2022 Full reviews

1. Best CBD oil for dogs with anxiety
Honest Paws Calm CBD Oil

2. Best value CBD oil for dogs with anxiety
Simple Wag CBD Oil

3. Runner up CBD oil for dogs with anxiety
Charlotte’s Web Hemp Extract

Charlotte’s Web is one of our favorite CBD brands, thanks to their years of experience in the CBD industry, impressive farming credentials, and quality production.

The brand’s CBD oil for dogs is made from their own strain of hemp, and contains high amounts of CBC, alongside CBN, and CBD-A (another cannabinoid linked with anti-anxiety effects).

4. Third place CBD oil for dogs with anxiety
CBDfx Pet Tincture

CBDfx’s broad spectrum oil contains a narrower range of active hemp compounds than the other products on this list, which, according to most experts, may result in a less potent oil.

However, the impressive number of independent positive customer reviews for this bacon-flavored tincture makes us confident that CBDfx makes a reliable CBD oil that effectively reduces inflammation in dogs.

5. We also like for anxiety
CBDistillery Pet Tincture

Batch tests for CBDistillery’s Pet Tincture reveal that it’s a thoroughly full-spectrum CBD oil, with higher than usual levels of CBG and CBD-A – two cannabinoids that researchers believe to be particularly effective at reducing internal inflammation.

It’s for this reason that CBDistillery earned the Runner Up spot in our list of the best CBD oils for dogs with arthritis. But consumer feedback also suggests that it can work well as an anti-anxiety supplement.

6. We also like for anxiety
HempMy Pet Hemp CBD Oil

HempMy Pet gets a middle-of-the-road score in our overall ratings, but there’s a lot going for this CBD company.

Thanks to close working relationships with organic Colorado Hemp farms, HempMy Pet’s extraction is made from their own strain-specific hemp plants, chosen for high levels of CBD as well as secondary terpenes and cannabinoids.

The science of CBD and anxiety in dogs

With the success of CBD supplements that reduce anxiety in humans, it’s no surprise that dog owners and animal healthcare experts are now using hemp oil to soothe anxiety conditions in dogs.

Unlike many dietary supplements, CBD has a real clinical record that suggests it can lower internal inflammation associated with anxiety and stress.

Research suggests that giving dogs CBD can soothe nervous dogs, making them more receptive to new routines and behavioral training.

Recent studies on CBD and anxiety in animals

There are currently no studies that record the effect of CBD on anxious dogs, but because CBD works in similar ways across dogs and other animals, researchers can gather data by testing CBD on humans and mice.

When researchers analyzed the effects of CBD on rats in a 2012 study, they found that it increased available serotonin in the brain, which could reduce the potential for depression or anxiety.

A wide-ranging 2015 review of studies on CBD and anxiety found that regular supplementation is associated with reductions in many kinds of anxiety disorders, including social anxiety, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A few years ago, in a 2019 clinical study involving over 50 adults, a medium-high dose of CBD with found to significantly reduce anxiety symptoms.

A more recent 2020 review of studies on how CBD affects fear and anxiety in animals found that it can produce “anxiolytic, anti-stress, anti-compulsive, and panicolytic-like effects.”

CBD spectrum

All genuine CBD oils can help to reduce inflammation in dogs. But some products have more potential to fight anxiety than others.

Most experts agree that the best CBD oils for dogs contain a range of cannabinoids alongside CBD. This helps dogs receive the full benefits of hemp.

CBD oils with a wide range of hemp compounds are called full-spectrum. Most brands use the term “spectrum” to describe how many cannabinoids are contained in a CBD oil:

• Full-spectrum = CBD + all the cannabinoids found in the original plant
• Broad-spectrum = CBD + some cannabinoids
• Isolate = CBD only

Overall hemp quality is also a big factor in how potent and well-rounded an extract is.

For dogs with anxiety, we always recommend full spectrum CBD oils.

CBC, CBN, and other cannabinoids

CBD has shown to be particularly effective at reducing anxiety, but there are actually several active compounds found in hemp which are known to have a soothing effect.

Two of those other compounds – called cannabinoids – are CBC and CBN.

Like CBD, these cannabinoids lower inflammation across the brain, digestive system, and central nervous system.

CBN (cannabinol)

Studies using rats have shown that CBD can produce pain-relieving and sedating effects, without causing a high. Many cannabis experts recommend CBN-rich oils to aid sleep and calm.

CBC (cannabichromene)

Researchers believe that CBC is particularly effective and stimulating the release of anandamide – one of the primary pain-fighting compounds produced in dogs’ bodies.

Other studies have shown that CBC-rich hemp extracts can produce an anti-depressant effect in mice.

All of our top pick CBD oils in this category contain higher-than-average amounts of CBC, CBN, or both (according to independent batch testing results).

The entourage effect

This effect happens when CBD oil contains a large number of distinct hemp compounds. Cannabinoids and terpenes combine to provide a more broad and consistent effect than if they were isolated and taken alone.

What causes canine anxiety?

There are three main types of anxiety in dogs: separation anxiety, phobias or traumas, and general anxiety (a nervous personality).

Separation anxiety

Most young dogs experience difficulty dealing with being left alone or when kept apart from their owner.

Some pups, however, are unable to develop coping strategies, and instead develop negative or destructive behaviors such as pacing, barking, whining, incontinence, or aggression.

Separation anxiety describes dogs who become attached to an owner (or another pet), and exhibit these panic or stress responses when separated – even for very short periods.

Separation anxiety is thought to affect about 14 percent of dogs across the country.

There’s mounting evidence that CBD can play a role in treating separation anxiety, by relaxing dogs so that they become less affected by triggers and more receptive to new routines or training techniques.

Phobia and trauma

It’s common for dogs to form negative associations with people, places, and events.

However, some pups develop frequent and exaggerated reactions to triggers that affect their daily wellbeing (to loud noises, for example).

Phobias and traumas occur when dogs have extreme stress reactions to these non-threatening stimuli. Dogs with phobias may shake, cry, hide, or become aggressive.

Experts believe that phobias are more common in dogs who have had multiple owners throughout their life.

General anxiety

General anxiety conditions describe nervous dogs or those who experience ongoing heightened stress or fear.

Breed, sex, and age can all affect a dog’s overall level of stress, as well as their training and owner mentality.

As dogs age, they may be more likely to experience a cognitive or physical decline. This may result in increased stress, due for example to memory loss and confusion.

In cases of phobia and general anxiety, CBD may directly contribute to dogs becoming calmer and more relaxed.