Most dogs exhibit slower recovery times after injuries as well as pain related to joint issues as they grow older. Cannabidiol has been proven to be effective in treating those symptoms as well as boosting energy levels and improving focus. However, not all dogs enjoy taking their medication sublingually. Luckily, if your pooch is particularly picky about that, you can always reward them with one of the best CBD dog treats on the market.
Of course, inflammation relief and faster recovery times are only a fraction of the benefits you can expect to see. Research has shown that cannabidiol can increase comfort and activity for animals suffering from arthritis just as it can do for humans. However, it can also improve the symptoms of a condition many younger dogs suffer from — separation anxiety.
Aside from those two concerns, cannabidiol may also reduce seizures in dogs with epilepsy. The substance could even potentially slow the spread of cancerous cells — but that claim requires more research before we can fully get behind it. We encourage you to investigate all these claims individually. But first, let’s talk about some treats that can demonstrate these effects.
Top 4 Best CBD Dog Treats for Improving Your Pet’s Overall Health
When faced with the plethora of hemp-derived products that are formulated with animals in mind, it can be difficult to make the right choice for your dog. But that’s where we come in. We’ve searched far and wide for the best CBD dog treats on the market. The results of our search are on the list below, along with our thoughts about each of the brands we’ve chosen to highlight!
1. Royal CBD Dog Treats
Like all Royal CBD products, the company’s dog treats are infused with organic, non-GMO hemp. The manufacturer also prioritizes taste in its bacon-flavored CBD oil for pets as well as its treats (which won them several awards from Kits AP Daily News, Seattle Weekly, Kent Reporter, and more). You can even choose between three different formulations based on your dog’s needs.
The company’s Active Treats contain turmeric, Boswellia, hemp seed, and CBD in addition to the base of pumpkin puree, brown rice flour, molasses, cinnamon, and coconut oil. For the Calming Treats, the manufacturer used peanut butter and applesauce instead of the pumpkin puree in the base. Additionally, the treats contain L-theanine, chamomile, and CBD oil to promote relaxation.
Lastly, the company’s Hearty Treats are great for boosting immune system function in older dogs. Those have a base of sweet potatoes and rolled oats (along with brown rice flour, molasses, and the other ingredients we’ve listed). As for the active ingredients, the treats contain blueberries, flaxseed, hemp seed powder, and, of course, CBD oil.
Each bag of treats contains 150 mg of CBD, delivering 5 mg per treat. You’ll need to give your pup one treat for every 10 pounds of its body weight for the CBD to take effect.
Naturally, Royal CBD has each batch of products tested by independent labs to ensure that your pets will be getting the best CBD dog treats on the market. The company even offers a 30-day guarantee. So if the treats don’t go over well, you can get your money back!
Pros:
- 30 treats per bag (5 mg of full-spectrum CBD per treat)
- Three different formulations
- All-natural ingredients, gluten-free
- Third-party lab testing
- 30-day guarantee
Cons:
- You might use the treats up quickly if you have a big dog
- A bit pricey for the amount of CBD they deliver
2. Gold Bee CBD Goofy Bones
Everyone who’s ever shopped for hemp supplements knows about the idea behind Gold Bee products. Namely, most of the company’s products contain organically-sourced honey from the Amazon Rainforest. Aside from that, they also contain high-quality cannabidiol extracted from US-grown, non-GMO hemp plants. But while some of the products in Gold Bee’s lineup are full-spectrum formulations, the company’s pet treats are THC-free.
The absence of THC usually makes hemp-derived supplements less effective. However, the rest of the cannabinoids and terpenes extracted from the hemp plant should still make Gold Bee’s Goofy Bones fairly calming. Additionally, they might be one of the best CBD dog treats on the market for pets that prefer bacon and pumpkin to beef.
Apparently, the company uses the cold press method of extraction rather than CO2 extraction to make its dog treats. That may have an impact on the overall quality of the treats. But since Gold Bee otherwise does use CO2 extraction to make other products, we’re inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt.
