The CBD industry is still on the rise as we speak, with more and more anecdotal evidence (and proper research!) suggesting cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabis substance, could alleviate symptoms of a range of conditions and illnesses. Surprisingly enough, we aren’t the only ones who can benefit from it; with some of the best CBD dog treats on the market, our furry friends may finally get some relief too!
Giving CBD to dogs seems to be a viable alternative to using medications to soothe conditions like anxiety or chronic pain. However, the problem with using CBD oil in particular (the best way for humans to administer CBD) is that dogs don’t love the idea of us pouring anything under their tongues. Even placing some in the food might not do the trick, as they will detect the scent and taste!
Fortunately, the best CBD dog treats should be delicious to even the pickiest of dogs and serve as an excellent (not to mention beneficial!) snack in between meals. But which brands have stepped up and created treats that are entirely safe for our pets to use? The following four are the current favorites of many dog parents!
The Best CBD Dog Treats: Top Brands in 2021
1. Royal CBD
According to the many testimonials and reviews we found online, Royal CBD happens to make the best CBD dog treats (according to Seattle Weekly, Kent Reporter, Herald Net, and many other news outlets). All those praises aren’t for nothing, of course, as the company has invested lots of time and money into perfecting the product so that it’s 100% safe for our furry friends.
For one, the production process Royal CBD stands by is practically perfect. The company uses organic hemp that’s completely GMO-free. Furthermore, it has opted for CO2 extraction, which is the most sophisticated way of getting pure and potent extracts. For its dog treats, the company uses full-spectrum CBD; this form contains all the most beneficial compounds found in cannabis, including even THC (but less than 0.3%).
The greatest selling point of these treats, however, is the fact they come in three different varieties or rather formulas. We can opt for the Active treats, which help improve mobility and joint health, or the Calming treats, which relieve stress and anxiety in dogs. There’s even a Hearty variety, which (as you may suspect) improves heart health and immune system.
Each treat provides 5 mg of CBD, with each bag containing 150 mg in total. A dog should get a treat for every 10 pounds of its body weight.
What We Love About the Royal CBD Dog Treats:
- Natural, dairy-, and gluten-free formula
- Supercritical CO2 extraction and organic hemp
- Three delicious flavors and formulas for different dog ailments
- Full-spectrum CBD treats
What We Don’t Love About the Royal CBD Dog Treats:
- A 5 mg dosage may be too high for tiny dogs
- High-end product — high-end price
2. Gold Bee
Gold Bee is a company that puts lots of emphasis on natural ingredients and the production process, so it’s not a surprise to see many dog owners just loving its CBD Goofy Bones. To make these dog treats, the company uses organically grown hemp. It also makes sure there is no THC in the extracts, so pet owners don’t have to worry about getting their dogs high (however unlikely that may be!).
One thing we noticed is that Gold Bee gets the extracts for these treats by using the cold-press method. This may disappoint some potential customers, as the CBD simply isn’t as effective as it would be if the company used CO2 extraction.
However, that doesn’t make this a bad product by any means. All the cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes found in the treats will still provide your pooch with some great relief. Plus, the company made sure the treats are also very dog-friendly in terms of taste. Each treat has 6 mg of CBD and is bacon and pumpkin-flavored — delicious!
What We Love About the Gold Bee CBD Goofy Bones:
- High enough dosage for bigger dogs
- Extracts derived from organic US hemp
- Delicious flavor that would entice any dog out there
What We Don’t Love About the Gold Bee CBD Goofy Bones:
- No full-spectrum option (with THC)
- The extraction method isn’t as effective as using CO2
- The treats come in one flavor only
3. Hempure
Hempure CBD Pet Chews are likely the best CBD dog treats for pooches that prefer a more gummy-like, softer texture. These delicious snacks should soothe anxious dogs and provide some relief if they’ve been experiencing some digestive issues. At the same time, the treats ought to ease pain, strengthen the immune system, and help with aging. Overall, they are multi-purpose chews that tackle a variety of conditions dogs tend to suffer from!
One thing to note, however, is that the quality is lower than that of Gold Bee or Royal CBD treats. For one, the dosage is relatively minimal, coming in at 2 mg per chew. This may not be enough for all dogs, especially the bigger ones. And we cannot even rely on the formula so much since the treats contain no THC — so dogs will miss out on the entourage effect.
What’s more, we have to be wary of the ingredients. Though the reviews verify the safety of the chews, it might be a good idea to go through the ingredient list beforehand so as to ensure your dog doesn’t have a reaction to some of the stuff found in these chews (glycerin, sodium alginate, etc.)
What We Love About the Hempure CBD Pet Chews:
- Organic GMO-free US-grown hemp and CO2 extraction
- A chewy texture that most dogs may prefer
- Low enough dosage for small dogs
What We Don’t Love About the Hempure CBD Pet Chews:
- No THC and no entourage effect
- The chews are made with lots of additives
- Treats come in one flavor only
- Low dosage
4. Honest Paws
Made by a dog owner for other dog owners, Honest Paws Bites could be the best CBD dog treats for those looking for variety and 100% organic pet-friendly snacks. Available in three varieties (Calm, Relief, and Wellness), these treats also tackle different conditions while still being oh-so-delicious for dogs all over the US.
