Does CBD Oil Calm Your Dog?

Most dogs display anxious behavior at some point. The biggest sources of anxiety seem to be loud sounds, such as thunderstorms, fireworks, neighbors shouting, car horns, but dogs may also become anxious when they’re separated from their owners or put into a new situation that they perceive as threatening. Going to the vet, having people over, seeing other dogs, all these things can become triggers and cause symptoms such as whimpering, trembling, urinating, even aggression. If you have an anxious dog, you’ve probably tried to avoid putting them in stressful situations, but this isn’t always possible.

When your little puppy is stressed, and cuddles don’t seem to do anything, there are some natural remedies you can give to calm them down. One of these is CBD oil. Often called the wellness trend of the decade, CBD oil has become hugely popular, and one of its many benefits is that it reduces anxiety and restores a sense of calm. But does it work the same way when given to pets? How does CBD oil calm your dog?

What is CBD, and how does it work?

CBD (cannabidiol) is the non-psychoactive organic compound in the hemp plant. Unlike its psychoactive cousin, THC doesn’t get you high. CBD’s main compound interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, stimulating it to produce its own cannabinoids. This reduces anxiety and promotes a sense of calm and focus. Apart from reducing anxiety, CBD offers a wide range of health benefits for humans: it can help in the management of epileptic seizures, it boosts focus, and has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce pain. And it could do much more than that. Research is still ongoing, but so far, the millions of glowing reviews for CBD products show that it could be one of the most versatile natural remedies out there. Scientists are still researching if all these health benefits apply to our four-legged friends too, there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence from happy pet owners who say that small doses of CBD oil have helped their dog be calmer when faced with stressful situations.

How to administer CBD oil to your dog for best results

Just like in the case of humans, the method of consumption will determine CBD effectiveness. CBD oil is the recommended form of CBD because you can control the dosage precisely. Ideally, you should place a few drops of CBD oil directly under the tongue – your dog has receptors there, and that’s the quickest and most effective delivery system. To make sure they swallowed everything, you can give them a treat afterward.

If your dog is too nervous, you can’t get them to stand still, or they’re fussy about the taste, another way of administering CBD is by mixing a few drops of oil with their food. In this case, absorption will take a while longer because CBD needs to pass through the digestive system first. If your dog doesn’t calm down right away, don’t rush to give them another dose. It takes anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes for CBD to work when administered orally, and giving the dog a second dosage too soon after the first will cause both doses to kick in at once, leading to drowsiness.

A few things to consider when giving CBD to your dog

CBD oil can help your puppy calm down and deal with stressful situations. Generally speaking, CBD is a safe, natural remedy with no serious side effects, but keep in mind that dogs’ bodies are different from our own. You should be especially careful with the dosage. Dogs have a much smaller body size compared to our own, so you shouldn’t be too generous when giving your dog CBD for the first time. Start slow, with the minimum amount printed on the bottle (ask your vet for advice if you don’t know what that is), wait for about an hour to see what happens, and only then increase the dose, if needed. Every dog breed is different, so you may have to experiment with dosages and consumption methods until you figure out the perfect solution for your puppy. And remember, always buy CBD oil from certified sellers who use high-quality, organic CBD.