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CBD Dosage for Dogs: How Much to Give by Weight
A full weight chart, a calculator that converts milligrams into actual drops, and the doses used in every published canine trial — including our own. Start low, go slow. The rest is on this page.
The short answer: the usual starting range for dogs is 1–2 mg of CBD per 10 lbs of body weight, twice daily, working up slowly from there. A 50 lb dog starts around 5–10 mg twice a day. That is a starting point, not a prescription — the published canine trials used anywhere from 0.25 mg/kg to 2.5 mg/kg twice daily, and the right amount for your dog depends on their weight, their metabolism, what you are supporting and whether you give it with food. Work up over two to three weeks rather than guessing high on day one.
Written by Marc Brannigan, Co-Founder & CEO of HempMy Pet. Last updated 20 September 2026.
Serving Calculator
Enter your dog's weight and pick the product you have. This converts milligrams into the thing you actually measure at the kitchen counter.
Each figure is per serving, given twice daily. Start at the low end and hold there for a week before adjusting. Drop counts are approximate — drop size changes with temperature and how you hold the pipette.
CBD Dosage Chart for Dogs by Weight
Find your dog's weight, then match the milligrams to the product concentration you have chosen. Each row is calculated at the top of its weight band, so a dog at the lighter end of a band sits slightly below the figures shown — the calculator above gives the exact range for your dog's weight. When in doubt, start at the low end.
| Pet's Weight | Supplemental 1–2 mg / 10 lb |
Therapeutic 2–3 mg / 10 lb |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 lbs. | 1–2 mg | 2–3 mg |
| 11–20 lbs. | 2–4 mg | 4–6 mg |
| 21–30 lbs. | 3–6 mg | 6–9 mg |
| 31–40 lbs. | 4–8 mg | 8–12 mg |
| 41–50 lbs. | 5–10 mg | 10–15 mg |
| 51–60 lbs. | 6–12 mg | 12–18 mg |
| 61–70 lbs. | 7–14 mg | 14–21 mg |
| 71–80 lbs. | 8–16 mg | 16–24 mg |
| 81–90 lbs. | 9–18 mg | 18–27 mg |
| 91–100 lbs. | 10–20 mg | 20–30 mg |
| 101–110 lbs. | 11–22 mg | 22–33 mg |
| 111–120 lbs. | 12–24 mg | 24–36 mg |
| 121–130 lbs. | 13–26 mg | 26–39 mg |
| 131–140 lbs. | 14–28 mg | 28–42 mg |
| 141–150 lbs. | 15–30 mg | 30–45 mg |
| 150+ lbs. | 15 mg+ | 30 mg+ |
These are HempMy Pet's own starting-point guidelines, informed by our university research partnerships with Colorado State University and Tarleton State University. Horses need considerably more than dogs — see the hemp for horses collection for equine guidance.
How Many Drops Is That?
Milligrams are the honest unit, but nobody measures milligrams at 7 a.m. Here's the translation. A full dropper is 1 mL, which is about 20 drops.
| Product | Concentration | What one drop (or pump, or spoonful) gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Hemp Seed Oil 1 fl. oz. dropper | 250 mg | 8.3 mg per mL — about 0.4 mg per drop. Roughly 12 drops for 5 mg. |
| Hemp Seed Oil 1 fl. oz. dropper | 1,000 mg | 33.3 mg per mL — about 1.7 mg per drop. Roughly 6 drops for 10 mg. |
| Olive Oil 4 fl. oz. pump | 5,000 mg | About 20 mg per pump. Half a pump is roughly 10 mg. |
| Coconut Oil 5 fl. oz. jar | 100 mg | About 3.4 mg per teaspoon. Scoop it — don't count drops. |
| Coconut Oil 5 fl. oz. jar | 500 mg | About 17 mg per teaspoon. |
| Biscuits small formula | 2 mg each | Pre-measured. Two biscuits is 4 mg. |
| Biscuits large dog formula | 5 mg each | Pre-measured. Two biscuits is 10 mg. |
Drop counts are approximate — drop size varies with temperature and how you hold the dropper. If precision matters, use the mL markings on the pipette rather than counting drops.
