"How much CBD should I give my dog?" This is THE question we hear from health-conscious pet parents seeking a better way to support their faithful fidos. CBD is a relatively new concept for many humans, as well as our dogs and cats - so it's understandable that it can feel a little intimidating when just starting out.
The good news for you is that we're a small-batch pet supplement company, and we've been making holistic CBD dog chews and CBD oils since 2014 - so, if you're looking for a beginner's guide to finding the right CBD amounts for dogs, and the best advice on getting the desired results, you're in the right place!
Basics of CBD for Dogs
What is CBD?
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a natural compound found in the hemp plant. It interacts with the endocannabinoid system in both humans and animals, offering potential support for situational anxiety and joint mobility.
Most pet products include CBD as part of a full or broad spectrum hemp extract. Full spectrum refers to the full spectrum of cannabinoids and terpenes in the hemp plant - which means it also contains a small amount of THC. At Austin and Kat, we use broad-spectrum hemp extract, which retains all the goodness of the hemp plant except the THC, which is removed with a cold extraction method.
How does CBD help dogs?
The endocannabinoid system (ECS), is a complex network of receptors and transmitters that helps maintain various bodily functions. CBD interacts with ECS receptor activity and enzyme function. In particular, it interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are primarily found in the brain and central nervous system, while CB2 receptors are more prevalent in the immune system and peripheral organs.
CBD's interaction with these receptors help regulate central processes in dogs, assisting in maintaining balance and overall well-being (homeostasis). While the exact mechanisms are still under study, the mechanisms of action behind potential benefits to support pets is becoming increasingly apparent.
Benefits of CBD for Dogs
CBD's extraordinary potential stems from its interaction with the endocannabinoid system—a complex network found not only in humans but also in our loyal canine friends. This interaction opens the door to a wide range of ways to support pets and their systems...
Situational Anxiety and Occasional Stress
Many dogs have to manage stressful times due to separation, loud noises (e.g., fireworks), or changes in routine. CBD can help by promoting a sense of calm, making stressful situations more manageable.
Normal Inflammatory Responses and Joint Health
CBD's properties can help pets in managing occasional stiffness and soreness.
Relaxation and Focus
CBD may contribute to a relaxed state of mind in dogs, helping normalize behavior during training sessions.
Overall Wellness
CBD's interaction with the endocannabinoid system can promote a state of balance and homeostasis in your dog's body, supporting their overall health and immune function.
It's important to remember that while CBD offers many potential benefits, its ability to support pets can vary from one dog to another. Finding the right formula and CBD amount is crucial, and consulting with a veterinarian before starting any CBD regimen for your dog is advisable, especially if your pet has underlying health issues or is taking other medications.
With the right approach, CBD can be a valuable addition to your dog's wellness routine, contributing to a happier and healthier life.
How to Give Your Dog the Right CBD Amount
When it comes to selecting the perfect CBD for your beloved canine, there are several crucial factors to consider - including the daily CBD amount, the format of the CBD (chews or oils?), and finding something that your dog will love!
Your dog's health and happiness are the top priorities, so let's explore some essential aspects to ensure you make an informed decision.
Hint: Our Tail-Wagging CBD Selection Makes the Choice Easy!
Part 1: Picking a CBD Product for Your Dog
The Amount of CBD Matters
When it comes to finding the appropriate CBD amount for your dog, it's not just about their well-being but also ease of serving.
CBD products come in a range of strengths (for large dogs, small dogs and cats, and every size in-between!) It can be difficult to get right serving, for example, if you have small pets, and the product you picked up has strong CBD amount intended for large dogs - forcing you to break out the CBD calculator and break a chew into 8ths or even smaller doses. Likewise, you don't need to give your large dog handfuls of CBD chews when there are chews packed with enough CBD in one bight.
To simplify the process, it's essential to estimate how many milligrams of CBD your pet should receive (we'll dive into this shortly) and find a product that allows you to administer CBD in an easy daily amount. Most pet parents aim for a supply that covers a few weeks to a month.
Ensure you select CBD products that clearly state the amount in milligrams (for example: "10 MG CBD") per serving.
If you're purchasing CBD soft chews, it should list how much CBD per chew. If you're purchasing CBD oil for dogs, you'll likely see how much CBD per dropper (most droppers are 1 ml) somewhere on the CBD oil bottle.
