them small pieces so they can try it in small batches. It all comes down to how your dog behaves. Just try to stay away from giving it to them as if it was a pill or medicine, as it can condition your pup to think their treatment is similar to that.
5 Potential CBD Benefits for Dogs
Cannabidiol has plenty in store for both humans and dogs. Some of the most important benefits for our furry friends are reducing stress and anxiety, helping with joint problems, diminishing seizure symptoms, aiding with pain management, and even supporting some allergies. Let’s check each of these out.
Dogs With Stress and Anxiety
Remember how we talked about how CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system? Well, this interaction also happens in dogs, which allows for CBD to reduce the stress signals in their body. This and the overall interaction in their bodies allows them to potentially relax and deal with some of the day-to-day stress and anxiety, whether they have lots of energy to spend or a thunderstorm might be coming up.
Dogs With Joint Problems
Joint problems, particularly arthritis, can be a problem with older dogs who might feel chronic pain and discomfort and generally have their quality of life diminished. This 2014 study suggested that CBD could aid in improving comfort and activity in dogs with osteoarthritis, which main symptom includes joint pain.
Dogs With Seizures And Epilepsy
While deeper clinical research is still needed, research suggests CBD could potentially reduce the seizure frequency in some epileptic dogs. By also helping them relax, dogs with these syndromes could feel supported with CBD as a complementary part of their treatment.
Dogs in Pain
Studies like this one found that cannabidiol could have a potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect on dogs, making it an all-natural alternative to other medicines, especially since dog-based medicine can be pretty special (and costly).
Dogs With Allergies
Lastly, anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD can help to soothe some of the symptoms caused by allergies. Thanks to its potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, it can potentially help ease discomfort from your furry friend both by swelling caused by the allergen and also aiding with itching around their skin if they have some sort of bug bite.
How Long for CBD Dog Treats to Work?
Whenever your dog eats an infused chew, lots of things start to happen in its body. Depending on how much cannabidiol the treat has, some of them can start as briefly as 30 minutes, but this also depends on other things as well.
Firstly your dog’s size might affect how long it takes to kick in, specifically their body weight. Smaller breeds might have a quicker onset than larger ones, so consider that whenever you give out an infused treat.
Secondly, the treat’s potency is very important to consider. Some treats have a higher concentration than others, which could lead to quicker effects as they absorb even more CBD than with other methods.
Lastly, it also comes down to your pup’s metabolism. While some athletic dogs will naturally absorb and digest CBD faster, others might find themselves a little sluggish. A few dogs will take anywhere between an hour or two to feel the effects of CBD.
Is CBD Oil Safe for Dogs?
Generally, the answer is yes. However, research into dogs and CBD is limited. It’s important to always speak to your vet prior to starting your animal on a CBD regimen.
Also, make sure the products you use are made especially for dogs. This is important as many brands tend to put additives, colorants, and other substances that are not dangerous to humans but could be to dogs.
So when choosing CBD for dogs, you must look at the ingredients. The rule of thumb when checking ingredients is less is better, as some added substances could potentially affect dogs. Specifically, some added flavorings like chocolate and mint can be really dangerous to our furry friends.
Another important aspect of CBD dog treats and hemp-based products is that while CBD is safe for dogs, it also comes down to the cannabinoid dosage. Bigger dog breeds might be better with larger doses or treats, while smaller breeds might be better with smaller portions.
Make sure to ask your vet if your furry friend is a candidate to take CBD to give this cannabinoid a try. And even if it seems “safe” at first, do not give your doggy human CBD as it might contain traces of THC or other cannabinoids that might not act as it does with your body.
Best CBD Treats for Dogs
We’ve checked everything you’ve got to know about dog CBD. Now let’s take a look at some of the current best CBD treats for dogs, all varying in dosage, flavors, shapes, and sizes.
1. Fab CBD
Fab CBD is an excellent premium brand with innovative presentations and extracts that focus on the wellness side of the hemp space. Their CBD Dog Treats are perfect for your puppy if you’d want to give them something natural yet delicious.
