Dogs Given CBD Showed Lower Aggression Over Time, Unlike Dogs That Never Received It
Dogs given CBD over long periods don’t just get older — they may also get calmer. A new study reports that dogs that received CBD or hemp supplements for years were ultimately less aggressive than dogs that never took them. The analysis, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, draws on health and behavior reports from more than 47,000 dogs across the U.S.
“Behaviorally, dogs given CBD products for multiple years are initially more aggressive compared to dogs not receiving those products, but their aggression becomes less intense over time,” said Senior Author Dr. Maxwell Leung, in a press release.
“This long-term behavioral change highlights the potential of CBD as a therapy for canine behavioral issues,” added Co-Author Dr. Julia Albright.
How Common Is CBD Use in Dogs?
The analysis draws on the largest U.S. study of CBD use in companion dogs to date, using data from the Dog Aging Project — a nationwide community science effort in which owners report on their pets’ health, lifestyle, environment, and supplement use over many years. Between 2019 and 2023, owners of 47,355 dogs across the U.S. completed annual surveys.
Overall, 7.3 percent of dogs in the study had received CBD or hemp products at some point. Of those, 2,759 dogs (5.8 percent) were given supplements daily. These frequent-use dogs were, on average, three years older than dogs that never received CBD.
Certain conditions stood out. Rates of CBD use were highest among dogs with dementia (18.2 percent), followed by osteoarthritis (12.5 percent), and cancer (10 percent). Male dogs were also more likely to receive supplements — about 9 percent more often than females. Physical activity levels did not differ between CBD and non-CBD dogs.
Where dogs lived mattered too. CBD use was more common in states where medical cannabis is legal for humans, which may reflect not only shifting attitudes toward cannabis, but also how closely owners’ health choices for themselves extend to their pets.
Read More: Here’s How CBD Can Help With Your Sleep
Long-Term CBD Use in Dogs Linked to Lower Aggression
Across all the behaviors tracked in the study, only one shifted in a consistent, long-term way. Over time, dogs given CBD were reported to become less aggressive than dogs that never received the supplements — even though many of those dogs were described as more reactive at the start.
Other behaviors told a different story. Measures of general anxiety and agitation showed no clear long-term change, suggesting that any behavioral effects linked to CBD may be limited rather than broad.
“Most canine aggression is related to underlying stress or anxiety – a fight or flight response that kicks in. It is unclear why only aggression but not other types of anxious or agitated behaviors seemed to be improved with CBD treatment,” Albright said.
CBD, Risks, and Unknowns
The findings stop short of showing how — or even exactly why — CBD might shape canine behavior. The study did not track dosage, formulation, or delivery method, and it relied entirely on owner reports, leaving room for bias.
That uncertainty matters for pet owners, especially because CBD can trigger side effects such as digestive upset and diarrhea if products or dosing are poorly chosen. Even so, the results offer a first large-scale look at how CBD intersects with aging, illness, and behavior in everyday dogs.
“There are many similarities in how CBD can benefit dogs and humans medically,” Leung concluded.
Read More: Cannabis Tied to Poor Memory Performance in Largest, Lifetime Study
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article: