Dogs suffer from the same symptoms of pain and anxiety as humans. As your dog gets older, their anxiety and chronic pain symptoms tend to get worse.
There’s nothing harder to bear than seeing your beloved animal get old and have to endure the negative impact aging has on the body.
This is why so many pet owners use CBD supplements with their animals to ease pain, quench anxiety symptoms, and improve their dog’s overall quality of life.
In this article, you’ll learn how to use CBD products with dogs, along with some recommendations for the best CBD oils for dogs to consider.
What Are the Best CBD Brands For Pets?
- Royal CBD – Award Winning, Best CBD Oil For Dogs Overall
- Gold Bee – Runner Up, Quality Product at a Good Price
- Blessed CBD – Potent CBD, But Only Ships to the UK
1. Royal CBD Pet Oils — Editor’s Pick
Dogs are much smaller than humans (most of the time), so it makes sense to use a lower potency than you would while using CBD oil yourself. For this reason, Royal CBD offers a lower range of potencies for their pet oil lineup.
You can buy these oils in one of three different potency options:
- 125 mg CBD pet oil — low-potency, suitable for small dogs and cats
- 250 mg CBD pet oil — medium-potency, suitable for small and mid-sized dogs
- 500 mg CBD pet oil — medium-potency, suitable for mid-sized and large dogs
For large and very large dogs, you may want to go for the company’s 1000 mg CBD oil from its regular lineup instead. Just make sure to go for the unflavored version if you plan to use this oil for your dog.
All Royal CBD pet oils come with a dog-friendly bacon flavor. They incorporate the full spectrum of active cannabinoids, terpenes, sterols, esters, and various other phytochemicals. They’re made from organic hemp grown in California and Colorado and have been thoroughly tested and vetted prior to entering production.
Most CBD companies that make a separate pet oil lineup charge a premium for the “pet-friendly” status — despite virtually no difference in the contents of the oil from their regular lineup.
Royal CBD takes a different approach and charges a little bit less for its CBD pet oils than its standard CBD oil range. For example, the 250 mg pet oil is $7 cheaper than the 250 mg CBD oil in their standard lineup marketed towards humans.
This oil is well worth the money. You’re getting premium CBD products at a cost well below the industry average. This has earned these pet oils the top-recommendation on a variety of other publications as well, including CFAH, We Be High, SF Weekly, LA Weekly, Observer, Orlando Weekly, SF Examiner, and SA Current.
Pros:
- Dog-friendly bacon flavoring
- Made from full-spectrum hemp extract
- Ideal cost to potency ratio (high-value CBD pet oil)
Cons:
- Only available online (not sold in pet shops or local dispensaries)
2. Gold Bee CBD Oils — Runner-Up
Gold Bee is a newer company to enter the CBD market, but they’ve been making a name for themselves. You can find this brand listed as one of the top CBD brands on the market by high-profile media outlets, including Metro Times, Cleveland Scene, Riverfront Times, VentureBeat, CL Tampa, and CityBeat.
Gold Bee doesn’t make a specific pet oil — however, the standard CBD oils this company is famous for is already well-suited for use with dogs (and cats).
The only reason this company is listed in the number two spot is that they don’t contain dog-friendly flavors like Royal CBD. This isn’t an issue for most people who just mix the unflavored version of this oil with their dog’s food. The flavor of the food already masks the CBD oil taste and makes it easy to convince your pet to take their daily dose of CBD.
It helps to match the size of your dog with the ideal CBD potency — however, you can use just about any potency with your dog as long as you know how to find the right dose.
Here are some recommendations for which CBD oil to use depending on the size of your animal:
- Small dogs (less than 20 lbs) — use the 300 mg Gold Bee CBD oil
- Mid-sized dogs (20 to 50 lbs) — use the 600 mg Gold Bee CBD oil
- Large dogs (Over 50 lbs) — use the 1200 mg Gold Bee CBD oil
These oils are competitively priced — especially considering their premium status (organic, independently tested, impressive terpene ratio, etc.).
3. Blessed CBD Oils — UK’s Best CBD Oil
Blessed CBD is not an American CBD brand. They source American hemp but operate out of the United Kingdom.
This brand is the third recommendation on our list as an option for readers living outside the United States. None of the other companies on this list ship internationally. Most CBD companies stateside won’t ship their products overseas due to stringent laws regulating cannabis products.
In the UK, the legal limit of THC in a CBD product is 0.2%. In the states, the limit is 0.3%. CBD products made in America may exceed the legal limits imposed by European regulators.
