CBD has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years due to its impressive list of potential health benefits for both humans and animals alike.
With this rise in popularity, though, new cannabis companies seem to be popping up almost daily, making it hard for dog lovers to discern which CBD products are right (and safe!) for their four-legged friends.
The last thing you want to do is purchase a CBD oil for dogs or CBD dog treat for your pup that can potentially cause more harm than good. Just as well, you don’t want to waste top dollars on a product that isn’t formulated for your pet’s specific needs, or worse, throw away money on a product that contains no CBD whatsoever—something that sadly is more common than consumers realize.
That’s why we’re sharing 7 ways that you can ensure a CBD product for dogs is of the highest possible quality. If you are a pet parent who considers your dog a part of your family, keep reading to discover the signs to look for in a premium brand—and the red flags that should have you running in the other direction.
Before You Buy: 7 Signs of a High Quality CBD Product for Dogs
Chances are you probably already know a great deal about CBD and its many health benefits, so we’re going to dive right into the 7 things that ensure a quality CBD product.
If you want to learn more about CBD in general and why it’s such a fantastic remedy for pets, though, we’ve included everything you need to know about CBD later on in this article, so be sure to keep reading!
Now, for those searching for the perfect CBD for their pets, look no further than our favorite brand, Honest Paws.
This premium company offers a wide variety of high quality pet products, infused with CBD.
What makes Honest Paws so great? They check all the boxes of a top-notch CBD pet product. In particular, they meet all 7 signs of a high-quality CBD oil for dogs, which we’ve detailed below:
1. Hemp-Derived CBD: Remember, only CBD derived from the hemp plant is legal in all 50 states. More importantly, hemp-derived CBD is the only CBD that’s safe for animal consumption, containing less than 0.3% THC. Always choose CBD hemp oil for your pet.
2. Full Spectrum CBD: Some companies sell something called CBD Isolate. These products separate CBD from the other naturally occurring compounds in the hemp plant. Companies usually tout the end result as a purer and therefore more potent form of CBD. A 2015 study, however, found that full spectrum CBD, which contains all of the hemp plant’s beneficial compounds, actually provides more substantial results. Why do companies continue to sell CBD Isolate then? The answer is simple: it’s cheaper to make. Ensure your dog is reaping the full benefits of CBD by only purchasing full spectrum CBD products.
3. Organic & All Natural CBD: The last thing you want is for your CBD oil to be derived from plants that were treated with pesticides, grown from chemically-modified seeds, or processed using radiation. Because hemp has an amazing ability to draw up toxins from the soil, it’s especially important that you only buy CBD derived from hemp plants that have been grown using organic methods. This ensures the safety and quality of your product. Additionally, opt for CBD products that are non-GMO, soy free, dairy free, corn free, and gluten free to better support your dog’s health.
4. NASC-Certified CBD: The National Animal Supplement Council was formed when it was clear that no one was regulating the animal supplement industry. Companies with a certification from the NASC undergo rigorous quality audits to ensure they’re meeting the highest current standards in the animal health product industry. When you purchase CBD from a company that is NASC-compliant (like Honest Paws), you can rest assured that you’re doing business with a brand that is both ethical and 100% dedicated to providing you with safe and high-standard products.
5. CBD with a Certificate of Analysis: If a CBD company won’t provide you with a Certificate of Analysis, that should raise a red flag. With the CBD market more competitive than ever, it’s not uncommon for companies to make false claims about their products in order to entice consumers. Some studies have even found certain CBD products to contain no CBD whatsoever! Put your mind at ease with a Certificate of Analysis, which will reveal which cannabinoids are in your product, whether the THC levels are below 0.3%, and whether any contaminants were found in the product.
6. CBD Lab Tested by a Third Party: Going along with the importance of a Certificate of Analysis, it’s also crucial that your CBD product has been lab tested by a third party that’s not affiliated in any way with the company you’re purchasing from. This ensures total transparency surrounding the product, which means more accurate test results that you can trust.
7. CBD Company Reputation: When comparing one cannabis brand to another, don’t forget to research a company’s reputation. What is their rating with the Better Business Bureau? How many customers do they currently serve? What kind of reviews do those customers leave on the company’s product pages, and how many reviews do those product pages have? The answers to these questions will make it clear pretty quickly whether or not you’re dealing with a reputable and trustworthy company.
Honest Paws: The #1 Rated CBD Oil and CBD Treats for Pets
If you’ve decided that CBD is an option worth trying for your dog, it’s imperative to do your research on the brand. Using the above benchmarks, you’ll be able to better narrow down the best CBD products for your dog, ensuring your four-legged friend is receiving only the highest quality in holistic wellness.
