Best CBD Dog Treats: Top Brand Review in 2023

When do you give your dog a treat?

• After a meal?
• When he greets you after you get home from work?
• When he poops in the right spot?
• After a walk?
• When you’re training him for a new behavior?
• Whenever you feel like it, or whenever he asks?

Everyone gives out dog treats at different times and for different reasons. But there’s another good time and reason to give your dog a treat: when he’s sick.

CBD dog treats have grown rapidly in popularity ever since the sale of cannabidiol (CBD’s complete name) was legalized in 2018. They combine CBD’s apparent ability to help with a variety of canine ailments, including pain and stress, with the ease of administration you get by simply giving your dog something he loves to eat.

In fact, ease of administration is the most important attribute of these treats. Truthfully, they’re not the most efficient delivery system for cannabidiol; dropping oil under your pet’s tongue is really the best way to deliver CBD’s medicinal benefits.

Anyone who’s ever owned a dog, however, is probably recoiling at the idea of trying to get their pet to stay patient and steady while a medicine dropper is stuck under his tongue.

That’s completely understandable – and it’s why CBD treats are such an appealing alternative.

We’ll get into the pros and cons of these treats, as well as the information you need to shop for the best CBD dog treats after we reviewed the treats we think are the best on the market.

Best CBD Dog Treats & Hemp Edibles Review 2023

1. Royal CBD Pet Treats

Get 15% off all Royal CBD products.  Use code “CFAH” at checkout.

If you check out the complete buying guide that follows these reviews, you’ll see that we discuss the importance of a producer’s background and mission. Many companies have rushed to get CBD dog treats into pet stores or online stores, but it’s so difficult to make an effective CBD treat that those products may be virtually worthless.

Background and mission are some of the areas in which Royal CBD stands out. The people who started the company have a deep background in producing high-quality medical marijuana and have brought that same knowledge and care to their creation of pet CBD. They’re not looking for fast bucks with massive production and distribution; their product runs are small and outstanding.

Speaking of quality, Royal’s CBD full-spectrum dog treats stand out there as well. The cannabidiol is sourced from Colorado organic hemp, it’s extracted with the best-possible method (supercritical CO2), the carrier oil is MCT coconut oil (the best choice), and the treats are dairy- and gluten-free. They contain no allergens or artificial ingredients.

What these 5mg treats do contain are a variety of natural ingredients to boost their medicinal properties. They’re divided into flavors: the sweet potato and blueberry “hearty treats” are designed for heart health, the CBD cinnamon and pumpkin spice “active treats” help dogs with arthritic pain and mobility issues, and the apple and peanut butter treats have been created to ease canine stress and anxiety.

Most CBD dog treats don’t do what they promise. Royal’s one of the few exceptions that break that rule.

What We Liked:

• A company steeped in expertise and experience
• Organic U.S. hemp, supercritical CO2 extraction
• Full-spectrum CBD
• No artificial ingredients
• Three different varieties are designed to help with the most common canine health issues

What We Didn’t Like:

• Only one dosage offering (5mg)
• On the expensive side

2. Gold Bee CBD Goofy Bones

This is another company that puts quality first. They source their organic hemp from small farmers in Colorado and California, use all of the best production methods (supercritical CO2 extraction, MCT carrier oil, no artificial ingredients), and turn out tiny batches from one production facility so they can rigorously maintain product quality.

There are a few small drawbacks. “Goofy Bones” only come in one flavor – Apple and Peanut Butter, there’s no range of products with additional health benefits, and at 10mg, they’re even more potent than Royal’s; they may be too strong for a small dog. They also contain broad-spectrum instead of full-spectrum CBD, which means a very slight reduction in potency. But the quality of Gold Bee’s product shines through, and these treats are an excellent second choice.

What We Liked:

• High-quality production methods
• Small batches for quality control
• Organic U.S. hemp, best extraction method, best carrier oil
• The flavor that dogs will gobble up

What We Didn’t Like:

• Only one flavor and one variety
• Dosage is rather high for small dogs
• Broad-spectrum rather than full-spectrum

3. Holistapet

HolistaPet offers CBD dog treats with additional supportive ingredients formulated toward addressing specific health needs. 

