CBD for Separation Anxiety in Dogs

A post by Jesse from Happyhunde.de 🐕

Hi, I’m Jesse, the founder of Happyhunde—a blog that covers dog-related topics such as nutrition, health, dog training, and much more. The topic of “dogs” is very close to my heart, as I’m a dog mom myself, always on a mission to give my dog a happy life. Today, I’d like to tell you a bit about CBD for dogs with separation anxiety, since I’ve had some personal experience with this issue myself. Enjoy reading! 😊

What exactly is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a substance derived from industrial hemp. Unlike the psychoactive compound THC (also a cannabinoid), CBD is not a strongly psychoactive substance. If you have a sensitive dog that suffers from severe separation anxiety, this natural remedy can be a valuable aid for you. I’ll now explain CBD for dogs with separation anxiety in more detail.

So rest assured, your dog won’t get high from CBD. CBD is derived from the low-THC industrial hemp variety *Cannabis sativa*. Legal CBD products may contain no more than a residual amount of 0.2% THC. Nacani hemp oils with natural CBD are available in concentrations of 2.8% and 5.6%. You can read here to find out which oil is best suited for your dog.

CBD for separation anxiety and difficulties with being alone

Why do dogs suffer from separation anxiety? Dogs are social animals and generally do not like being alone. Confident and stable dogs, as well as guard dog or hunting dog breeds, usually do better on their own and feel comfortable that way. Insecure animals, fearful dogs, breeds that are very affectionate, and traumatized dogs may be prone to separation anxiety. Sensitive breeds, such as greyhounds and hairless dogs, are also more likely to suffer from anxiety when they have to be left without their family.

Many anxious dogs hide in their beds as soon as you leave and don’t come out until you turn the key in the door lock. This is stressful for your dog and shouldn’t happen.

So, can natural ingredients provide additional support for separation anxiety?

If you look through dog training books, you'll find tips like these:

• You need to gradually get the dog used to being alone.
• You need to leave a puppy alone for short periods right away so it can learn.
• Self-confidence training helps you cope with being alone.

But sometimes, even all these tricks and the best training aren’t enough: your dog continues to suffer when left alone, and you can’t always take him with you. In that case, you should give CBD a try. CBD helps naturally calm your dog and relieves his stress in this situation. Little by little, this helps reduce his fear and negative emotions associated with being alone, replacing them with positive experiences.

Of course, you'll need to be patient throughout the process and still help them adjust to being alone in a sensitive way.

How exactly does CBD help with separation anxiety?

CBD can bind to specific receptors in your dog’s nervous system that are involved in transmitting stimuli associated with fear and negative memories. In traumatized dogs, this effectively blocks the ability to recall the traumatic association.

By blocking the release of stress and anxiety hormones, these reactions are dampened or simply prevented. Over time, these gentle interventions can even lead to lasting changes in your dog. Depending on the dog, CBD usually induces a state of relaxation very quickly, during which happiness and contentment hormones are released.

Note:
CBD works differently in every system, meaning the time it takes to notice an effect can vary greatly from dog to dog . For some, it takes a few minutes; for others, it takes a few weeks for the CBD to truly take effect. So while you can administer CBD on an acute basis, long-term use makes more sense and yields better results.

What should I keep in mind when giving my dog CBD?

Ideally, you should buy a CBD product specifically designed for dogs rather than sharing your own CBD drops with your dog. Start by giving one drop directly into your dog’s mouth, into their food bowl, or on a treat ( Nacani also offers CBD treats). You can find out here when CBD oil is better and when CBD treats are better.

Watch how your dog reacts. The CBD dosage generally depends on body weight. The recommended dosage is 0.5–1 mg of CBD per kilogram of body weight. It’s best to start with a low dose and increase it slightly each day until you achieve the desired effect. You can also combine all nacani products with one another. Our dosage calculator can help you determine the right dosage.

I recommend that you wait until your dog is at least 4 months old before giving it CBD.