That said, there’s a reason why Honest Paws—the #1 trusted brand in CBD pet products—has over 40,000 happy customers.
Their CBD oils, dog treats, and topicals are top of the line and check all of the boxes on the above CBD shopping list.
What’s more, their full spectrum, hemp-derived CBD oils for dogs come in a variety of potency levels and are condition-specific, allowing you to choose a hemp oil blend that’s unique to your dog’s situation: from promoting calmness and supporting mobility to offering relief from discomfort and optimizing wellness.
They also offer a variety of flavors among their CBD treats for dogs, including much-loved favorites like peanut butter, poultry, and creamy coconut.
With a 30-day, money-back guarantee and free shipping for orders over $40, Honest Paws is taking the CBD pet world by storm with their high-quality, premium grade line of products.
As a company that’s NASC-certified, they’re top dog when it comes to CBD done right and the #1 pick for any pet owner ready to dive into the world of CBD.
Highlights:
- NASC-Certified CBD products for dogs
- Full spectrum, hemp-derived CBD
- CBD is Non-GMO, soy free, dairy free, corn free, and gluten free
- CBD products made in the USA, sourced from organic hemp in Colorado
- C02 extraction used during processing, which ensures safer and healthier concentrates for CBD oils
- Variety of flavors for CBD dog treats
- Variety of potency levels for CBD oils for dogs and cats, with condition-specific oils available
- 30-day, money-back guarantee
- Free shipping over $40
- Excellent customer service
What is CBD?
Ready to learn more about CBD and its many health benefits?
CBD, short for “cannabidiol,” is one of the many naturally occurring compounds that can be found in the plant, Cannabis Sativa L., the most well-known species in the cannabis plant family.
Cannabis sativa comes in two varieties: marijuana and hemp.
Products derived from the marijuana plant are only legal in states where marijuana has been legalized.
Products derived from the hemp plant, however, such as hemp-derived CBD oil, are legal in all 50 states.
Is CBD Safe for Dogs?
When most people think about CBD, they think about the marijuana plant and the well-known “high” recreational users chase.
CBD oils specially formulated for dogs, however, will not get your pet high.
This is because CBD oils for dogs are derived from the hemp plant, not the marijuana plant. Unlike the marijuana plant, the hemp plant contains less than 0.3% THC, short for “tetrahydrocannabinol”—the naturally occurring compound that has psychoactive effects. The marijuana plant, on the other hand, can contain THC levels as high as 25%.
That said, CBD products for dogs are completely safe as long as they’re derived from the hemp plant with THC levels below 0.3%.
As for CBD side effects in dogs, the biggest one that pet parents observe is slight lethargy when the CBD is first introduced. Fortunately, most CBD pet products on the market today make it completely easy for you to control just how much CBD your dog receives, allowing you to find the perfect balance for their health regime.
Top Reasons People Are Using CBD Oil for Dogs
Just like people, dogs have something called an endocannabinoid system (or “ECS”) in their bodies.
The ECS plays a role in regulating certain functions in the body such as sleep, appetite, mood, immune system responses, and brain processes like learning and memory—just to name a few.
CBD helps to stimulate the body’s ECS, allowing it to maintain homeostasis, which is the balance and stability of your body’s inner functions.
For example, when we’re sick or in pain, our body’s homeostasis is thrown out of balance. It’s the ECS’s job to bring the body back into balance.
Because of its powerful effects in supporting normal function in the body and maintaining a healthy immune response, dog lovers have been using CBD products for their pets for a number of reasons. Here are just some of them:
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Cardiovascular health
- Chronic pain
- Gastrointestinal health
- Immune Support
- Inflammation
- Injury recovery
- Joint Pain
- Loss of appetite
- Pain Relief
- Seizures
- Separation anxiety
- Skin conditions
- Stress
- Surgery recovery
Just read the testimonials or customer reviews on some of the top CBD dog products in the market today, and you’ll find amazing stories about the many ways in which CBD has improved the quality of life for countless dogs around the world.
Types of CBD Dog Products
Pets are family, so it’s no surprise that one of the most popular remedies in holistic wellness today has now been made available to animals as well.
CBD products come in all shapes and forms for human consumption, and the same can be said for dogs. Some of the top CBD dog brands have developed creative, functional ways for our four-legged friends to enjoy CBD in forms that are safe and, in many cases, already familiar to them.
