Clap. Flash. Boom.

It's the middle of a thunderstorm, and your dog is in full panic mode.

You try to help them relax by rewarding calming behavior and giving them a 'safe' place to hide. But that will only get you so far.

Once your dog is stimulated and full of adrenalin, it can be hard to stop them from chewing, scratching, or damaging your home. And it can be even harder to watch them deal with their anxiety alone.

With the right tools, you don't have to.

We've put together a quick guide that'll show you how you can calm fear of storms with CBD.

What Is Storm Anxiety in Dogs?

Just like humans, dogs can experience a range of fear, anxiety, and phobias. In fact, as many as 40% of all dogs suffer from some form of separation anxiety.

But separation isn't the only trigger for anxiety.

Dogs are often more in tuned to the environment than their owners. Because of this, sudden changes to their environment can trigger their anxiety. These changes can include things like a new addition to the family (like a new baby or new pet), new places, visual stimuli (like umbrellas), new surfaces (like grass or tile), and loud noises.

Storms can encompass many of those changes at the same time. This can lead to server anxiety in some dogs.

Symptoms of Storm Anxiety

But there's a difference between a dog being startled by a thunderclap and a dog experiencing storm anxiety. If you don't know what to look for, it can be hard to tell which kind of dog you have.

We've come up with a quick list to help you figure out if your dog is suffering from anxiety during loud storms.

Some of the symptoms of dog anxiety include the following:

• Trembling
• Pacing
• Panting
• Whimpering
• Loss of appetite
• Licking the lips (nervously)
• Having accidents inside the house (even though their house trained)
• Aggression
• Barking
• Fidgeting  

If you notice your dog displaying any of these behaviors during a storm, they might be suffering from anxiety.

Your dog might also try to hide if they get anxious during a storm. But it depends on the dog. Some might also become more clingy to you if they're afraid.

How to Give Your Dog CBD

Though CBD functions in a similar way in dogs as it does in humans, dogs are more sensitive to CBD. That means you have to give them smaller doses than you would take yourself.

We've put together a few tips that'll help you give CBD to your dog safely.

So let's take a closer look at the dose size and the treatment methods below.

The Dosage

The exact dose size for your dog will depend on what type of CBD you give them. It's a good idea to stick to CBD products design for pets.

Spend some time reading the instructions before giving anything to your dog. They'll tell you how many mg to give your dog per pound of body weight. We recommend 1-2mg per 10 pounds of weight, so larger dogs will end up needing more CBD that smaller dogs. 

We made up a complete serving size guide for CBD oil so you can find the right amount of CBD to give to your pet.

The Method

There are two main ways to give your dog CBD: you can use CBD oil or CBD infused dog treats.

The CBD dog treats are an easy and enjoyable way to give your dog a dose of CBD. Just give them the treat 30 minutes before their meal or before a thunderstorm hits.

CBD oil can be a little harder.

You can administer a few drops of CBD oil (follow the instructions for the recommended dose) directly into their mouth. But some dogs can be a little mouthy and mixing it in with a bit of food may be easier on both you and your dog. Note that it may take an extra 15- 30 minutes for the CBD to take effect if they ingest it rather than take it sublingually.

Storms....

Anxiety is natural in dogs, and so is a fear of storms. But that doesn't mean you have to sit back and watch them struggle on their own.

We have several CBD products specifically designed for dogs you can choose from. 

References:

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1558787806001158
• https://www.vetsmall.theclinics.com/article/S0195-5616(17)30158-4/abstract
• https://apdt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/safety-tips-thunderstorms.pdf
• https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/dog-storm-phobia#1
• https://www.avma.org/News/Journals/Collections/Pages/AVMA-Collections-Canine-Anxiety-Disorders.aspx