Those of us who are lucky enough to be dog parents know that our pet’s energy levels are a distinctive part of their personality. From the lazy Saint Bernard to the bouncy Chihuahua to the workaholic Border Collie, a dog’s energy is often common to its breed, and it’s always an important part of what you love about your pet. Furthermore, a pupper’s liveliness is significant to their health because energy is what fuels everyday activities.
But there is a difference between fun energy – the kind that powers long days of play, fetch games, and runs at the park – and stressful energy. Sometimes – probably more often than we’d like – a dog can undergo a high-intensity state of fear or discomfort. Some dogs might do this more than others, and it can cause problems with their sleep, health, and happiness.
Many pet owners have discovered the various wellness benefits of CBD calming treats for dogs. But before introducing anything new to your canine companion, it’s important to know exactly what these products are, what they can do for your pet, and how to use them.
Why Some Dogs Might Need Help Relaxing
Ever had a moment with your dog where you’ve found yourself thinking, “Poor thing, I wish he’d just chill out”? When a dog starts to display stress signals, it’s not only unpleasant for them – it can be unpleasant for you as a pet owner, too, and also for others around you. Here are some examples of moments when your dog might need help relaxing:
- Separation stress
- Aggression towards other dogs or people
- Noise aversion
Calming Treats for Dogs Can Help with Separation Stress
You come home from work to find the armchair covered in tears and tooth marks, and Fido is cowering, guilty, in the corner. You’re bummed about the chair, but mostly sad your dog felt unsafe and scared while you were out of the house. Separation stress is a very real issue that plagues many pooches and their owners.
Some Dogs Are Stressed by Other People and Pets
You take your dog on a walk, and he or she barks, growls, and even snaps at other people or dogs who pass you on the sidewalk. It’s clear from these behaviors that your pet feels insecure and uncomfortable – and a walk should be a fun, happy time for you and Sparky!
Noise Aversion Is a Common Cause of Stress for Dogs
It’s the Fourth of July. What’s supposed to be a fun summer holiday turns into a miserable evening for your dog when the fireworks display begins. Your petrified pooch starts shaking, trembling, and whining, and no amount of snuggles can calm her down. Or maybe this experience isn’t relegated to one day a year – maybe thunderstorms or your neighbor’s house parties send your pet into a frenzy every week. Many dogs are sensitive to loud sounds – it’s called noise aversion, and it is very uncomfortable for pets and parents alike.
It’s important to remember that some behaviors labeled as “bad” – such as chewing shoes or furniture, barking, growling, or snapping – are just your pet’s way of trying to communicate. When your dog is experiencing a stressful situation, they have to find ways to communicate with you. They can’t use words, so they display other behaviors to tell you something's wrong and try to change the situation. When this happens, it’s important to listen to your pet and make adjustments to their lifestyle to encourage them to be happier and more content.
What Are CBD Calming Treats for Dogs?
If you’re considering CBD for dogs, you’ll want to know exactly what these products are, how they are made, and how they will affect your pet.
CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is one of the many cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. The industrial hemp plant was legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill. Before this bill, the hemp plant was lumped in with all the other cannabis plants, including marijuana cannabis.
Marijuana cannabis has a high THC concentration, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which causes psychoactive effects. But the industrial hemp plant can only have a THC concentration of 0.3 percent or less, so CBD products derived from hemp will not get your pet high.
How Does CBD Affect My Dog?
CBD is processed by a dog’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), a system also found in humans and other mammals and some other vertebrates. The ECS features two main receptors called CB1 and CB2. These receptors impact various bodily processes, including motor function, appetite, gut, bones, and nervous system.
The ECS was discovered relatively recently, in the 90s, so there is limited research on it. Most ECS studies have been done in humans, but because we share the system with dogs, we likely experience some of the same wellness benefits of CBD.
How Calming Treats for Dogs with CBD Are Made
Often, other calm-supporting ingredients will be added to CBD oil to increase your pet’s relaxation. CBD pet calming products might also include:
- Valerian root: An herb often used to maintain healthy sleep patterns, valerian root is one of the soothing ingredients in our CBD Calming Oil for dogs.
- Melatonin: Another ingredient in our calming oil, melatonin is a hormone that naturally occurs in both the human and dog body. It is produced in response to darkness to help us get sleepy.
- Chamomile: Chamomile is a flower known for its relaxing qualities. Many people swear by a cup of chamomile tea before bed! Chamomile flower powder is found in our CBD Calming Chews for dogs.
Choosing the Best Calming Treat for Dogs
To choose the best CBD dog treats, you need to start by ensuring the CBD oil in your product is high-quality and safe for your pet. A responsibly made CBD pet product will be pet-specific, THC-free, produced from domestic hemp, tested by a third-party lab, and available in different strengths.
The Best CBD Dog Treats Will Be Pet-Specific
Only give your dog CBD pet calming products that are intended for dogs, not for humans. You shouldn’t give your dog human CBD oil, or CBD products that are intended for any other animal. A high-quality CBD for dogs will be formulated to be easily digestible and useful to your canine’s unique body.