Dosing the 250mg, 1,000mg and 5,000mg Bottles
The number on the label is the total CBD in the bottle, not the amount per serving. This is the single most common point of confusion, and it is why two owners giving "a dropper" can be giving wildly different amounts.
30 mL of oil, 8.3 mg per mL. A full dropper is 8.3 mg — which suits a dog up to about 40 lbs. For a 15 lb dog needing 3 mg, that is a little over a third of a dropper, or about 7 drops.
30 mL of oil, 33.3 mg per mL. A full dropper is 33 mg — more than most dogs need in one go. A 60 lb dog at 10 mg is roughly a third of a dropper, about 6 drops. This is the efficient choice from about 40 lbs up.
A 4 oz pump bottle delivering about 20 mg per full pump. Built for horses, giant breeds and multi-dog households — for a 20 lb dog it is far too concentrated to measure accurately.
Buying a higher concentration does not mean giving more. It means giving less volume for the same milligrams — which is cheaper per mg and easier on a dog who dislikes oil.
Finding Your Dog's Amount: A Three-Week Approach
Almost every owner who concludes "it didn't work" either judged it after two days or jumped straight to a large amount and saw drowsiness. Neither tells you anything. This is how the controlled studies did it, compressed into something workable at home.
Start at the bottom of the supplemental range for your dog's weight — 1 mg per 10 lbs, twice daily, with food. Change nothing else that week. Write down sleep, appetite, stool and how they move.
If you have seen nothing, raise the serving by about 50% — not double. Hold that for the full week. Our own 90-day trial reassessed every two weeks and escalated in small steps under veterinary supervision, which is the model worth copying.
Most dogs land somewhere in the chart's range by now. If you see drowsiness or loose stool, you have gone past the useful amount — step back to the last serving that was comfortable and stay there.
The useful amount is the smallest one that does something. There is no prize for the bigger number, and the published trials found more laboratory changes at the higher doses, not better outcomes.
What Changes the Right Amount
Weight gets you the starting number. These are the things that move a dog off it, and they explain why two 50 lb dogs can land in different places.
- Whether you give it with food. The biggest lever on this list and the cheapest. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, and research in dogs has found meaningfully higher blood levels when CBD is given with a meal rather than on an empty stomach. Same bottle, more delivered.
- The format. An oil given by mouth acts faster than a biscuit, which has to digest first. Biscuits trade precision for convenience — fine for a steady daily routine, less useful when you are still finding the amount.
- Age and body condition. Older dogs and dogs carrying extra weight often settle at a different place than the chart's midpoint. Senior dogs are also the most likely to be on other medication, which matters more than the number.
- What you are supporting. Everyday wellness sits at the low end. Owners supporting comfort and mobility in an older dog generally work higher within the range.
- The individual dog. This is not a dodge. In our own 90-day trial the final daily amounts ranged from 0.3 to 4.12 mg/kg twice daily — a fourteen-fold spread across dogs in the same study, all titrated by a veterinary pain specialist. Variation between dogs is the normal finding, not the exception.
What the Published Canine Trials Actually Dosed
Most dosing pages cite "studies" without naming one. Here is what the five canine trials that met inclusion criteria for the 2023 Frontiers in Veterinary Science systematic review actually gave — including ours, and including the one that found nothing.
| Study | Dose and duration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell, 2018 | 2 mg/kg every 12 hours, 4 weeks | Benefit reported (p < 0.01). Liver enzyme ALP rose in 9 of 16 dogs. |
| HempMy Pet + Colorado State, 2020 | 0.25 mg/kg escalating to a final 0.3–4.12 mg/kg twice daily, 90 days | 30 of 32 completing dogs improved. Open-label, no placebo group. |
| Verrico, 2020 | 20 or 50 mg per day, once daily, 4 weeks | Benefit at 50 mg/day. No relevant bloodwork changes. |
| Brioschi, 2020 | 2 mg/kg every 12 hours into the cheek pouch, 12 weeks | Benefit added on top of existing medication. |
| Colorado State, 2021 | 2.5 mg/kg every 12 hours, 6 weeks | No difference from placebo on any measure. Liver enzymes elevated in 14 of 23. |
One number worth knowing because it is so often misquoted: Cornell's 2018 paper also tested 8 mg/kg, but that was a single-dose pharmacokinetic measurement, not a treatment amount. It gets repeated across the internet as a recommended dose. It is not one. We have laid out every protocol from all five trials side by side, with the durations, the outcomes and the liver-enzyme findings.
