How To Give CBD Oil To Dogs That Are Picky Eaters
“Giving liquid medications and supplements to my picky pup is quick and easy,” said no dog owner ever!
CBD oil is popular with pawrents hoping to ease their pets’ anxiety, pain, seizures, and more. But what about those who have picky eaters on their hands? How can they ensure their dogs get the CBD oil their bodies and minds crave?
CBD oil has a distinct odor and taste that may put picky eaters off. While it is available in treats and soft chews, CBD is best given in oil form for faster absorption and easier dosing. Below are several creative solutions for getting finicky pups to take their CBD oil!
Apply It To A Favorite Treat
Choose a hard, porous treat your picky eater enjoys. Crunchy treats can absorb the oil while moist treats typically cannot. Apply the correct amount of CBD oil to the treat and give it a little time to soak in before offering it to your dog. This method works best with smaller dosages, so it may not be the best option for larger dogs.
Pill Pockets
Pill Pockets are super-moist treats with a hole in the center big enough to hold a tablet, capsule, or dose of CBD oil. Picky eaters love the soft texture and flavors such as chicken, peanut butter, and hickory smoke.
To avoid paying premium pet store prices, make your own pill pockets with this simple recipe:
- 1 Tablespoon of Milk
- 2 Tablespoons of Flour (any kind)
- I Tablespoon Peanut or Almond Butter
Mix the ingredients and form the dough into 12 pocket-shaped treats. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Hide It In Human Food
Exploit your dog’s love for human food by mixing CBD oil into something squishy and delicious like yogurt or scrambled eggs (making sure it has cooled off before topping the dish off with the oil). Place the mixture in their dog bowl and let them go to town on the sneaky snack!
These healthy human food options are perfect for hiding your pup’s CBD oil. Use just enough to hide your pup’s dose. Just be sure to avoid anything containing xylitol, a sweetener that’s toxic to dogs.
- Peanut Butter
- Plain Yogurt
- Canned Pumpkin
- Mashed Sweet Potato
- Cream Cheese (opt for low-fat)
- Applesauce
- Scrambled Egg (cooled)
Joan, a member of our Facebook group “CBD Oil for Dogs & Cats,” has a picky 160-pound Newfoundland, who happens to love cream cheese. When it is time for him to take his CBD oil, Joan rolls out a ball of cream cheese, makes a hole in the center, and uses a dropper to insert the dose. From there, just pinch it closed and offer it to your lucky pup!
Mix It With Canned Dog Food
Even picky eaters cannot resist a particularly stinky can of dog food! If possible, choose a high-quality brand designed for sensitive tummies.
Another option is chicken baby food, an insider trick-of-the-trade that veterinary staff use to medicate their finicky patients. Not only is chicken baby food extremely smelly (in a good way as far as your dog’s concerned), it is also gentle on your pup’s belly.
Old Fashioned Bribery
Just because your dog is a picky eater doesn’t mean he failed obedience school. Rely on your dog’s good manners, and bribe him into taking his CBD oil with the promise of a delicious treat immediately after!
Administer Directly By Mouth (The Tough-Love Approach)
Some picky eaters are too stubborn to swallow medication voluntarily. For these dogs, the tough-love approach is the only way to go. Don’t worry; it sounds worse than it is!
- Place smaller dogs on an elevated surface, and get down on the floor with bigger dogs.
- Be sure to have the correct dosage of CBD oil drawn into the dropper and ready to go.
- Position yourself behind or to the side of your dog, so you are not reaching directly toward their face. Approaching from an indirect angle is much less threatening.
- Gently pull your pup’s lower lip away from his teeth, revealing the pocket of space between the cheek and gums.
- Slowly drizzle the oil into this space, allowing your dog to swallow at his or her own pace until the dropper is empty.
- Never force the mouth open or “blast” the entire dose in all at once.
Make Your Own CBD Treats
You can create your own delicious homemade CBD treats by replacing all or part of another oil in a chosen recipe with CBD oil. Just keep in mind that choosing to make your own treats involves calculating the correct dosage per treat and portioning the recipe accordingly.
It is also important to note that CBD oil does not do well under high temperatures, so you will want to choose a no-bake, frozen, or low-temperature recipe. Amy H., another member of our Facebook group, makes frozen CBD treats for her dog with peanut butter, vanilla yogurt, and CBD oil.
Which CBD Oil Can You Trust For Your Picky Eater?
Sometimes being picky is a good thing, especially when it comes to choosing the best products for your dog’s health. Cannanine™ Organic Full Spectrum CBD Oil is made in the United States from organic hemp grown exclusively in Colorado. Since it is made from hemp rather than marijuana, it’s legal in all 50 states. Cannanine is also 100% free of THC, the ingredient in marijuana that causes a “high” feeling.
Cannanine™ Bacon Flavored Soft Chews
While Cannanine™ Organic Hemp Oil with CBD is our number one choice for your dog, picky eaters can also get the CBD they need from our delicious bacon-flavored soft chews. Each chew contains 5 mg of high-quality Cannanine™ CBD oil.
For more sneaky tips directly from real Cannanine users, check out 12 Genius Ways To Give CBD Oil to a Picky Dog.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional.