In any case, Goofy Bones should contain 6 mg of CBD per piece. So even if cold-pressed broad-spectrum CBD is less potent, the higher CBD content in the treats may level the playing field between them and weaker full-spectrum counterparts.
Pros:
- 6 mg of broad-spectrum CBD per treat
- Bacon and pumpkin flavor
- Non-GMO, American-grown ingredients
- Independent lab testing
Cons:
- The company uses the cold press method instead of CO2 extraction
3. Hempure CBD Pet Chews
Hempure is one of the best broad-spectrum hemp supplement manufacturers on the market. So if you don’t want your pet to ingest the trace-amounts of THC that are naturally found in hemp plants, check out the Hempure CBD Pet Chews.
Unlike Royal CBD, this company does use gluten in the formulation of its treats. The base of the chews consists of water, hemp oil, yeast, glycerin, gum arabic, and flaxseed oil. The flavor comes in the form of beef powder, natural bacon flavor, and sweet potato powder. Lastly, the product also contains some natural preservatives.
Notably, these soft treats contain about 2 mg of CBD each. According to the manufacturer, half a treat is enough for a pet that weighs under 15 pounds. Pets that have up to 30 pounds can have a whole treat, and those under 50 pounds can have a piece and a half. On the other hand, big breeds could stomach 2 chews.
However, in reality, this low potency may not be able to improve your dog’s immune system function or treat pain. For that effect, you’d have to use 10–50 mg of CBD. Still, these treats are just strong enough to encourage relaxation and they’re certainly one of the best CBD dog treats for smaller breeds.
Overall, Hempure offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for the return of unopened products. So if your dog doesn’t like these juicy treats but you already bought more in bulk, you can return the excess.
Pros:
- Available in 24 and 48-chew packs (2 mg of broad-spectrum CBD per treat)
- Beef-flavored
- Organic American-grown ingredients
- Third-party lab testing
- 30-day guarantee
Cons:
- The potency is great for small dogs but not big ones
- Contains gluten
4. Honest Paws CBD Bites and Soft Chews
Last but not least, we have Honest Paws, which gives us decent contenders for the best CBD dog treats in two categories. After all, the manufacturer offers two different types of dog treats — crunchy Bites and Soft Chews. The chewy treats are generally all poultry-flavored, while the crunchy ones can taste like turmeric, peanut butter, or coconut, depending on the formulation.
Speaking of which, the company’s treats are available in different formulas for promoting relaxation, relieving pain, improving mobility, and overall wellness. Calm Chews contain non-GMO full-spectrum hemp oil, L-theanine, and tryptophan. Conversely, the Mobility Chews formula relies on chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine HCL, hyaluronic acid, and Boswellia powder to boost muscle and joint strength.
On the other hand, the crunchy Bites treats all have a base of hemp oil, barley, oats, and peanut butter. Different product lines have different additional ingredients that influence their effect and taste. For example, Relief Bites contain turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties while Wellness Bites have coconut shavings.
Each of the 30 treats that come in the bag contains 5 mg of CBD. So for dogs that weigh under 25 pounds, a single piece per day should suffice. However, those that are above 50 pounds could stomach up to three Bites or Chews daily.
The four formulations we’ve discussed are available in chewy and crunchy textures as well as oil tinctures and CBD-infused peanut butter. Best of all, the company’s products are all tested by independent laboratories before they get to your beloved pet. But if your dog dislikes the formula you select, you can fall back on a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- 30 treats per bag (5 mg of full-spectrum CBD per piece)
- Various flavors, textures, and effects
- Organic American-grown ingredients
- Third-party lab testing
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons:
- None
How to Find the Best CBD Dog Treats on the Market
Ultimately, shopping for the best CBD dog treats on the market is somewhat different than choosing hemp supplements for humans. You’ll still want to keep an eye out for the production quality, potency, and cannabinoid profile of the products. However, you should also pay attention to the ingredients used to make the treats and the texture they create. With that in mind, let’s find out why all those features matter.