Our own trial was overseen by veterinary pain specialist Dr. Robin Downing with researchers from Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and is one of the five. It was an open-label pilot with no placebo group, and we say so every time we cite it — details on our clinical trials page. For the underlying pharmacology, see this peer-reviewed review of cannabidiol pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in dogs.
How Long Before You See Anything
The second most common reason owners give up early — expecting a switch to flip.
Most owners notice something within roughly 30 to 60 minutes. Blood levels peak in the first couple of hours and fall away over the rest of the day, which is why twice daily beats once.
Slower, because they have to digest first — think an hour or more. Fine for daily routine, less useful when you want to time it around something specific.
For ongoing support, judge it over one to two weeks of consistent daily use, not a single serving. Our own trial reassessed dogs every two weeks across 90 days.
More detail on time to peak, how long the effect lasts, and why food changes the numbers: onset and duration and half-life in our encyclopedia.
What Owners Use It For
We are a supplement company, not a pharmacy, so we will be precise about this. Hemp is not approved to treat any condition in animals, and we cannot tell you it does. What we can tell you is what owners come to us for and what the published research has and has not looked at.
- Joint comfort and mobility in older dogs. This is where the canine evidence actually sits — every one of the five trials above was an osteoarthritis trial, and four of the five reported a benefit. It is also the single most common reason owners buy. Our joint and mobility page covers what our trial found.
- Situational stress. Travel, fireworks, thunderstorms, vet visits, being left alone. Owners report using it this way constantly; the controlled canine evidence here is much thinner than for joints. We go through what exists in hemp for dog anxiety.
- Night-time restlessness in senior dogs. Worth understanding the cause first, because joint discomfort and cognitive change look identical at 2 a.m. and call for different responses — we set out the eight causes and how to tell them apart.
- General daily wellness. The low end of the chart, given consistently.
If your dog has a diagnosed condition, the conversation to have is with your veterinarian, not with a dosing chart. Bring the bottle and its lab report to the appointment.
Safety, Side Effects, and Signs You Have Given Too Much
Hemp is generally well tolerated in dogs, and the effects that show up are mild and dose-related — which is exactly why the starting-low advice is not boilerplate.
- Drowsiness — the most commonly reported effect, and usually a sign the serving is slightly high. Reduce it.
- Loose stool — often carrier-related rather than cannabinoid-related. Give with a meal, or try a different carrier oil before concluding hemp does not suit your dog.
- Wobbliness — too much. It passes on its own within a few hours to a day.
- Raised alkaline phosphatase — the one consistent laboratory finding. Three of the five trials reported it, two did not. Our own 90-day trial reported ALKP rising by a mean of 130.8 ± 135 U/L while ALT, the enzyme more specific to liver-cell injury, did not move.
We went through all of it study by study, with the actual figures, in hemp and CBD side effects in dogs. If your dog will be on hemp long term, ask your vet for a baseline blood panel before you start.
A genuinely different situation: a dog who has eaten a cannabis product containing THC — an edible, a vape cartridge, a stash — is not experiencing a hemp side effect. That is a toxicity and a veterinary emergency. Hemp products under 0.3% THC do not do this.
When to Talk to Your Veterinarian First
This is not a disclaimer. It is the one part of this page that can actually cause a problem if skipped.
- If your dog takes any prescription medication. CBD affects cytochrome P450 enzymes, which metabolise many drugs — so it can change how fast your dog clears something they are already taking. The drug does not become dangerous; it becomes less predictable.
- If your dog has known liver or kidney disease, or is older and has not had bloodwork in a year.
- Before surgery, and before any change to an existing pain-management plan.
- If your dog is pregnant, nursing, or a puppy. There is little good evidence in any of the three, which is why we do not recommend it there.
