Help! My Dog Has Separation Anxiety | Our Experience with CBD Dog Treats

This post was highly requested and long overdue. However, we wanted to keep things fair and try out CBD dog treats in a number of different high-stress situations so we could be completely comfortable with sharing our story!  We have been giving our dog, Navy, CBD dog treats for nearly six months. Throughout this time, we’ve noticed a number of positive benefits. This post briefly discusses Navy’s separation anxiety as a puppy, how we were introduced to CBD, the questions we asked, and an overview of our experience with CBD dog treats. 

Navy’s CBD dog treats are from CBDawgs. We are not sponsored by CBDawgs; our views are honest and our own. Since we enjoyed these treats so much, CBDawgs was kind enough to give up a discount code of 15% off for Navy’s friends. The discount code is “NAVY1” for all CBDawgs treats. 

Navy’s Separation Anxiety 

I think it’s safe to say that every new dog parent truly tries their best when raising their new puppy. Zach and I spent countless hours researching the best approaches to puppy training for Navy. I specifically remember reading the importance of minimizing goodbyes and allowing puppies the opportunity to be left alone without their beloved parents and (of course) I did not listen to this important advice. Perhaps our biggest mistake was giving Navy too much love and attention. Largely due to this, Navy developed horrible separation anxiety fairly early on.

Anxiety in dogs, specifically separation anxiety can come in a number of forms. When separated from Mom and Dad Navy will bark, cry, whine, chew furniture, rip up paper, chew rugs, pant, and soil inside the house. When Navy is in the safety of her crate in our apartment, she is fine, it is her safe place. Within minutes of departing and leaving Navy outside her crate, she becomes destructive! Our So you think you want a corgi … blog post discusses some of the many things Navy destroyed. 

• 

• 

We are incredibly lucky that Zach has the flexibility to work from home. This was critical when training Navy, however, it only added to her separation anxiety; she was so used to always having Dad around. The first time we noticed her separation anxiety was when Navy was four months old. Zach had to run into the office for an hour or so and left Navy outside her crate. When Zach returned he saw Navy had chewed and scratched the wall and completely ripped up a corner of our carpet. Absolutely devastated, we thought we could never give Navy the freedom of being outside her crate unsupervised.

Our Introduction to CBD

When we first heard about CBD for dogs we thought it was a scam. We didn’t think anything else of CBD until a close friend mentioned it. Our friend worked in the veterinary field for a number of years. She explained how CBD was a natural supplement and how it greatly benefited her dog with his anxiety and the pain of his glaucoma. 

The questions we asked…

What is CBD?   The Cannabis plant contains over 100 different chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. Commonly known as CBD, this chemical compound interacts with the body to provide a number of health benefits. 

Does your dog get high?  CBD does not get your dog high! Depending on the source of CBD, it could contain little to no trace of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the constituent that is responsible for creating the feeling of being high. Note: Please research the company who is making your CBD products before you buy them.

Is CBD legal?   Yes and no. CBD derived from hemp is legal in all 50 states (the treats we give Navy are derived from hemp). However, CBD derived from marijuana (which contains a large amount of THC) is not legal in all 50 states. Though CBD from marijuana contains only a small percentage of THC and not enough to get you high, in court it is still judged as a byproduct of marijuana. 

How much CBD should I give my dog?   CBD comes in a number of different forms (for dogs and humans). Each form should have a recommended dosage on the package. As mentioned, we only give Navy CBD dog treats. Each CBDawgs Bark Bites treat has 3mg of CBD. CBDawgs recommends giving pups under 20 pounds 1-2 treats up to three times a day. Dogs over 20 pounds can receive 3 treats up to three times a day. 

Navy’s Experience with CBD

Okay, now here’s the good stuff! What you’ve all been waiting for…Navy’s experience with CBD. Honestly, we could have written an entire blog post on just Navy’s experience with CBD and detailed the exact changes we’ve noticed. But it’s not that simple… it is never that simple. In short, we found that CBD dog treats help calm Navy during stressful situations. It helps reduce her anxiety in these high-stress situations. CBD will most likely not completely erase symptoms of anxiety in your dog, but we found when used correctly it has really helped Navy be more calm and comfortable. We hope you realize the key word here is HELP.

We originally wanted to try CBD to help Navy with her separation anxiety. After talking with our great friend and neighbor @Shotof_Jameson who uses CBD, we realized we could use CBD treats to help Navy in a number of different situations as well.

Navy first tried CBDawgs Peanut Butter and Sweet Potato Bark Bites (her favorite) prior to departing for a long road trip. Navy is so incredibly picky about her treats. We were nervous she wouldn’t like the treats but we had nothing to fear–she absolutely loved them. When we pulled out her first treat her mouth started to water! Navy typically yaps her head off in the car, but after approximately 15-30 minutes she actually laid down and relaxed. Navy was quiet the entire 4-hour car ride.

The next time we gave Navy a CBD treat was just minutes before going to meet up with friends at a biergarten in DC. Navy gets horrible anxiety when on leash around a large group of people but after taking her CBD she was relaxed the entire time. We were so impressed with her behavior!  Mom and Dad were able to enjoy their time with Navy and friends without feeling like we needed to rush her home due to her anxiety.

Our biggest testament to CBD treats helping calm Navy was when we traveled to Shenandoah Valley for a wedding.  Zach and I stayed in the only dog-friendly “hotel” in the area… the world’s sketchiest Motel 6. When I say this thing is sketchy, I mean it was SKETCHY. The location was sketchy, the door barely shut all the way, and we were just a thin wall away from the parking lot. I was terrified that Navy would get us kicked out of the hotel with her yapping. We made sure to pack a full container of CBDawgs summer treats for this… interesting experience. I kept checking my phone throughout the wedding, just in case we got a call from the hotel. I even left the wedding early to check on Navy. When I got back, Navy almost seemed insulted I woke her from her nap!

Now, we’ve gotten fairly good at anticipating a potentially stressful situation for Navy(car rides, being alone in new places, home alone, and large crowds). When we anticipate one of these stress triggers, we try to give Navy one treat about 15-30 minutes ahead of time. Within about 15 minutes of consuming a treats, many of the symptoms of her stress and anxiety go away. After gobbling down a CBD treat, Navy will typically stay calm for about an hour or two, often enough time for her to get over her own nerves. 

We hope you enjoyed reading through our post. Have you ever thought about giving your dog CBD? Have you tried CBD to relieve a health issue? We would love to hear your thoughts. If you have any other questions, please feel free to comment below!