How much CBD do you give a dog for anxiety

I’ll never forget the first time my sister gave her anxious spaniel, Daisy, a CBD chew before a thunderstorm. For months, Daisy had hidden under the bed, shaking, but that night, she curled up on the couch—still alert, but not panicking. “How much did you give her?” I asked, amazed. The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, but getting the dose right turns CBD from a “maybe” into a tool that helps your dog feel like themselves, even when anxiety spikes.

CBD works by tapping into your dog’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates stress responses. Think of it like a volume knob: for a dog with storm phobia or separation anxiety, that knob is cranked to 11, and CBD gently turns it down. But too little, and nothing changes; too much, and they might get drowsy (not dangerous, just not helpful). Vets in Austin and Chicago agree: the sweet spot starts at 0.2–0.5 mg of CBD per pound of body weight, daily. A 20-pound terrier? 4–10 mg. A 70-pound lab? 14–35 mg. This range matters because anxiety comes in shades—Daisy, at 35 pounds, needs 8 mg for storms but only 5 mg for car rides.

Start low and slow. Pick a broad-spectrum chew (no THC, which is toxic) with a clear mg count (avoid “mystery doses”). Give it 1–2 hours before a known trigger—like your morning departure or a storm forecast. Track results in a notebook: “Day 3: 5 mg, still paced at 7 a.m. Day 7: 8 mg, lay down instead.” My neighbor in Denver did this with her rescue pit bull, Max, who’d pant through fireworks. After 10 days of adjusting the dose, 12 mg turned his “hiding in the closet” into “napping by the window.” Never guess—if your dog weighs 45 pounds, a 10 mg chew isn’t enough, but a 50 mg one might make them groggy.

Vet approval is non-negotiable—CBD can mix badly with anti-anxiety meds or heart drugs. While you’re there, confirm their rabies vaccine is current (required by law, even for couch potatoes) and ask about pairing CBD with training: a 5-minute “calm” session (rewarding stillness with treats) boosts results. In apartments, stick to morning doses—evening ones might make potty breaks tricky (no one wants a drowsy dog missing their cue). When walking, keep CBD chews sealed—no sharing, since doses vary. And always pack poop bags (Denver fines $100+ for slacking)—calm or not, good manners matter.

By week 3, you’ll notice small wins: your dog pauses mid-pace, sniffs the air, then lies down. That’s the goal—not erasing their personality, just softening the edges of anxiety. With the right dose, CBD doesn’t fix fear, but it gives them space to breathe, and that’s a gift worth tweaking for.