CBD Extraction and Potency
One of the most important things to consider when looking for the best CBD dog treats on the market is the way the manufacturer treats its hemp at the very beginning of the production process. Through the process of bioaccumulation, hemp soaks up all nutrients it finds in the ground and air around it. Unfortunately, the plant is not particularly adept at figuring out which nutrients are useful and which ones are toxic.
That can make it extremely difficult to separate the cannabinoids in the plant from the various toxins it was exposed to. So if you were wondering why you need to know where the hemp a company is using was sourced — that’s it. The farming laws and requirements of different countries and states will invariably influence the final product.
Even the method of extraction can alter the quality of cannabidiol that makes it into your pet’s treats. As we have seen, most companies use CO2 extraction, which has been shown to leave no harmful solvents in the hemp extract. However, some manufacturers use the cold press method that, while not harmful, may affect the potency of the product.
Speaking of which, you may find yourself wondering which potency level you should strive for when selecting your dog’s treats. Well, the products we’ve ranged mostly deliver about 5 or 6 mg of CBD per treat. However, HEMPURE Chews only deliver 2 mg.
Ultimately, your choice will depend on two things — the size of your dog and the size of your budget. If you have a bigger breed that would require more treats at one time, you won’t be able to stretch a 30-piece bag of treats for more than a week.
Cannabinoid Profile
Notably, CBD’s efficacy in treating anxiety, pain, and boosting overall wellness is also influenced by other cannabinoids. Upon the extraction of cannabidiol from the plant, the manufacturer also ends up with a range of other hemp-derived substances. One of them is THC, which, as you may know, is the main psychoactive component of cannabis.
Notably, hemp plants only contain about 0.3% THC, which isn’t enough to get your pet high. Instead, the THC content in full-spectrum products (so called because they contain all the cannabinoids found in hemp, including THC) merely boosts the effects of cannabidiol.
Of course, if you’re still skeptical about letting your pet ingest THC, you could opt for one of the broad-spectrum products we’ve recommended. They may be slightly less effective than full-spectrum ones, but they’ll do the trick! After all, those products also contain other cannabinoids and terpenes (aromatic compounds) found in hemp, which should boost the effects of CBD too.
Flavors, Textures, and Additives
Lastly, we still need to consider the elements that make the best CBD dog treats on the market edible. As we have established, there are several textures and yummy flavors to choose from. You can get crunchy or soft treats, bacon or beef flavored. Some manufacturers even make edible CBD products that aren’t technically treats — like the Honest Paws peanut butter!
So how do we choose the best snack for our dogs? Unfortunately, the dogs themselves aren’t very discerning when it comes to the quality of the ingredients used to make their favorite snacks. They’ll eat pretty much anything! That’s why we have to dig a little deeper to figure out which products are good for them and which aren’t.
As you have seen, some of the ingredients that go into these products are there to boost their effects. That’s how we get L-theanine in several of the anxiety relief formulations we’ve seen. The amino acid has been shown to have effects on anxiety levels and even improve symptoms of insomnia.
However, while many doggy snacks on the market can boast marvelous ingredients like these, they don’t advertise the more insidious additives they’ve included. So when shopping for your dog’s treats, you might want to zoom in on that ingredient list and do a bit of sleuthing to make sure everything is above-board.
How to Choose the Best CBD Dog Treats for Your Pet
After thoroughly vetting dozens of hemp supplement companies, we’ve ended up with a short list of the best CBD dog treats on the market. We’ve even shown you how you can find more excellent options as they come out. But how do you choose which snacks you should order?
Ultimately, it’s best to start with a rough budget, outlining the amount of money you’re willing to spend. From there on out, it’s a matter of the textures and flavors your dog prefers! Hopefully, your pup’s favorite treat will also effectively reduce any discomfort it might be feeling.