If you’re living in the UK or other parts of Europe, it’s better to order from local brands instead. Blessed CBD is among the best options available in the region — famous for its organic, high-grade hemp extract and aggressive quality control process.
A good alternative brand to consider if you live in the UK is Crush CBD.
Blessed CBD oils come in three different potencies — 500, 1000, and 1800 mg per bottle. However, compared to the other brands on this list, the bottle size is much smaller with Blessed CBD. This makes the potency of the oil relative to the total CBD content much higher with this brand.
For dogs, we recommend you stick to the 500 mg CBD oil. For smaller dogs, the dose of this oil could be as low as two drops, and up to 20 drops for large dogs.
Pros:
- Organic, full-spectrum hemp extract
- Potency CBD oil means each dose is measured in drops instead of milliliters
- Safe and effective for dogs of all sizes
Cons:
- Only available within the UK
- No specific dog-friendly flavors
How to Use CBD Oils With Dogs
CBD has a lot of benefits to offer our furry companions. They’re useful for alleviating anxiety, chronic pain, inflammation, and much more.
Here are some tips on how to use CBD oil effectively with your pet.
1. Administering CBD Oil: Two Methods
There are two ways to administer CBD oil to your dogs — you can mix it in with their food, or drop it directly into their mouth.
The first method is the most common. It’s passive, and usually just as effective as the other method without having to annoy your dog. Simply add the proper dose of CBD oil to their food and give it a good stir. Most dogs will barely notice the supplement in their meals.
However, some dogs are picky and may turn their nose up at the meal after adding hemp oil. In these cases, it can help to find a CBD pet oil that comes with a dog-friendly flavor like bacon or beef to mask the natural hemp aroma.
If this still doesn’t work, you may need to move on to option number two — drop the oil directly into your pet’s mouth.
This method is more direct but isn’t going to hurt your animal. It will merely annoy them. It’s the standard method of giving dogs liquid medicine because it works!
To do this, open your dog’s mouth and add a few drops directly. Once the CBD oil is in their mouth, gently hold their snout closed for about 3 seconds. This will force your dog to swallow the oil instead of spitting it out.
2. Start Low & Go Slow
When it comes to dosing, it’s wise to start with a much lower dose than you think they’ll need and gradually increase over a few days or weeks.
This is done to avoid giving your dog too much CBD, making them feel sluggish or sleepy.
You’ll know you’ve found the right dose when you start to see symptoms improving.
Here are some starting dosages to consider for dogs according to their weight:
- Small dogs (under 20 lbs) — start with 2 mg CBD and increase by 1 mg per day
- Mid-sized dogs (20 to 40 lbs) — start with 5 mg CBD and increase by 2 mg per day
- Large dogs (40 – 60 lbs) — start with 7.5 mg CBD and increase by 3 mg per day
- Very large dogs (over 60 lbs) — start with 10 mg and increase by 3 mg per day
3. Make Use of Cannabis Terpenes
A premium full-spectrum hemp extract should contain relatively high concentrations of terpenes already. If you’re using a cheaper CBD oil or a CBD isolate, it’s a good idea to incorporate a terpene concentrate alongside the oil.
Terpenes are active medicinal compounds found abundantly in the plant kingdom. The hemp plant makes well over a hundred individual terpenes, each with their own set of benefits.
Products that contain both terpenes and cannabinoids have a much stronger effect profile than either ingredient on their own. This phenomenon is referred to as the entourage effect.
Many pet owners and CBD users are ordering terpene concentrates and adding a few drops to their oil to boost the oil’s painkilling, anti-anxiety, and anti-inflammatory benefits.
A good source for high-quality terpene concentrates is Finest Labs. A single 10 mL bottle of terpenes will last several months of use.
Key Takeaways: Best CBD Pet Oils For Dogs
CBD is a popular supplement among dog owners. The most common uses are to alleviate separation anxiety, reduce obsessive-compulsive behavior, manage post-traumatic stress, alleviate chronic joint and hip pain, or support the side effects of other medications or chemotherapy.
No matter what you’re using CBD oil for, it’s important to find a reputable supplier to avoid wasting money on ineffective products. Look for brands that offer a satisfaction guarantee on their products, publicly link their third-party lab tests, and have plenty of brand mentions and positive reviews online.
If you want a quick recommendation for a CBD pet oil to use, check out the selection of CBD pet oils from Royal CBD, or the standard line of CBD oils from Gold Bee.