You can choose from three types of treats, including:

• Stress & Anxiety: CBD, L-Theanine, hemp seeds & chamomile (peanut butter & apple flavor)

• Heart & Immune: CBD, blueberries, hemp seeds, flax seeds (blueberry & sweet potato flavor)

• Joint & Mobility: CBD, turmeric root, hemp seeds, boswellia (pumpkin spice & cinnamon flavor)

HolistaPet includes dosage recommendations for dogs of different breeds and sizes, so you can easily adjust the amount of CBD to your dog’s needs.

What We Liked:

• Non-GMO, organic hemp grown in Colorado
• Three different formulas
• 5 mg of CBD per treat
• Full-spectrum CBD
• The company also has cat treats (salmon flavor)

What We Didn’t Like:

• Several customers have been complaining about the hardiness of these dog treats
• Only one strength is available

4. CBDfx

The dog treats offered by CBDfx contain clean, simple ingredients. They are made with organic hemp from American farms, extracted with CO2, and third-party tested for quality and safety in a third-party lab.

CBDfx has been mentioned as one of the top brands in magazines such as LAMag, Observer, and LasVegasSun.

The company offers two dog treat formulations to choose from, depending on the target problem you want to address:

• CBD Treats for Stress & Anxiety (15 mg per treat): this CBD delivers calm and relaxing effects for your hyper dog when they feel hyperactive or anxious. They come with broad-spectrum CBD, which blends with other mood-enhancing natural ingredients, with a little bit of sweet potato flavor.

• CBD Treats for Joint & Mobility (15 mg per treat): these treats are designed to help reduce inflammation and encourage better mobility in dogs. Each tasty chew comes packed with supportive ingredients that enhance the health benefits of CBD, including antioxidants, vitamins, nutrients, and the yummy sweet potato flavor.

Each bag has 30 treats inside, and they’re soy-free, wheat-free, and cruelty-free — with an appealing crunchy texture that your pup will love.

What We Liked:

• 15 mg of CBD per treat
• Delicious sweet potato flavor
• All-natural, non-GMO ingredients
• Lab-tested for potency

What We Didn’t Like:

• Treats are difficult to break in half
• Broad-spectrum CBD rather than full-spectrum
• Not tested for pesticides

5. Honest paws

Honest Paws is a company specializing in CBD products for pets. You can choose from several dog treats containing full-spectrum CBD, organic ingredients, and no more than 0.3% THC. The treats are priced within reason and offer a nice dose of CBD for general supplementation. At 5 mg of CBD per treat, you can easily adjust the dose and serving sizes to your dog’s weight — or use them as an extra dose of CBD beside the oil.

Similar to Royal CBD, Honest Paws offers treats with adjunctive ingredients designed to help with specific health problems. While the Calm Relief, and Wellness bites only have CBD as the active ingredient, the following formulations have other active compounds:

• Calm Soft Chews for stressed and anxious dogs (CBD, L-Theanine, L-Tryptophan)

• Mobility Soft Chews for joint health (CBD, Boswellia Serrata Powder, Chondroitin, Glucosamine)

Depending on the size of your dog, you can give them 1-3 treats daily (1 for smaller dogs and 3 for larger breeds)

What We Liked:

• Organic hemp grown in Colorado
• Non-GMO, soy-free, wheat-free ingredients
• Batch-specific lab results

What We Didn’t Like:

• Only available in 5 mg concentration
• Lab reports don’t show results for pesticides

6. Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte’s Web is one of the most reputable companies in the hemp industry. Its products are created with the dog’s best interest in mind. You can give your dog Charlotte’s Web dog treats to improve mood, mobility, and support overall wellness.

The company offers three different formulas, including:

• Calming Chews: Charlotte’s Web Calming Chews come with a botanical blend of CBD, valerian root, passionflower extract, and chamomile to help your four-legged friend achieve a calm state of mind and prevent bouts of anxiety.

• Hip and Joints Chews: Support your dog’s mobility with these chews, which contain full-spectrum CBD to help maintain proper joint function and protect connective tissues against damage.

