Once you’ve decided CBD for dogs is a good option for supporting your pet’s wellness, it’s time to choose the best CBD oil for dogs. This might sound like a simple task, but the market is rife with less-than-ideal options and some that might even present a health risk for your pooch. It’s very important to do careful research to ensure that the dog CBD oil you buy is not only effective and enjoyable for your pet, but also safe and high-quality.
To choose the best CBD oil for your dog, you need to consider a number of aspects of the product’s quality, and then decide on the appropriate strength, flavor, and additional ingredients your pet needs – or wants!
Choosing the Best CBD Oil for Dogs
Safety and quality will be your first concern when choosing any new wellness resource for your dog, and that includes CBD. The best CBD oil for dogs will be THC-free,* verified with a Certificate of Analysis (COA), and made from Superior Broad Spectrum CBD that was extracted from a hemp plant grown in the US.
Why Your Dog CBD Oil Should Be THC-Free*
Many pet parents wonder if CBD will get their dog high, and the answer is a firm no. CBD is one of several compounds found in cannabis plants, which also contain THC. THC causes psychoactive effects, but CBD does not, which is why CBD alone will not get your pet high. The key to finding the best CBD oil for dogs is ensuring that no THC creeps into your dog’s product.
What differentiates the hemp plant from other cannabis plants is the low amount of THC – less than 0.3 percent, to be exact. This low concentration means most hemp-derived CBD oil for dogs won’t make your pet high. But it’s better to find a dog CBD oil that is labeled THC-free. This means that the manufacturer has gone the extra mile to remove as much THC as possible, so you can rest assured your best friend will only see benefits and no unfortunate discomfort.
The Importance of a Certificate of Analysis
Don’t assume that what you see on the label of a CBD oil for dogs is accurate and honest. Unfortunately, such labels are sometimes accidentally incorrect – or worse, intentionally misleading.
The only way to be sure that the ingredient list and strength advertised on your dog CBD oil are precise is to have that product tested by a third-party, independent laboratory. These laboratories will provide a document called a Certificate of Analysis that shows the test results and examines what was actually found in the product, which may or may not be different from company claims.
Reliable CBD companies will make it easy to find the COA on all of their CBD oil for dogs because they are being honest on their label and they have no reason to hide the results. Don’t forgo this important documentation when shopping for the best CBD oil for dogs.
Different Types of CBD Extracts to Consider
The variety of CBD extracts can seem overwhelming to a pet parent who is shopping for dog CBD oil. It’s not as simple as extracting CBD from the hemp plant and putting it into a CBD dog treat or carrier oil like MCT. Not only are there a few different ways you can extract the CBD from the plant, but there are also different types of CBD extracts. These generally fall into the categories of CBD isolate, full spectrum, broad spectrum, and Superior Broad Spectrum. While each type of CBD has benefits for various reasons, Superior Broad Spectrum makes the best CBD oil for dogs because it enhances the powerful benefits of CBD with other terpenes and cannabinoids that make those benefits more readily accessible to your dog’s body. And – of course – it eliminates as much THC as possible from the final product, so your dog experiences homeostasis without any confusion.
Your Dog CBD Oil Should Be Extracted from Hemp Grown in the US
Because it is so important that your dog CBD oil is THC-free,* you should only use CBD oil for dogs that has been derived from hemp plants grown in the US. American hemp farms are subject to strict rules and regulations around how much THC can be in the hemp plant. Furthermore, domestic farms are less likely to use controversial or unhealthy growing methods than farms abroad with less oversight.
Beyond Quality: Choosing the Best CBD for Your Dog
Once you’ve ensured that you’re using the best CBD oil for dogs when it comes to quality and reliability, it’s time to look a little deeper and assess exactly what your dog needs in terms of flavor, strength, and additional support.
Dog CBD Oil Flavors Offer Different Uses
There are two primary ways to administer CBD oil for dogs: by using the dropper to apply the oil directly into your pet’s mouth, and by drizzling the oil over food or dog treats. If your dog is generally laid back, you might decide to deliver the oil into their mouth. Choosing a tasty flavor like peanut butter will make this process easier than if the oil is unflavored or otherwise unappealing to your dog.
If you want to drizzle the oil on kibble or a treat, a naturally unflavored oil might be a better choice so it doesn’t conflict with any of the existing flavors in your dog’s food or treats. If you give your dog CBD oil this way, be sure they finish every last crumb of their dinner or treat, so you know they’re getting their full dosage of CBD each day.
Supporting Ingredients Can Be Combined with CBD
Consider your wellness goals when choosing the best CBD oil for your dog. Rather than giving your dog a variety of supplements daily, you might be able to address certain needs while giving them their CBD. For example, our calming CBD oil for dogs delivers the relaxing benefits of CBD along with melatonin to regulate your dog’s sleep schedule and a soothing herbal blend that will help them feel balanced and calm. So if you want to help your dog handle stresses like separation anxiety or noise aversion, or even just a more relaxed nighttime routine, this might be the best CBD oil for your dog.
Choosing the Right Amount of CBD for Your Dog
In addition to verifying the safety of your CBD oil for dogs through a COA and other labels, you need to ensure your dog is safe by giving them the right strength of CBD. Choosing the proper concentration of CBD oil for dogs will ensure that you can give your dog a CBD dose that is appropriate for their size, so they see maximum benefits and no negative side effects.
Choosing a CBD dose for your dog will depend on many things, including their size and weight, their individual needs and personality, and their daily life and environment. It might take time to find the amount of daily CBD that works for your pet, but start with a CBD oil strength that is the smallest recommended amount for your dog. If your dog is on the cusp of the weight ranges listed on a dog CBD oil label, use the lower strength that suits their size. You can always administer more servings, but a product that is too strong makes it very easy to give your dog too much CBD.
Choose a Dog CBD Oil That Works for Your Furry Family
The best CBD oil for dogs will be the one that is safe and effective for your individual pet. While you can ensure safety and reliability from some label factors like a COA and the phrase THC-free,* you will also have to do some trial and error to find the best flavors, additional ingredients, and dosage for your dog. Be patient and find a CBD routine that works for you and your furry friend.