An increasing number of dog owners are using CBD treats to promote better health. So, how do you choose the right CBD dog treats?
CBD may help ease pain related to arthritis or joint problems and improve the overall wellbeing of your four-legged friend. If you need help finding the right product, here are our recommendations for the best CBD dog treats.
Best CBD Dog Treats Summary
Each of the treats that we chose undergoes third-party testing to verify the quality of the CBD. To find the best CBD dog treats, we looked at the most important features, including CBD content, extraction methods, and available flavors.
Royal CBD Dog Treats and Hempure CBD Pet Chews are made with CBD that was extracted using the CO2 extraction method. Compared to other methods, CO2 extraction retains more of the additional compounds that help make CBD so effective.
Gold Bee CBD Goofy Bones had the highest CBD content, with 6 mg of CBD per treat. The Royal CBD treats contain 5 mg per treat while the Hempure pet chews contain just 2 mg of CBD.
Goofy Bones and Hempure pet chews are only available in one flavor.
After comparing the main features, Royal CBD Dog Treats stand out as providing a better value. You can choose from multiple flavors while receiving 5 mg of high-quality CBD per treat.
Reviews of the Best CBD Dog Treats
Royal CBD Dog Treats are among the best-selling CBD products for canines and come from a leading company in the CBD industry. The treats are made with full-spectrum CBD, which is believed to provide stronger effects compared to broad-spectrum CBD.
Royal CBD also uses the CO2 extraction method for obtaining CBD from hemp plants. Unlike the cold pressing extraction method, CO2 extraction does not promote the breakdown of compounds.
Along with high-quality CBD, Royal CBD dog treats contain a healthy dose of cannabidiol. Each treat has 5 mg of CBD.
The package also includes guidelines for proper CBD dosage based on your dog’s body weight. Royal CBD recommends 5 mg per 10 pounds.
Unfortunately, each package only contains 30 treats and is one of the most expensive choices. If you have a 30-pound dog, a single package of treats provides about 10 doses of CBD.
While Royal CBD dog treats are a little pricey, they are also one of the most natural CBD products for canines. The treats are made with organic formulas that contain no GMOs, gluten, meat, or dairy.
You can also choose from three different flavors, each designed to provide specific health effects, such as increased activity, calming, or heart health.
Things We Liked
- Available in three different flavors
- Organic formulas with no gluten, dairy, or meat
- Grown and produced domestically in Colorado
- Uses the supercritical CO2 extraction method
Things We Didn’t Like
- One of the more expensive CBD dog treats
Gold Bee CBD Goofy Bones are designed to offer a safe, natural way to give your dog CBD. The CBD is extracted using the cold-pressing method, which involves using a hydraulic press.
Compared to the supercritical CO2 extraction method, cold pressing exposes the compounds to more oxygen. The presence of oxygen breaks down some of the chemicals, slightly reducing the effectiveness of the CBD.
While these treats are made with cold-pressed CBD, each treat contains 6 mg of CBD. With a higher CBD content, the treats should still deliver the intended health benefits.
After extracting the CBD, it is processed to remove all traces of THC. However, it is a full-spectrum CBD product that contains the complete profile of flavonoids and terpenes.
Most full-spectrum CBD products still contain up to 0.3% THC. The CBD in these treats is formulated to contain 0%.
Some dog owners may be disappointed that these treats only come in a single flavor. Luckily, the available flavor is pumpkin/bacon, which is a combination that most dogs should love.
Due to the higher CBD content, these treats may not be the best option for smaller dogs. With 6 mg of CBD per treat, calculating the proper dosage is also a challenge.
Things We Liked
- The larger CBD dose is suitable for larger breeds
- The treats have a bacon flavor that dogs tend to love
- Contains full-spectrum CBD
- All traces of THC are removed
Things We Didn’t Like
- Slightly less effective due to the cold-press extraction method
- The treats are difficult to find online
Hempure CBD Pet Chews are another recommendation for those who are worried about the presence of THC. As with the Goofy Bones, all THC is removed during the manufacturing process.
Hempure CBD Pet Chews also share several features with the Royal CBD dog treats. Both CBD products are made using organic formulas with no additives and CO2-extracted CBD.
The snacks are made with all-natural beef and bacon flavorings. They also contain vitamin E and flaxseed oil for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
The CBD content per treat is much lower compared to the other options. Instead of 5 to 6 mg, each pet chew has just 2 mg of CBD, as these treats are mostly intended to produce a calming effect.
Hempure has additional CBD products for canines that are formulated with stronger doses. For example, the Hempure Advanced Formula has 10 to 24 mg per serving to promote a healthy immune system.
Despite the lower CBD content in the pet chews, the suggested serving sizes remain small. Hempure recommends giving your dog 0.05 mg of CBD per pound, which is about half of the typical recommendation.
The package of treats is available in two sizes, with 24 or 48 treats. If you have a large dog, you may need to feed it multiple treats to achieve the desired effects.
Things We Liked
- Older dogs may prefer the soft, chewy treats
- One of the more affordable CBD dog treats
- Easier to deliver a smaller CBD dose to small dogs
- The CBD is obtained through CO2 extraction
Things We Didn’t Like
- The smaller CBD dose requires more treats for bigger dogs
- Not organic or gluten-free
CBD Dog Treat Buying Guide
The CBD industry is relatively young, which leads many consumers to want to know more about CBD before purchasing it.