Features
These treats come in a pouch with 9oz of product, with a tasty apple and peanut butter flavor made from natural ingredients. The infused treats are made without any corn, wheat, soy, or dairy, with organic hemp, and are fully THC-free.
Pros
- Natural ingredients and flavoring
- Free of corn, wheat, soy, or dairy
- Incredible price-quality
- THC-free
Cons
- No labeling on the exact CBD contents per treat
2. Penguin
Let’s now go with a fan-favorite brand: Penguin. This brand has an incredible reputation because of its pure CBD products sourced directly from organic sources. Their CBD Dog Treats are a great representation of the thought Penguin puts into its products. Everything from the packaging to the heart-shaped treats is made to make the most out of CBD treats for your dog.
Features
Their CBD treats come in a 20-count jar, perfect for treating your pooch’s taste buds. Each infused bite has 10mg of CBD, which is a considerable dose. This product contains a broad-spectrum formula, meaning that there is absolutely zero THC in these treats.
Pros
- All-natural ingredients include flax oil, sweet potato, molasses, and tapioca flour
- Good CBD potency
- Subscriptions and bundle discounts are available
- Zero THC
Cons
- Pricier than some of the list
3. cbdMD
If you want a reliable brand that uses top-shelf ingredients and is fully transparent with its products, cbdMD is the way to go. And with its recent collaboration with Paw CBD to create dog-friendly CBD treats that will suit your furry friend’s taste, their quality has just gotten that much better.
Features
You can get the cbdMD CBD Dog Treats in peanut butter flavor in 30-count pouches. cbdMD also has all-natural, non-GMO, and human-grade ingredients that your puppers will love. You can get these in three different potencies with 150mg, 300mg, and up to 600mg of CBD per bag, perfect for all sizes of dogs.
Pros
- Excellent price point
- All natural ingredients with natural peanut butter flavor, no meat, poultry, or soy
- Available in different potencies, meaning best for most dogs
- High-quality treat with no additives
Cons
- Hard chews might not be the favorite for all puppies
4. Kangaroo CBD
Kangaroo CBD is a hemp company that’s dedicated to both its customer and products, based on their wellness goals with the utmost care and quality. And if chews are not your puppies’ thing, you have to try their CBD Dog Treats Bacon and Cheese Strips.
Features
With this product, you’ll get a 30-count bacon and cheese strips treat to make your pupper drool. With 150mg of isolate CBD per bag with zero THC traces, these infused-bites are perfect for aiding with stress while giving your dog the best quality bacon-tasting cannabidiol treats around.
Pros
- It uses 150mg CBD isolate, which has zero THC traces
- Delicious natural bacon and cheese flavor
- 30-count is perfect for dosing throughout the month
- All-natural, transparent ingredients list
Cons
- May not be the healthiest
5. CBDFx
CBDFx is one of those brands that keep innovating in wellness with new avant-garde products. Besides their newly ventured wellness mushroom line, they offer lots of options when looking for straightforward solutions to your pet’s health needs. And their CBD Dog Treats are a perfect example of this.
Features
These calming dog treats come in a 30-pack bag, with a top-shelf broad-spectrum CBD formula. These have L-tryptophan to help your doggy relax while also using superfood extracts with chamomile, passion flower, reishi mushrooms, and even valerian root. Each dog treat has 15 mg per treat, making it great for large breeds that need to chill down during the day. It’s a good idea to break the treats up to start to ensure you do not give your dog too much CBD.
Pros
- Strong CBD formula with no THC and 15 mg per treat
- Lots of treats for a good price
- Enhanced formula with L-tryptophan and other superfoods
- Organic, soy-free, and vegan
Cons
- Pricier than other products on the list
6. Leef
Leef is a very clean and natural brand that focuses on bringing the best from the hemp plant while keeping really high quality in all of its products. And, of course, Leef Organics has a special collaboration with Paleo Paw for an all-natural, dog-friendly solution to help them get into the CBD scene.
Features
The Paleo Paw – CBD Dog Treats come in a 6 oz pouch with 2mg of CBD in each bite-size treat. They are packed in Omega-3, Aminos, Enzymes, and delicious pumpkin to help calm any upset stomach. And thanks to flax seed, coconut, and chia, these are some of the treats that keep their ingredients list short and sweet.