Here are the most common CBD products for dogs on the market today:
CBD Oils for Dogs
When it comes to CBD oils for dogs, what you’re actually buying is known as a CBD tincture.
A tincture is an extract made by soaking plant matter in either vinegar or alcohol. This process pulls out the plant’s active ingredients and concentrates them into a liquid, which results in the CBD tincture you’ll find in just about every CBD store online and onsite.
The great thing about CBD tinctures is that they come equipped with a dropper (usually 1mL in size), which takes out the guesswork when administering CBD oil to your dog. With a tincture, you always know just how much CBD oil your dog is receiving and can easily adjust the dose as needed.
CBD oils for dogs are best administered sublingually (under your pet’s tongue). This allows the CBD to quickly diffuse into the blood through tissues located underneath their tongue.
Alternatively, with a pet tincture, you can also administer CBD oil at mealtime, with pet parents finding great success with simply adding CBD drops to their dog’s food.
CBD Dog Treats
What dog doesn’t love a tasty treat? CBD dog treats make it easier than ever to introduce CBD into your dog’s health regime. Pet treats come in various shapes and sizes, catering to every dog from toy breeds to giant breeds.
As a bonus, you’ll typically find CBD edibles for dogs that are formulated with delicious ingredients that dogs already love—like coconut, peanut butter, and turmeric.
Some CBD dog companies even manufacture CBD-infused peanut butter and CBD-infused coconut oil. CBD oil products like this are a big hit among animals!
Additionally, CBD treats for dogs are a great option because, like oils, the dosage level for each CBD treat is clearly indicated on the packaging, allowing you to administer the right amount of CBD to your canine friend.
CBD Topical Creams for Dogs
Not all CBD pet products need to be consumed.
Sometimes, dog owners seek out specific CBD benefits that can be achieved simply through topical application.
As mentioned beforehand, CBD is commonly used in dogs to manage allergies and skin conditions.
CBD-infused coconut oil for pets, for instance, provides an all-natural option for skin issues because of its antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. It can be used to heal cuts, keep wounds clear of infections, soothe itchy and irritated skin, moisturize dry skin and cracked paws, and promote the healing of hot spots.
CBD Capsules for Dogs
Some pet parents opt to administer CBD to their dog via capsule form. Essentially, the CBD is developed into a powder which is then packed into an easy-to-digest capsule. This CBD capsule can either be hidden inside a treat or administered at mealtime.
Typically, the capsules are vegan, meaning they’re made with 100% plant-based ingredients and contain no animal gelatin.
If your dog is already familiar with taking other supplements in capsule form, this may be the perfect option to fit their needs.
Product packaging will typically indicate how much CBD is contained within a single capsule, making it easy to provide your dog with the precise dosage they need.
CBD Dosage for Dogs
When trying to determine how much CBD to give your dog, there are two main factors to consider:
· Your pet’s weight
· The condition you’re using CBD for
Most CBD products for dogs are sold in potency levels that are based on the animal’s weight. This is because a small dog like a Chihuahua naturally wouldn’t need the same potency level that a Great Dane would, while the Great Dane would certainly require a higher concentration of CBD due to its large size.
The most common potency levels are 125mg, 250mg, 500mg, and 1000mg—though you may find variations of these numbers across brands.
When you’re first introducing CBD to your pet, holistic experts recommend a starting dose of 1mg-5mg per 10lbs of body weight.
A 40lb dog, therefore, would start off with a dose of anywhere from 4mg-20mg of CBD.
Product packaging should clearly indicate how many milligrams of CBD are in each capsule, treat, or drop of oil, making it easy to calculate how much of each your dog requires.
The condition you’re using CBD for will determine whether you use a regular dose of your chosen product (ideal for general wellness, joint health, and other mild issues), or a stronger dose (worth considering for intense discomfort and/or to provide added immune support). A stronger dose is simply double the amount of a regular dose. Either way, you still want to start off on the lower end of dosages when your dog is trying CBD for the first time.
CBD for Dogs: The Bottom Line
Considering the numerous health benefits the hemp plant can provide to both people and their pets, it’s no surprise CBD has garnered so much attention in recent years.
This rise in popularity makes CBD more visible and accessible than ever, but pet parents should always exercise caution when picking out the right pet CBD oil for their dog.
After all, your canine friend is more than a pet—they’re a part of your family. And by using the CBD shopping list above to ensure a quality CBD product for your furry friend, you’re investing in their wellbeing, happiness, and in a better quality of life!