Best CBD Dog Treats: Top Brands Reviewed

There’s no better way to show your dog that you love them than by keeping them healthy. In addition to exercise, a healthy diet, grooming, and regular checkups at the vet, you can also help support your dog’s wellbeing with CBD dog treats. Learn how CBD oils and treats can benefit your four-legged friend and see which brands made our list of the best CBD treats for dogs.

How CBD Treats and Chews Can Help Dogs (and Other Pets)

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the many naturally occurring compounds found in the hemp plant. CBD oil is derived from the leaves, flowers, and stems of the cannabis plant. This important cannabinoid compound has been found to possess both medical as well as therapeutic benefits in both humans and animals.

Like humans, dogs possess an endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS plays a role in the body’s natural processes related to mental function, mood, inflammation, pain, appetite, energy, digestion, and more.

Some of the potential benefits of CBD for dogs include support for:

• Separation anxiety and stress
• Pain
• Chronic inflammation
• Arthritis and joint pain
• Mobility
• Digestive issues
• Seizures, tremors, or spasms

With so many potential benefits, more and more pet owners are seeking CBD for dogs as a natural way to help keep them healthy.

Top 6 CBD Dog Treats Online

Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. You can learn more about our review methodology here. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

• Best for Skin & Coat – R+R Medicinals Hemp Extract Dog Chews
• Best Overall – Joy Organics Premium CBD Dog Chews
• Best for Mobility – Zesty Paws CBD Mobility Bites Soft Chews

How We Review CBD Treats for Dogs

To select the best CBD dog treats, we considered specific factors around the CBD, the ingredients, the flavoring, and the brands themselves. Here are more details about how we reviewed each of CBD treats for dogs that made our list.

Source of CBD

Just like with CBD products for people, we only choose brands that use CBD from safe and trustworthy sources. We prefer brands that use CBD from hemp plants grown in the U.S., and we also look to see if the CBD is grown organically or naturally. The extraction process also matters, especially if they use clean CO2 extraction. This helps determine the type of CBD contained in their products, whether it’s full spectrum, broad spectrum, or CBD isolate.

Ingredients

In addition to the CBD, we look to see what other ingredients go into each dog treat. The best brands use all-natural ingredients and flavorings and avoid fillers or allergens like corn, wheat, and soy. We also look for additional healthy ingredients like sweet potato, flaxseed, turmeric, passionflower, sunflower oil, and more, that are known to promote better health in dogs.

Flavor

A CBD dog treat won’t do much good if you’re dog won’t eat it! We select products that come in appetizing flavors that dogs will love. It’s important that these come from natural ingredients instead of artificial flavoring. We also chose different types of treats, both soft and hard chews, to give you more options depending on your dog’s preferences.

Brand

We only recommend CBD dog treats from brands that we trust. All of the best CBD brands include third-party lab testing on all of their products to ensure the strength and purity of their CBD. Certain brands also offer veterinarian-formulated pet CBD treats, or are certified by the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC). We also look for brands that offer affordable prices and money back guarantees.

Our Top Picks for Dog CBD Treats

What’s the Difference Between CBD Oil and CBD Dog Treats?

CBD for dogs can come in several different forms. Some brands offer CBD oil for dogs, which comes as an oil tincture that you measure using a dropper. CBD oil can either be administered orally or mixed in with your dog’s food. This provides a fast way for your dog’s body to absorb the CBD and to experience the mental and physical benefits. CBD oils for dogs also typically contain fewer ingredients than some other pet CBD products, just the CBD and a carrier oil, so it’s easier for you to know exactly what you give to your dog.

CBD dog treats are soft or hard chews made with CBD and are meant to be more palatable for dogs than oils. Some dogs do not enjoy the earthy or natural flavor of CBD oil and respond better to a savory treat. These products also typically include other natural ingredients meant to promote your dog’s health, including sweet potato and flax seed. Treats make it easier to know exactly how much CBD you give to your dog each time, as every treat will contain the same amount of CBD. Dog treats with CBD are typically an easier, less messy option than oils.

What the Experts Say About CBD and Dogs

Research has found that CBD can provide a number of different benefits for dogs, from calming dogs with separation anxiety to helping older dogs that suffer from chronic joint pain.

A 2018 study concluded that CBD oil “can help increase comfort and activity” in dogs with osteoarthritis. Another study conducted in 2019 found that CBD could help dogs with epilepsy by potentially reducing the frequency of seizures when added to their existing medication.

In addition to joint pain and epilepsy, CBD is also frequently used to help relieve anxiety and stress in dogs. Recent research has shown that CBD can help to reduce aggression in some dogs, especially through calming dogs in stressful settings like shelters.

What to Look for in CBD Dog Products

While there are a lot of CBD dog products out there, not all of them are safe or effective. Here are the things to look for when evaluating CBD for dogs.

Quality Signals

There are a few signs that can tell you if a CBD dog treat or oil is a quality product.

First, always look to see that the product has undergone independent third-party lab testing to ensure its potency and safety. Second, try to choose CBD products that are sourced from hemp grown in the United States. Third, you can always look for the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal that indicates a product or brand meets strict standards for safety and testing.

Additionally, look for labels and certifications that you trust like USDA organic, non-GMO, and products made without wheat, corn, or soy.

How to Read Labels

When comparing CBD dog treats, make sure to check the labels for a few key pieces of information.

Type of CBD

Make sure you know what type of CBD is in the product. Full spectrum CBD offers the complete profile of cannabinoids and plant compounds found in hemp. For some, this provides more benefits and stronger relief. Broad spectrum CBD, meanwhile, all of the same cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids as full spectrum, but it is THC-free. This can be important if your dog is especially sensitive or does not react well to full spectrum products.

Amount of CBD

Next, look to see how much CBD is contained in each treat or serving. This will help you determine the right product for your dog based on their size. Some brands include serving guides on their packaging to help make sure you give your dog the appropriate amount of CBD.

List of Ingredients

Check the ingredients list as well to make sure that the CBD dog treat does not contain anything your dog might be allergic to. You can also note if the treat is made with all natural ingredients. Depending on your dog, you can also look for treats that contain additional ingredients that are good for specific health concerns, like sweet potato, turmeric, passionflower, and flax seed.

How Many CBD Treats Should Your Dog Take?

The amount of CBD contained in each treat will determine how many you should give your dog at one time. As with humans, it’s best to start with a small dose, monitor your dog’s response, and gradually increase slowly from there. The same rule of thumb applies for dogs and other pets: start low and go slow.

Most CBD dog treats will include a recommended serving guide based on the size of your dog. For example, for dogs under 10 lbs you may only want to give them 1.5 mg of CBD daily. If a treat contains 3 mg of CBD total, you should only give them half of a treat per day. Dogs over 60 lbs, however, may need two treats a day, or 6 mg of CBD, to experience the desired benefits. Again, start with a small amount to make sure that your dog responds positively to CBD before gradually increasing the number of treats.

Possible Side Effects

As with any natural supplement or prescription medication for your dog, there is the possibility for certain side effects. Some of the more common side effects that dogs can experience include:

• Excessive panting
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Loss of balance
• Lethargy

If you notice that your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, then you may have given them too much CBD, as these are signs of toxicity. If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, it’s best to call your veterinarian right away.

Takeaway

CBD can offer a number of potential benefits for dogs. For those who don’t want the mess of oil tinctures, or for dogs who don’t like the taste of oils, CBD dog treats offer an easy and tasty solution. Whether you want to help your dog with anxiety and stress or mobility issues due to joint pain, you can find a CBD dog treat that you both will love.