• Chews for Senior Dogs: These treats were formulated to improve your dog’s brain function and protect neurons against age-related degradation. On top of full-spectrum CBD, these chews include a blend of botanical ingredients, such as DHA fatty acids and vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant.

What We Liked:

• US-grown hemp
• Full-spectrum CBD
• For cognitive support, joint support, and stress
• Great for small dogs
• Lab-tested for purity

What We Didn’t Like:

• Lack of high-strength CBD dog treats
• Charlotte’s Web has recently received a few warning letters from the FDA regarding health claims

7. HempMy Pet

HempMy Pet makes some of the best CBD dog treats if you’re looking for all-natural products. If you’re not sure how much CBD you should give your dog, HempMy Pet’s 2mg-strength treats can be a great way to start. The company also offers a 5mg concentration for larger dogs.

These dog biscuits are made with human-grade and organic ingredients in small batches to guarantee high quality. They’re also non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and cruelty-free. All of HempMy Pet’s products contain full-spectrum CBD, which comes with additional cannabinoids and terpenes (and less than 0.3% of THC). The company also donates to animal rescues and sanctuaries.

What We Liked:

• Organic, non-GMO hemp
• All-natural ingredients
• Wheat-free, soy-free and cruelty-free
• Two strengths available: 2 mg and 5 mg
• Third-party tested for potency and purity

What We Didn’t Like:

• A bit expensive for only 15 biscuits
• Only one flavor (pumpkin)
• It’s not clear whether you can return opened products for a refund

8. Anxious Pet

AnxiousPet is a brand with one major goal in mind — to ease anxiety in pets. However, this isn’t the only product type offered by this company, as it has also expanded into other segments, including pain. 

The Relax & Roll Soft Chews are great if your dog experiences anxiety and shows signs of over-grooming, depression, or chewing on furniture. Each chew comes with 15 mg of full-spectrum CBD to promote a relaxed, calm state of mind and improve your dog’s response to daily stressors. This product is allergen-free and features a delicious peanut butter flavor that makes it easy for your friend to get a quick sense of relief.

Unfortunately, AnxiousPet doesn’t provide any details surrounding the source of its hemp. The company proves its purity with proper research and lab-testing, but it would be nice to see a note on that somewhere else on its website.

What We Liked:

• Full-spectrum CBD
• 15 mg of CBD per treat
• Formulated by veterinarians
• Third-party tested for potency and contaminants
• Fast shipping
• 60-day money-back guarantee

What We Didn’t Like:

• Limited strength options
• Only one flavor is available

9. cbdMD

cbdMD is one of the most well-known names in the CBD space, offering a broad range of CBD products for humans and pets. While pet CBD products aren’t its specialty, cbdMD offers three strengths of dog treats — 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg — and two flavors: baked cheese and peanut butter. 

If you have a large dog, the 20 mg strength will be ideal for your buddy. The recommended dosage and serving size will vary depending on the dog’s weight; everything is listed on the back of the packaging.

What We Liked:

• USA-grown hemp
• All-natural, non-GMO treats
• Up to 20 mg of CBD per treat
• Third-party tested for potency and purity

What We Didn’t Like:

• The lab reports sometimes have mixed batch numbers
• Some users complain about poor customer service

10. CBDistillery

CBDistillery is one of the largest distributors of hemp-derived CBD products in the USA. The company only makes high-quality CBD products for humans and pets from non-GMO hemp that ensures healthy CBD flowers for efficient extraction.

The CBDistillery CBD dog treats are available to support your dog’s wellness in an enjoyable way. You can pick from two varieties:

• Zesty Paws CBD Mobility Bites Soft Chews (5 mg per treat, 45 treats): these yummy treats were created to support physical activity and healthy joints in your dog. They come in a beef flavor, which is loved by all carnivores, and deliver full-spectrum CBD on top of other high-quality ingredients to enhance muscle function and mobility.

• Zesty Paws CBD Cognition Bites Soft Chews (5 mg per treat, 45 treats): also infused with a roast-beef flavor, these tasty chews have been developed to improve cognition and brain performance in your dog on top of offering a relaxing effect thanks to broad-spectrum CBD and other components.