Consider Your Routine (Chews or Oils?)
Providing CBD will become part of your regular routine, so when choosing between CBD oils or soft chews, consider your lifestyle and your pet's preferences. Keep in mind that the CBD molecule itself is the same regardless of the product type.
While CBD soft chews are convenient and easy to give to your pet on the go, CBD oils offer precise measuring control, allowing you to provide the exact CBD amount your pet's weight requires (especially if the oils come with graduated droppers, like ours!). This level of control is the best way to ensure the CBD amount is exactly what your pet's weight requires.
The ideal approach may involve having both options available in your pet wellness toolkit, allowing you the flexibility to give your pet their regular amount with a CBD oil at home and a CBD chew when you're out in the world and on-the-go.
Transparent, Trustworthy Pet Products
When purchasing CBD products for your dog, it's crucial to thoroughly vet the company, and to look for businesses that prioritize transparency and quality. Here are some key factors to consider:
Ingredient Transparency: Always review the product's ingredient list to ensure it contains high-quality, natural ingredients. Avoid products with unnecessary additives, fillers, or artificial flavorings - it's just not necessary! You should also be able to access 3rd party test results of CBD's potency and purity easily.
Pet-First Mindset: The best CBD products are developed specifically for pets, ensuring they are specifically designed for the unique needs and preferences of our four-legged friends. This approach extends to sustainable and ethical practices, creating a better world for pets to thrive in.
Customer Reviews: Seek recommendations from friends who have experience with CBD brands for dogs, and read genuine customer reviews and testimonials. These can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness and quality of a CBD product.
By considering these factors, you'll be well-equipped to identify a high-quality CBD product that aligns with your dog's wellness goals and your values. Choosing the right CBD product is a significant step in ensuring your furry friend enjoys a healthier and happier life.
Part 2: How to Calculate CBD Amounts for Dogs
Start with 2mg of CBD for every 10 pounds of body weight.
If you've never given your dog CBD before, this is the perfect amount to start with. Keep in mind that every canine companion is unique, so a bit of trial and error to find the right CBD amount for dogs, is perfectly normal. We'll delve into our top tips for determining the optimal dose in just a moment.
It's important to note that rounding up or down to simplify serving CBD to your dog is absolutely acceptable. If the math suggests your dog should start with 5.6 mg of CBD, and it's more convenient to measure out 6 mg of CBD - go ahead and do it!
CBD Amount for Dogs Cheat Sheet
Not in the mood to break out the calculator? Here's a handy cheat sheet of popular dog breeds and their general weights. If you'd like specific advice about building a healthy routine for your pet - please don't be shy about reaching out to our friendly customer service team.
This cbd amount chart should be a good start:
Part 3: How to give CBD to your Dog
Giving your dog CBD is a breeze if you've followed our guide to choosing a product with the appropriate amount of CBD, in a form that works for your dog's weight and lifestyle. Here's our quick-start guide to help you get your dog on the path to hemp-based wellness:
Timing
CBD is absorbed best when it's not competing with a full stomach, give CBD to your dog at least 20 minutes before mealtime for best results. Most dogs start to feel the effects of CBD within 30-40 minutes, so we recommend giving CBD an hour before stressful events (such as a trip to the groomer) to be safe.
Giving CBD Soft Chews
Most dogs will gladly scarf down our CBD soft chews (especially since they're all made with a dog-favorite peanut butter and apple base.)
However, if your dog has a tough time chewing anything, you can try crumbling the chew into a bit of milk or broth. And if you've got a really picky eater on your hands, we recommend our oils which are easier to hide in a favorite food.
Giving CBD Oils
For beginners, CBD oils may seem intimidating - but they make giving consistent, custom amounts of CBD really easy, especially if you usually serve it at home. Many dogs will lick CBD oil straight out of a little dish. Otherwise, it's simply a matter of mixing their oil with a bit of peanut butter, goat milk, or other enticing options.
If you want to use CBD topically, make sure you choose a product that does not contain any animal-based ingredients. Our extra strength classic oils have a limited ingredient profile that's suitable for topical use.