Responsibly Made CBD for Dogs Will Come in Different Strengths
The amount of CBD pet calming products you give to your dog will depend on your pet’s weight, meaning that the owner of a Teacup Poodle and a Great Dane owner will need different strengths of CBD calming oil for their pets. A trustworthy company will offer varying strengths in its pet products.
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Always Choose Superior Broad Spectrum CBD for Dogs
The hemp extract is the core of what makes a good CBD pet product. CBD products can be made from isolate, full spectrum, broad spectrum, or Superior Broad Spectrum, a special formula designed by cbdMD (parent of Paw CBD). Superior Broad Spectrum includes pure CBD isolate along with other terpenes and cannabinoids from the hemp plant, so your pet gets a full range of hemp’s powerful goodness!
Third-Party Lab Testing Ensures Ingredient Accuracy
The best way to ensure your product is being honest about its ingredient list is with third-party testing. An independent laboratory will provide a Certificate of Analysis that verifies the product’s make-up. The COA is the only way to ensure that what’s on the ingredient list is truly what your dog is consuming when they eat a CBD treat for dogs.
Only Give Your Dog CBD – Not THC!
You don’t want your pet to experience any impact from THC, so ensure that any CBD pet calming product is THC-free. This label means the THC is undetectable at the lowest levels that can be found using valid scientific tools. THC causes psychoactive effects that are unwanted and unnecessary for your pooch and can even present health risks.
High-Quality CBD Dog Treats Are Free from Additives and Artificial Flavors
Mystery ingredients like fillers are no good. And artificial flavorings are unnecessary when you have delicious flavors like blueberry (in our CBD Calming Oil for Dogs) and turkey (in our CBD Calming Chews for Dogs)!
The Best CBD for Dogs Is Derived From U.S. Hemp
You definitely want your CBD product to be hemp-derived, and you can take your security a step further by purchasing a domestically grown hemp product. Hemp grown in the U.S. has been closely monitored throughout the growing process. CBD for dogs that is created from this kind of hemp will be the highest-quality type of product you can find.
Different Ways to Deliver CBD for Dogs
Your delivery method for CBD will be important to your routine and your pooch’s enjoyment. Choose carefully between calming oil or calming chews, or create a routine with both – as long as your dog gets the same daily amount of CBD.
Calming CBD Oil for Dogs
One of the easiest ways to give CBD to your dog is with a simple oil tincture. A tincture allows you to have specific control over serving size and how you provide CBD to your pet. You can drop it in their food bowl, blend it in a homemade treat, or even just put it straight into their mouth. They’ll love the blueberry flavor, and our tincture droppers are plastic, so you don’t have to worry about an accidental chomp.
CBD oil tinctures are also a great choice if you have a couple of dogs of different sizes, but both could use some extra chill in their day. Our CBD Calming Oil for Dogs comes in a 250 mg strength for smaller dogs and a 500 mg option for bigger dogs who need a little more strength.
CBD Calming Chews for Dogs
Spot might argue that the best thing about our CBD Calming Chews for Dogs is the flavor – turkey is hard to beat! But we think the best part is the consistency and portability of these chewable little morsels. You know exactly how much CBD your dog is getting with each snack – no measuring or guesstimating necessary. They’re super easy to take along on a trip, too, and never messy.
Our CBD Calming Chews for Dogs come in three sizes: 150 mg chews, 300 mg chews, and 600 mg chews. Even better, these soft snacks are perfect for any dog with sensitive, small, or aging teeth!
How to Give Your Dog CBD Calming Products
How you give calming products to your pet is almost as important as the type of product you choose to give them. To ensure your pet can experience all of the benefits of CBD for dogs as a part of their wellness regimen, follow these steps.
- Consult your veterinarian. You should always talk to your veterinarian before trying a new product on your dog. They will be able to give you plenty of advice on any of your pet’s specific behaviors that you might be trying to address with CBD dog treats.
- Start small. Start with the smallest recommended serving size for your pet’s weight. No matter how excited you might be about CBD, it’s important that you be patient and move slowly with this new resource.
- Monitor your pet closely. Some of the benefits of CBD calming treats for dogs might be subtle, so you must watch your dog closely after introducing it. Pay close attention during situations where you might have seen stress behavior before: storms, visitors to the house, the dog park. Is your pet seeming more calm and relaxed? No matter what, stick with the small serving size for a minimum of 30 days before making adjustments, as CBD builds up in the system over time.
- Adapt. If you aren’t seeing the benefits of CBD after 30 days at the smallest recommended serving size, you can increase the amount of CBD incrementally and watch for another 30 days. You might also want to try a different type of product.
- Consider new products! You might not know if the CBD tincture or the chews work better for your purposes until you try them. That’s why we offer CBD Bundles for Dogs so that pet owners can find the best product for their lifestyle and needs.
A Relaxed Dog Is a Happy Dog
When your dog is calm and happy, you are, too. Relaxation shouldn’t be a “sometimes” feeling – it should be all the time. Whether you choose calming treats for dogs or other types of CBD, you can make every day a great day with the right CBD for dogs.