What We Liked:

• US-grown hemp
• Third-party tested for safety and quality
• 5 mg of CBD per treat
• Two different formulas to choose from
• Corn-free, grain-free, and soy-free

What We Didn’t Like:

• Limited potency options
• Only one flavor is available

CBD Dog Treats: Buying Guide

If you listen to the hype, you could easily be convinced that CBD can work miracles.

It can purportedly treat everything from migraines and high blood pressure to diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease in humans. And there are similar claims for CBD’s effectiveness as a treatment for all sorts of pet illnesses and disorders.

Are the claims valid? Research shows the answer appears to be “yes,” at least for many of them.

CBD’s Medicinal Benefits

So far, CBD has only been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for several forms of epilepsy.  There is a large body of scientifically reviewed evidence, however, that cannabidiol can effectively treat a wide variety of ailments. And many of those ailments affect dogs as well as humans.

Here’s a look at the most relevant research. Most of it focuses on CBD’s effects on animal subjects or human study participants, but there have been a few studies that directly tested the effect of CBD when given to dogs.

Arthritis, Inflammation, and Pain

20% of all dogs will suffer from the pain and inflammation of arthritis during their lifetime; the majority develop degenerative osteoarthritis, but some may be hit with rheumatoid arthritis. The average age of onset is 9, but some large breeds develop the condition earlier than that.

Reviews of the general research on CBD and arthritis show that cannabidiol is at least moderately effective at treating both forms of the condition and worked particularly well when given to rats with osteoarthritis.

More specifically, it’s been shown that CBD appears to be a very effective treatment for chronic and severe pain and that the cannabinoid is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent (1). Standard medical treatment for arthritis targets both pain and inflammation; which makes cannabidiol an attractive alternative due to its lack of serious side effects.  And numerous anecdotal reports also show that CBD works well to help dogs suffering from all sorts of pain, including allergic symptoms of canines.

Even more specifically, there’s a study that has examined CBD’s ability to treat canine arthritis. Osteoarthritic dogs were given cannabidiol for one month. At the end of that period, they showed a substantial increase in mobility, with an accompanying decrease in the pain they were suffering. (2)

Stress and Anxiety

A surprisingly large number of dogs suffer from stress and anxiety. In the largest survey examining the issue, a full 72% of dog owners reported behaviors triggered by one of the two conditions. Anxiety-related to noise sensitivity was the most common issue, but separation anxiety, general fear, and compulsive behaviors were also major problems.

It just so happens that one of the benefits of CBD that’s been demonstrated most often is its ability to lessen all forms of anxiety and stress.

Research has looked at several types of anxiety that could affect dogs. Only five percent of humans have panic disorder, but it would seem to be closely related to the separation anxiety seen in many pets. And a survey of research conducted with both pets and humans shows that cannabidiol provides strong anti-anxiety effects.  Another study showed that CBD was effective at helping to relieve post-traumatic stress disorder, a result that could bode well for dogs who exhibit severe noise sensitivity. (3)

Epilepsy

We’ve already mentioned CBD’s proven ability to reduce seizures in both children and adults. Epilepsy isn’t just a problem affecting humans, of course; it’s the most common canine neurological condition. The AKC reports that one out of every five dogs will suffer at least one seizure during their life.

Evidence supporting cannabidiol’s effectiveness against human epilepsy was strong enough for the government to approve the treatment. There’s only been one study so far on CBD and canine epilepsy, but epileptic dogs who were given cannabidiol showed an average 33% decrease in the frequency of their seizures. Some received even greater relief. (4)

Other Common Canine Ailments and Diseases

Diabetes is a growing problem in dogs, and cancer is the most common cause of canine death. No research has been done yet on diabetic dogs treated with cannabidiol, but studies have shown that CBD is a promising form of treatment when used on rats with diabetes. And a preliminary study on cancerous canine cells shows that cannabidiol may even be able to prevent the spread of cancer in dogs. (5)

Clearly, the choice of CBD to treat a wide range of medical problems can make sense for dog owners.