How to Find the Ideal CBD Amount for Your Dog
There is no one-size-fits-all CBD amount - factors such as your dog’s size, metabolism, and breed will all impact how CBD supports them. Finding a CBD oil serving for one purpose may be different than finding one for another.
So, although we're here to help make supporting your dog with CBD as easy as possible, it's really important to spend some time observing your dog when first starting out with CBD.
Give CBD Consistently
Whatever amount you decide to try, be consistent while you evaluate what happens.
Give your dog the same amount of CBD, at the same time for at least 3 days to get a good understanding. After about 30 minutes, take note of how they respond. How long does it take for you to notice any differences? And how long does the support seem to last?
Once you have a good understanding of how your dog responds to CBD, you can adjust the serving frequency and monitor for how much CBD oil to give your pet, as their needs change.
Maybe you'll continue to give CBD to your dog everyday. Or maybe you'll decide they only need it ahead of stressful events (like 4th of July weekend.) But knowing how your dog responds to CBD under normal conditions will help you support them effectively, especially when they really need it.
How to Adjust Your Dog's CBD Serving
If you are not noticing the right benefits from the added support, increase the amount by half and observe them some more. Continue until you find the ideal dose that works for your dog's weight.
You may also find that your dog does well with an extra serving on tough days or before stressful events. Warning - be careful not to ONLY give your dog CBD before those stressful events, you don't want them to learn to associate CBD with a scary trip to the groomer, for example.
Your dog may also need an extra amount of CBD occasionally (think: 4th of july, or extra cold days that make their joints stiff), or their needs may change as they get older.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for CBD to start working?
Most dogs start responding to CBD within 30 - 45 minutes. This depends on different factors, including your dog's metabolism, if they're taking CBD on a full or empty stomach, and the type of CBD product you've chosen.
As a general rule, oils tend to work on the body a little faster than a soft chew because there are fewer ingredients for furry bellies to break down first. But there’s no difference in the level of support between the two.
How long does CBD last?
Each serving—whether from oil or chews—offers support from 4-8 hours. That’s a big spread, we know, but the duration can vary a lot depending on your pet’s size, activity level, and metabolism. But as a good rule of thumb: older pups and larger dogs tend to take longer than younger ones to digest food.
In many cases, your pet will tell you if it’s time for more, and you can come to the rescue with a dropper or soft chew. You can give your pet CBD as often as needed - many pet owners give CBD morning and night, plus an extra dose on tough days or before stressful events (like a visit to the groomer.)
When should I give my dog CBD? Should I give CBD to my dog once or twice a day?
The timing, amount, and frequency of providing CBD to your dog depends on their individual needs and how they acclimate over time. If you're using CBD for general wellness, a once-daily serving may suffice. However, splitting the daily serving into two may provide more consistent support for dogs that need CBD more frequently. Keep in mind that each dog's metabolism is unique, so observing your own pet will give you the best answer.
You may also find it helpful to give your dog an extra dose of CBD on tough days or before stressful events (many dog owners give extra CBD throughout 4th of July weekend to help their pets deal with neighborhood fireworks.)
Will CBD get my dog high? Can my dog overdose on CBD?
CBD is considered safe for dogs and is non-psychoactive (that means it won't get them high like THC.)
We’ve worked with thousands of owners and veterinarians and we have only ever seen positive things happen when pets are given CBD.
Of course, while nothing serious can occur, we always advocate administering the recommended serving size and monitoring your pet when introducing anything new. And please be sure to consult with your veterinarian when changing your pet's wellness routine, especially if your pet is on medication or being treated for a specific condition. If your vet has any questions about our CBD or ingredients, we're happy to help answer them!
Should your pet eat an entire package of our soft chews (let me guess, you have a labrador) we do recommend that you consult your veterinarian and be possibly prepared to help them with an upset tummy, simply from eating too many chews!
Can I give CBD to my Cat?
Yes! Cat and canine CBD receptors are very similar. For cats, start with 3mg of CBD per 10 lbs of body weight. For more information on cats and CBD, click here.
Every dog is different. They come in all shapes and sizes. That’s what we love about them! But it does mean that when it comes to CBD, there’s no one-size-fits-all amount. It will take some experimenting to find the right serving to give your own fuzzballs.
Ready to dive in? Try our our cbd oil for dogs.