Just as humans look beyond traditional medicine, sometimes turning to ancient plant-based remedies like cannabis, the little fluffies who share our homes may also benefit from these treatments. A new study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that dogs who receive CBD supplements over long periods show a notable reduction in aggressive behaviors compared to those who don’t.
More and more pet guardians are turning to medical cannabis to improve their pups’ quality of life. The data comes from the Dog Aging Project (DAP), a massive US-based scientific initiative that collects information on tens of thousands of dogs. Through surveys conducted between 2019 and 2023, researchers analyzed CBD use, underlying health conditions, and how certain behaviors evolve over time.
So… CBD makes dogs less aggressive? Here’s what science says
One of the most striking findings is that dogs who consistently received CBD—for at least two years—showed below-average levels of aggression. Meanwhile, the study did not find comparable improvements in behaviors related to anxiety or agitation.
Study co-author and veterinarian Dr. Julia Albright summarized the findings: “This long-term behavioral change highlights the potential of CBD as a therapy for canine behavioral issues.” She also offered key context on how CBD might be acting: “Most canine aggression is related to underlying stress or anxiety, a fight or flight response that kicks in. It is unclear why only aggression, and not other types of anxious or agitated behaviors, seemed to be improved with CBD treatment.”
The authors emphasized that, though the results are promising, the study does have some limitations: it doesn’t take into account the specific CBD products the dogs received, their doses, or the guidelines under which they were administered, since this information wasn’t collected.
Who’s giving CBD to their dogs? The data tells a story
DAP, one of the largest population-level studies on canine health, offers a unique look at who uses CBD and why. Among the more than 47,000 dogs analyzed, CBD use tended to cluster around very specific profiles:
- 7.3% had used CBD or hemp products at least once
- 5.8% were frequent users (daily use)
- Dogs receiving CBD were, on average, three years older than non-users
- CBD use was more common among dogs with chronic diagnoses, including dementia (18.2%), osteoarthritis (12.5%), cancer (10%), epilepsy or persistent gastrointestinal disorders.
Another interesting (and fairly intuitive) finding: CBD use tended to be higher in U.S. states with legalized medical cannabis. This suggests that human attitudes toward weed directly influence decisions made for pets.
That cultural layer comes through clearly in the reflection offered by study co-author Dr. Maxwell Leung, as quoted by Ganjapreneur: “Medical cannabis is used for a number of human health conditions, such as osteoarthritis and epilepsy. Dogs also have similar health conditions, and we give CBD to our animals for the same reasons. I think this is an example of how we treat our companion animals as members of our family.”
Inside the canine brain: Why CBD may calm the “fight” response
According to Leung, the observed behavioral shift may stem from a selective effect of CBD on neural circuits related to the stress response system. As he explained: “Behaviorally, dogs given CBD products over multiple years are initially more aggressive compared to dogs not receiving those products, but their aggression becomes less intense over time.”
The research team suggests that CBD may be modulating the “fight” pathway more than the “flight” one, though they stress this remains hypothetical and requires controlled clinical trials to be confirmed.
The authors also warn about possible biases: many guardians adopt multiple approaches when a dog shows aggression, from working with professional trainers to avoiding triggers, which could influence the behavioral outcomes reported.
What we still don’t know (and why this ain’t a magic biscuit)
While the study opens an important door to understanding how CBD affects animal behavior, it also highlights its limitations. Researchers point out that:
- There was no direct measurement of dosage, product quality, or administration method.
- All behavioral data came from subjective guardian reports.
- No improvements were observed in anxiety or agitation.
- The study cannot establish causation, only correlation.
Even so, this investigation marks an unprecedented step forward in scale and depth. More importantly, it underscores the need to continue exploring complementary therapies for animals dealing with pain, stress, or chronic health conditions.
Photo by CRYSTALWEED cannabis on Unsplash