Are CBD Dog Treats the Right Choice?

It’s easy to find CBD dog treats these days. They sell them at Petco and PetSmart. You can find them at most local CBD for dogs stores. Some vets sell them at their clinics – and of course, there are many vendors online.

But if you happen across CBD treats and are tempted to give them a try, be careful. It’s effortless to make the wrong choice.

There are three reasons why most brands of CBD dog treats won’t be as effective as you might hope.

• Maintaining the quality of cannabidiol when it’s extracted from hemp is tricky and expensive, and many companies that jump into the CBD business to make a quick profit don’t use optimal extraction methods.
• Only a very experienced producer knows how to put cannabidiol into pet treats the right way without baking or cooking out most of its potency.
• Even more, potency is lost when the treat is digested, and that process takes time, meaning it can take a while before the CBD takes effect.

That’s why CBD oil is considered the best method of dosing your dog. It doesn’t lose strength when it’s manufactured and more reputable companies produce it.

There’s a huge “but,” though. Do you really want to hold your dog’s mouth open while you drop CBD oil underneath his tongue? (That’s a lot more effective than putting it into his food.)

Many people are understandably reluctant to risk their lives (or, more accurately, their hands) to dose their dog. As a result, CBD dog treats have become very popular and maybe the best choice for anyone whose dog isn’t particularly docile when it comes to medication.

If you’re going to take the dog treat route, though, you must choose the highest-quality product.

Finding the Best CBD Dog Treats

We’ve already explained why not just anyone can jump into the CBD dog treat market and offer a high-end product. It takes dedication and experience to properly craft and manufactures these treats.

Here’s the problem. CBD is a new industry, so there’s no “brand name” with a long and storied history that you can automatically trust. Instead, the best approach is to learn a little about the company and its mission. Smaller firms which use the best-possible production processes are more likely to create high-quality CBD dog treats than conglomerates looking to make quick profits.

There’s no rule of thumb for choosing a producer; you have to do your due diligence and rely on your gut (as well as honest and unbiased reviews). But you can definitely use rules of thumb to judge the production processes that a company uses to make its CBD treats.

1. The cannabidiol is sourced from organic, American hemp. That ensures the CBD contains none of the pesticides or dangerous chemicals sometimes used by non-organic farmers and that growers adhere to rigorous U.S. farming regulations.
2. The cannabidiol is extracted from hemp by a safe method. The best is supercritical CO2 extraction, which isn’t just safe but also protects the CBD’s potency during the process. Standard CO2 extraction, steam distillation, and cold press extraction are also safe, just not as effective. If the CBD has been extracted with solvents, ensure the company uses natural solvents (safe), not hydrocarbons or chemical solvents (which aren’t).
3. The cannabidiol should be full-spectrum or broad-spectrum rather than CBD isolate. Here’s what that means. When the CBD is extracted, it normally comes with other hemp plant components, like other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. If they’re all included in the final product, it’s called “full-spectrum” and boosts the CBD’s power through something known as the entourage effect.

If just the minuscule amount of THC in hemp is removed, the CBD is called “broad-spectrum.” If everything but the cannabidiol is removed, the product is called “isolate.” Full-spectrum CBD is the most potent, and broad-spectrum comes close. Isolate is in distant third place.

(The supposed reason for removing THC: large amounts of the cannabinoid are dangerous to dogs. That’s why you should never give your dog pot. The amount of THC in CBD, however, isn’t dangerous at all.)

4. You can’t find dog treats without ingredients other than CBD and a carrier oil to distribute (MCT oil is the best carrier oil) since the treats wouldn’t hold their shape without added ingredients. However, you can ensure that producers use only natural ingredients and that none of them are common canine allergens like soy, wheat, or corn.

Choosing the Right Dosage

One of the attributes that make CBD dog treats so attractive is that they come in standard CBD dosages like five or ten milligrams. The proper dose for a dog depends primarily on his weight, and there should be instructions on the package. Dogs can’t overdose on CBD, but it’s not a bad idea to start at the low end of the suggested dosing range and increase from there – these treats do contain calories, so you really don’t want to give your pet more than he really needs.