Pros
- Small ingredient list, perfect for most dogs
- Lots of superfoods, including Omega-3s
- Excellent price for quality
- Made with local ingredients
Cons
- Some dogs may need larger doses of CBD
7. Bad Apple Pets
Bad Apple Pets is a farm-to-pet brand based in Wisconsin. They grow the hemp used in their all-natural treats, ensuring your companion animals get the highest quality possible. The treats are made with human-grade ingredients, and contain no fillers or additives.
Features
The Doggie Dreams Serenity treats from Bad Apple Pets are available in both 10 oz and 16 oz pouches. Each treat has 5 mg of full-spectrum CBD, which means they do contain trace amounts of THC. While they should not get your dog overtly high, it’s a good idea to break the treat up in order to start with a small dose. Doggie Dreams also come in 2.5 mg doses via its Tranquility line.
Pros
- All-natural and made with human-grade ingredients
- Very reasonably priced compared to other CBD treats
- Dog-friendly pumpkin and peanut butter flavor
- Full-spectrum CBD may be more beneficial
Cons
- Treats are a bit hard and may need to be broken up
8. EVN
If you like things all-natural, EVN is the right brand for you. And their CBD Dog Treats are perfect if you want your pooches’ diet to stay clean, with no additives.
Features
Their CBD Dog Treats include 20 treats per pouch. These have 4mg of CBD per treat while having no THC with fully vegan, non-GMO, organic, and gluten-free ingredients. The treat’s main ingredient is oat flour and molasses, so don’t worry about other additives that could potentially be dangerous for your pup.
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Organic ingredients
- Perfect as a beginner treat
Cons
- Your dogs might not like the no flavor part
9. PureKana
If you want to try top-shelf ingredients while trying hemp products, you’ll this Arizona-based brand with affordable but prime quality. PureKana has an incredible product catalog that includes their delicious and safe PureKana Hemp Dog Treats – Blueberry & Chicken.
Features
These dog treats contain both blueberries and organic chicken stock. While weird for humans, this formula is just the bomb for dogs. These come in two presentations, a 25-treat pouch for small dogs with 1 mg per treat or a large dog presentation with 20 treats per pouch with 2.5 mg of CBD per item.
Pros
- Has options for both small and large dogs
- All-natural ingredients list with oats, chicken, and blueberries
- Perfect for all types of breeds while keeping the ingredient list short
- Soy, dairy, and gluten-free option
Cons
- Dose might be low for some dogs
10. Lazarus Naturals
Last but definitely not least, let’s talk about Lazarus Naturals. This CBD and hemp brand has an incredible vibe full of superfoods and high-quality ingredients permeating all their hemp-based products, including their CBD Dog Treats Calm+Vitality.
Features
These treats are delicious, an all-natural, no-grain alternative that will make your puppy feel safe while trying CBD. Made with sweet potato and mushroom, these treats are soft and an incredible option if you have older dogs in your home. Each treat comes with 5m g of CBD, with a full-spectrum formula to let your furry friends rest.
Pros
- Perfect for dogs on low-carb diets
- Available in sample and big-sized pouches
- Non-GMO, organic, and vegan
- Best offer available from the list with a 50-pack pouch
Cons
- Dogs can have allergies or dislike the mushroom taste.
Final Thoughts — Best CBD Treats for Dogs
Whether you are looking for the best CBD treats for dogs or just want an all-natural alternative that could potentially aid your dog with relaxation, CBD is the way to go. Treats and chews can have several flavors and presentations, and they are fully safe as long as they are made with ingredients for dogs.
These treats work similarly to how they work for humans, aiding the endocannabinoid system to relax and unwind while also potentially helping other areas like pain management. Remember to check with your vet before starting any treatment, and lower doses are always best for your furry friends to begin their journey into hemp.
Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission when you click links in this content. Our professional curators independently research and recommend products and services, with no newsroom involvement. Merchants can pay for a sponsored listing and may choose to rewrite their summary. When that happens, we label the listing as “Sponsored” and highlight it in grey to differentiate the merchant-provided content from our writing.