All of the Bites are made by using US-grown full-spectrum hemp. Furthermore, each variety contains a range of organic ingredients that don’t only make the treats taste good but offer additional benefits as well. They’re made with organic barley and organic oats and are entirely free from GMOs, corn, soy, and other potentially hazardous ingredients.
Each variety also has an incredible flavor. Calm Bites taste like peanut butter, Relief Bites like turmeric, and Wellness Bites dazzle the senses with their coconut flavor. With every piece, the dog gets 5 mg of CBD.
What We Love About the Honest Paws Bites:
- Organic US-grown hemp and CO2 extraction
- Three different variants and flavors
- 5 mg of CBD per piece
- Non-GMO, soy, and corn-free treats
What We Don’t Love About the Honest Paws Bites:
- The dosage may be a bit high for small dogs
- Available only in the US
Benefits of Giving CBD Treats to Your Dog
Now that we know there are not one but four incredible brands behind the best CBD dog treats on the market, we have to go over a crucial burning question — why would we give CBD to our dogs anyway?
By now, you may have already heard just how helpful CBD is when used to alleviate symptoms of some common human conditions and illnesses. Other than soothing anxiety and depression, most people turn to CBD when they need some pain relief (for arthritis aches, for instance). Even better, research shows that the compound could also be beneficial in reducing inflammation.
When it comes to our pooches, we can expect similar benefits. Most notably, CBD helps dogs by:
- Increasing their mobility. The compound supports bone and joint health, reducing occasional stiffness that may prevent dogs from being active on a daily basis.
- Reducing pain. Since it has some powerful anti-inflammatory properties, CBD can tackle pain in dogs and provide relief and, above all, comfort. One of its most notable contributions is related to dogs with osteoarthritis, as it reduces inflammation and improves pain management and mobility.
- Decreasing stress and anxiety. CBD has a calming effect, so it should help dogs feel more at ease in stressful situations, such as during a thunderstorm, in case of separation anxiety, etc. It may also soothe hyperactive dogs by keeping their mood balanced and relaxed.
CBD could also enhance the well-being of dogs in general by improving cardiovascular functioning and immune system response. There are some indications that it also boosts neurological functioning and can reduce the number of seizures epileptic dogs experience. And there’s even some potential when it comes to cancer treatment; some research suggests it may help slow down the growth of cancer in canines.
How Safe Are CBD Dog Treats?
Since CBD is derived from cannabis, it’s not uncommon for dog parents to have a few concerns regarding its safety. But there’s not much to worry about here since we will be giving dogs CBD extracted from hemp, not marijuana.
Both of these are cannabis varieties, but only industrial hemp is legal across the US, provided it contains less than 0.3% THC. This psychoactive compound is the main cause of worry for most of us, so its lack in CBD products should dispel any concerns.
As long as the CBD treats we’re looking into have a minuscule amount of THC (or none at all), our dogs should be perfectly safe and sound. This amount isn’t enough to make neither a human nor a dog high or otherwise change their behavior drastically.
Another thing to keep in mind when determining the safety of CBD dog treats is the ingredient list. Just like we would do if we were picking out CBD snacks for ourselves, we ought to aim for products made with the best ingredients, preferably organic. Additives and artificial flavors are a no-go since they may reduce the efficacy of the products and could even potentially damage our dog’s health.
Furthermore, we have to keep in mind the extraction process, as it influences the final product. CO2 extraction is the best option since the extracts it yields are pure and potent without any solvent residue.
But we cannot determine all of these things by simply checking the label. Our best bet is to opt for brands that do third-party lab analysis and make the results available to their customers.
How Much CBD Should I Give My Dog?
Determining the right dosage of CBD our dog needs is as challenging as determining one for ourselves. It will involve a lot of trial and error, which is why we recommend starting slow and talking to a veterinarian about it beforehand.
There isn’t actually an exact starting dosage to rely on here. Some say going with 0.2 mg of CBD per pound of weight is the right choice, whereas others claim 0.25 mg is a better option. A few even say that dogs can get anywhere from 1 to 5 mg of CBD per 10 pounds, depending on how strong we want the dosage to be.
Fortunately, most manufacturers are aware of this problem, so they do include specific instructions with their CBD dog treats. The label should say how much we could give to our dogs without causing any side effects. In any case, we cannot go wrong by giving them the smallest dosage — we can always increase it later on.
And speaking of side effects, don’t think that just because you’ve found the best CBD dog treats, there may not be any consequences to worry about. Just like in humans, CBD may cause some mild side effects, such as dry mouth and drowsiness.
Cottonmouth isn’t a huge problem; we should just ensure the dog has plenty of fresh water to drink whenever it needs to. Drowsiness, on the other hand, could indicate the dosage is too high for the dog. In that case, we should lower it a bit to see if our pooch handles the effects better.
Final Thoughts on the Best CBD Dog Treats
Our pooches deserve the best CBD dog treats money can buy, and luckily — brands have taken note of that. Companies have stepped up to the challenge of making CBD more user-friendly for dogs, creating snacks that are both beneficial and full of flavor. Now it’s just a matter of testing the treats and letting our pooches determine what kind tickles their senses more. Provided we’ve done our research beforehand and opted for lab-tested snacks made with natural ingredients and little to no additives, our dogs can make the final call based on taste alone!