First, it is important to understand that CBD is not the same as THC. It does not produce a “high.”
CBD is the abbreviation of cannabidiol. It is a chemical compound found in cannabis plants, including plants grown for marijuana cultivation and hemp plants.
The CBD used in commercial products is typically derived from hemp plants, which contain no THC or incredibly small traces of THC. Hemp plants contain less than 0.3% of the THC found in marijuana plants.
After extracting the compound from the plant, the CBD is added to various products, such as CBD dog treats and a wide range of consumable items for humans.
What Are the Benefits of CBD Treats for Dogs?
Most of the research on the benefits of CBD has focused on humans.
Only a handful of scientific studies have examined the effects of CBD on dogs and other animals. However, based on the available evidence, CBD may help ease symptoms related to:
- Anxiety
- Moderate pain
- Inflammation
- Epileptic seizures
- Nausea
- Arthritis
- Joint pain
Existing research on humans has found that CBD contains strong anti-inflammatory properties, which aids the body’s ability to heal itself. Giving CBD to dogs may help reduce the severity of symptoms from joint pain and arthritis due to the anti-inflammatory properties.
Dogs completing cancer treatments may also benefit from CBD. CBD may stimulate the appetite and curb nausea, along with reducing the impact of other symptoms associated with cancer.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Health Foundation (CHF) recently partnered with Colorado State University to study the effects of CBD on epileptic dogs. Based on the use of CBD for treating epilepsy in humans, CBD may reduce the occurrence of epileptic seizures in dogs.
What Are the Dangers of CBD for Dogs?
A small study completed by veterinarians at Colorado State University found that dogs tolerate CBD well. The study only reported a few cases of mild diarrhea.
While the side effects of CBD for dogs has not been fully explored, CBD occasionally produces mild side effects in humans. Some of the side effects associated with CBD include:
- Drowsiness
- Increased thirst
- Lower blood pressure
Dogs may be prone to the same side effects as humans. However, the potential adverse reactions are uncommon and mild when they appear.
What Is the Right CBD Dosage for Dogs?
As most CBD dog treats and oils have different concentrations of CBD, the dosage can vary greatly. Manufacturers typically list dosage instructions for each product.
The correct dose of CBD for dogs depends on a variety of factors, including:
- The size and weight of your dog
- The condition you want to treat
- The CBD content of the dog treat
- The quality of the CBD dog treat
Larger dogs require larger doses of CBD, which is true for most medications and meal recommendations. The severity of the condition you want to treat may also impact dosage.
If you simply want to promote better health, your dog may not need a large dose. However, easing the symptoms of cancer and other severe ailments typically requires stronger treatment.
A common recommendation is to start with 0.2 mg of CBD per pound. If your dog weighs 50 pounds, 10 mg of CBD would be considered a safe starting dose.
Begin with a small dose and look for any potential adverse reactions, such as mild diarrhea or drowsiness. After evaluating your dog’s reaction, you may gradually increase the dosage while following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
For example, each Royal CBD Dog Treat contains 5 mg of CBD. The company recommends one treat per 10 pounds of your dog’s body weight.
If your dog weighs 50 pounds, Royal CBD recommends five treats totaling 25 mg of CBD. After starting with 10 mg, adding 5 mg (one treat) each week would allow you to gradually reach the recommendation of 25 mg.
If the CBD dog treat that you purchase contains a larger dose of CBD, you may need to break the treat into smaller pieces.
How to Choose the Best CBD Dog Treats
Some of the main details to consider when choosing CBD dog treats include:
- CBD extraction method
- CBD content of each treat
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Third-party testing
- Flavors
CBD is extracted from hemp plants using several different methods, but the most popular methods include CO2 extraction and cold pressing.
Cold pressing involves crushing the plant to extract oils. CO2 extraction offers a more efficient and effective solution.
With CO2 extraction, liquid CO2 is pumped into a chamber containing the hemp plant. The CO2 separates the oils from the plants, extracting more of the beneficial cannabinoids.
The CBD content of dog treats also varies. Some treats contain one or two milligrams of CBD while others contain large doses.
If you have a small dog, you may want to look for a treat that has less CBD per serving, such as the Hempure CBD Pet Chews. Each treat contains just 2 mg of CBD.
The best CBD dog treats are made with full-spectrum CBD. This refers to CBD that contains the full range of terpenes and flavonoids found in hemp plants.
Full-spectrum CBD is often more effective due to the presence of the additional compounds.
You should also look for CBD dog treats that have been tested by a third party. Third-party analysis of the CBD content provides independent confirmation of the quality and quantity of CBD in the product.
The final consideration is the flavor. If your dog is a picky eater, you may want to try a dog treat that is available in multiple flavors.
Conclusion
In the end, Royal CBD Dog Treats are a top recommendation, as the CBD used in the treats is extracted using the CO2 extraction method. Each treat also contains 5 mg of CBD, making it easy to achieve the perfect dose for your pup.
Goofy Bones contain more CBD, but the CBD may not be as effective due to the cold pressing method used to extract the compounds.
Hempure CBD Pet Chews contain 2 mg of CO2-extracted CBD per treat. However, limited CBD content requires multiple treats for larger dogs.
With Royal CBD Dog Treats, you get high-quality CBD, multiple flavors, and organic formulas.