How CBD Oil Convinced My Adopted Dog That Everything Is Actually OK

Training an adopted dog with entrenched behaviors is never easy. They are anxious about new spaces, new humans, and new routines, and they bring months or years of instincts and unknown history to their new homes. While there is no substitute for quality bonding time and positive reinforcement, there are tools to help ease the transition—and CBD has certainly helped Bodie, our four-year-old Australian Shepherd mix, settle into our lives.

As first-time dog owners, we wanted Bodie to integrate seamlessly within a few short weeks of joining our family. We quickly discovered, however, that the border collie in him tried to herd everything that moved, the Aussie wouldn’t leave our sides, and the cattle dog wanted nothing more than to run all day long. He panicked when we left him alone, he started at any sudden noise, and he spent most of his time at doggy day care chasing his tail in circles. With so much uncontrolled anxiety, he was difficult to train and, honestly, difficult to enjoy.

The day care staff, who likely were as exasperated as we felt, suggested CBD oil as a next step, and our veterinarian agreed. CBD is becoming more widely accepted as a natural alternative for aiding sleep, lessening anxiety, and even managing epilepsy and chronic pain. The non-psychoactive compound is also thought to be safe and effective for treating similar conditions in animals as an alternative to pharmaceuticals.

Bodie spent the evening moving slowly, struggling with depth perception—he stared at his bed before plopping down on the floor next to it—and acting disoriented. Even though CBD doesn’t provide a high the way THC will, it does come with some risks with higher doses.

We quickly dialed in the correct amount for his size and anxiety level. He now gets between 5 and 10 mg of CBD, depending on who is feeding him, twice a day. It’s still a strong dose, but it’s within a safe range and doesn’t affect his ability to function.

A few months later, we still see the subtle effect of CBD on Bodie’s behavior, and although it isn’t a miracle cure for his idiosyncrasies, it takes the edge off so he can focus on his training, relax after exercise, and interact with us, our friends, and the day care staff in a calm and measured manner. He still dislikes the coffee grinder and would prefer never to be left alone, but he can direct his attention to a task for longer and is content to spend most evenings cuddling rather than bouncing off walls. With a combination of exercise, positive reinforcement, and the right dose of CBD, we are seeing the results we have been hoping for since Day 1.