Being a dog owner can improve the quality of your life in many ways, but this responsibility requires a lot of effort. As a dog owner, you’re expected to ensure that your dog stays happy and healthy for years; you need to treat your dog as your child and provide them with their needs.
There are countless products available in the market today that can make your life easier as a dog owner, and CBD is just one of them. This product might have stirred controversy in the past, but nowadays, dog owners are using this for their pets because of the health benefits it provides.
Why CBD For Dogs?
CBD (cannabidiol) is an active ingredient that’s extracted directly from the hemp plant. CBD-infused products now come in a wide variety of options–you can now buy CBD oil, CBD lotion, and even CBD treats for your furry friends.
Contrary to popular belief, CBD isn’t the same as marijuana. In fact, CBD is known to bind with the receptors found in the brain and nervous system of your dogs to provide the following benefits:
- Relieves chronic pain: CBD for pets is becoming more popular because a lot of pet owners find this product effective in relieving their pet’s chronic pain–and this assumption has been backed up by studies. This works because the ability of CBD to bind with your dog’s receptors can result in reduced pain and inflammation.
- Alleviates anxiety and depression: As a dog owner, you’re not only responsible for making sure that your pet stays physically healthy, but you should also pay attention to their mental health. CBD is a great product to give to your dog as this may alleviate anxiety and depression by encouraging their brains to produce more serotonin. This neurotransmitter affects your dog’s mood and social behavior.
- Improves appetite: Seeing your dog not eating or even touching their bowls for days is a cause for concern as this can eventually make them weak and sick. According to studies, CBD can be used to improve your dog’s appetite because it calms the digestive tract and nervous system. CBD can also prevent nausea and vomiting, which are sensations that usually discourage your dog from eating.
How Can You Incorporate CBD Into Your Dog’s Diet?
The number of benefits your dog can enjoy from CBD products is likely the reason why you’re excited to incorporate the product into their diet. If you’ve been a dog owner for years, you know how challenging it is to find a product that provides the same or similar benefits as CBD.
Your dog has greater chances of experiencing a better life when CBD is part of their diet, but do you know how to incorporate the product into their meals or drinks? As you know, administering pills to your dog can become a chore, and you might experience the same when you introduce CBD to them.
Fortunately, there are many easy ways for pet owners like you to incorporate CBD into your dog’s diet, such as the following:
- Purchasing CBD-infused Dog Treats
As mentioned, CBD products now come in different forms, one of which is CBD treats. Buying CBD-infused dog treats is one of the easiest ways to incorporate the product into their diet because your furry friend will surely love eating treats.
CBD-infused dog treats are made using other ingredients that are appealing to your dog’s stomach and palate, such as chicken, bacon, pumpkin, peanut butter, and beef. Depending on your preferences, you can buy CBD dog treats in biscuits or cookies, too.
If you’re planning to add CBD treats to your dog’s diet, make sure to pick products that are THC-free. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the compound responsible for the psychoactive properties of marijuana, and allowing your dog to consume this ingredient can result in urinary incontinence and excessive vomiting.
- Adding Drops Of CBD Oil To Their Snacks And Meals
While some dogs will love to munch on any kind of treat, others are very picky and would only eat treats that have been fed to them for years. If your pet is one of the latter, you can incorporate CBD into their diet by buying CBD oil and adding a few drops of the product to their well-loved snacks and treats.
Adding a few drops of CBD oil to your dog’s favorite snacks and treats is a win-win for both of you–you’ll be able to introduce CBD to their diets without your dog being too aware of the change.
For you to be successful in your efforts, make sure to add a few drops of the product first, and then gradually increase the dosage once your dog starts to adjust to eating their CBD-infused snacks and treats. Your dog will likely notice the change in smell and taste of their snacks and treats when you add too much CBD oil at once.
Aside from adding CBD oil to their snacks and treats, you can also add the product to your pooch’s wet and dry food, and then serve it during their meals. Doing this will not only enable your dog to experience the benefits of CBD, but CBD oil can also improve the texture of dry foods, making it easier for your dogs to enjoy their meals. Squirting a few drops of CBD oil into wet food, on the other hand, will make the product unnoticeable as the smell of meat will usually conceal the CBD.
- Mixing It With Water
It’s common knowledge that water is essential to human health, but are you aware that the same holds true for your pet? For starters, water enables nutrients to be transferred in and out of your dog’s cells and helps them absorb nutrients from the food they consume. Water also helps in maintaining your dog’s temperature, ensuring that they remain comfortable and active.
That being said, another way to incorporate CBD into your dog’s diet is by adding a few drops of CBD oil to their water bowls. This is one of the easiest methods of letting your dog consume CBD since every breed will need to drink several cups of water every single day.
If you’re planning to follow this tip to incorporate CBD into your dog’s diet, dilute the product properly so your dog won’t notice the smell. If possible, replace your dog’s water several times a day with a few drops of CBD oil for the product to maintain its potency.
- Incorporating It Into Your Dog’s Recipes
The market is bombarded with several types of dog treats and meals, but some pet owners will still choose to serve their furry friends with dishes they’ve prepared from their own kitchens. This is especially true for pet owners who own dogs and have very unique nutritional requirements.
If you love to follow recipes, incorporating CBD into your dog’s personalized meals is another great option to incorporate the product into their diets. Depending on your preferences, you can bake biscuits, cookies, and muffins, or prepare homemade dog food, and then add a few drops of CBD oil to the original recipe. This is an excellent way of customizing your dog’s meals while making sure that they’re getting the health benefits of CBD.
When adding CBD products to your recipes, take note of the following:
- If you’re going to buy CBD oil in large quantities, make sure to store them in a cool, dry place. Placing them in warm areas can lead to the development of bacteria and mold.
- When cooking, never use CBD oil in direct heat as this lessens the bioavailability of the product, which can become the reason why it’ll lose its potency. This will make the product less effective.
- Cannabinoids blend well with fat, which is why it’s best to use fat and oil-based ingredients, such as ghee, coconut oil, and butter when cooking with CBD oil. This way, your dog will maximize the benefits of CBD.
- Administering It Directly Inside Your Dog’s Mouth
One of the reasons why dogs don’t like taking pills is because it can be very hard to swallow. Not to mention pills usually have bitter tastes. But since CBD oil comes in liquid form, it might be easier for you to administer the product inside your dog’s mouth.
For you to administer CBD oil directly inside your dog’s mouth, start by drawing up the appropriate amount of CBD oil into the dropper, insert the dropper into your dog’s mouth, and then gently squeeze the dropper. Your goal is to administer the CBD oil as close to the back of your dog’s mouth without gagging them.
If you want to make sure that your dog swallows the CBD oil, you can give them their favorite treats afterward. This will also encourage your dog to love taking CBD oil and not run away the moment they see CBD oil being drawn into the dropper.
Talk to Your Vet
Adding CBD to your dog’s diet can do wonders for their health and wellness, but before you do this, it’s best if you talk to their vet first. This is especially true if you’re looking after a puppy or senior dog.
CBD products will have different effects on dogs, which is why it’s best if you consult a professional before you let your furry friend use this product. Waiting for the vet’s go signal will lessen side effects and other health risks the moment you let your dog use CBD.