What to bring: the product, its certificate of analysis so your vet can see the exact cannabinoid content, and the amount you are giving and when. For a veterinary-school overview, see Cornell University's ABCs of cannabidiol from hemp.
Which Product Should You Buy?
Every product on the HempMy Pet™ website is made with the exact same full-spectrum hemp extract — all the cannabinoids, terpenes, and everything else — grown organically on our own farms and produced by us, seed to sale. What changes is the carrier and the format.
A wonderfully nutritious carrier oil plus the hemp extract, in 250mg and 1,000mg concentrations. This is the most common type, often called a “tincture,” and the easiest to measure precisely.
A tasty, healthy carrier oil plus the hemp extract, in 100mg and 500mg concentrations. Also great for topical use — like rubbing into a cat's ears for absorption.
Organic virgin carrier oil in a large 4 oz. bottle, with hemp extract at a 5,000mg concentration. Barn-friendly for horses, and great for households with large or multiple dogs.
Only natural and organic ingredients. Crunchy, but not hard. Small biscuits deliver 2mg each; large biscuits deliver 5mg each — pre-measured, so consistency is easy.
Rule of thumb: under 40 lbs, start with the 250mg. From 40 to 75 lbs, the 1,000mg. Over 75 lbs, multiple dogs, or horses — the 5,000mg olive oil. Cats do well on any of three: the 250mg hemp seed oil, the coconut oil, or the 2mg treats.
Every batch also carries minor cannabinoids alongside the CBD — CBG, CBC, CBN and CBDA — which is what makes it full-spectrum hemp extract rather than isolate.
Pick the format your animal will actually take — the hemp inside is identical.
Every batch is third-party tested. Read the results → Not sure how? What a COA shows →
Especially if your pet takes other medication or has a health condition. Worth reading first: what the published canine studies actually found about hemp side effects in dogs.
When and How Often to Give It
This is the easiest thing you can do to get more out of the bottle. Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, and a meal — especially one with some fat in it — helps your pet absorb more of what you paid for. Research in dogs has found meaningfully higher blood levels when CBD is given with food rather than on an empty stomach. Drop it onto their food, or give it right after they eat.
The controlled canine studies we're aware of use twice-daily dosing, roughly 12 hours apart. CBD clears a dog's system faster than most owners expect — that is what half-life describes — so splitting the daily amount into morning and evening keeps levels steadier than one large serving.
Some owners notice something the first day. Many don't. Stay at your starting serving for about a week before deciding it isn't working — then increase slowly rather than doubling. Consistency matters more than size. For what to expect and when, see onset and duration.
Cats and Horses
Cats metabolise cannabinoids differently from dogs, so canine guidance does not transfer directly — they generally need less, and go slower. The 250mg hemp seed oil, the coconut oil and the 2mg biscuits all suit them.
Horses need considerably more than dogs by total milligrams, and oral bioavailability is low. There are also competition-rule implications — cannabinoids are prohibited under USEF, FEI and HISA rules, with no validated withdrawal time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much CBD oil should I give my dog?
The usual starting point is 1–2 mg of CBD per 10 lbs of body weight, twice daily, given with food. A 50 lb dog starts around 5–10 mg twice a day. Hold that for a week, then increase by about half if you have seen nothing. The chart above gives the range for every weight band, and the calculator converts it into drops for the bottle you own.
How much CBD oil for a dog by weight?
Use 1–2 mg per 10 lbs as the supplemental range and 2–3 mg per 10 lbs as the upper range. That means roughly 2–3 mg for a 10 lb dog, 6–9 mg for a 30 lb dog, 10–15 mg for a 50 lb dog, and 20–30 mg for a 100 lb dog, each given twice daily. Start at the bottom of the band.
What is the dosage for a 1,000mg CBD oil for dogs?
The 1,000mg on the label is the total in the 30 mL bottle, which works out to 33.3 mg per mL — about 1.7 mg per drop. So a 60 lb dog needing 10 mg per serving takes roughly 6 drops, or about a third of a full dropper. The bottle strength does not change how much your dog needs; it changes how much liquid that amount takes up.
Can I give my dog CBD every day?
Yes — daily use is how hemp is generally given, and consistency matters more than any single serving. The published canine safety studies dosed daily for 90 consecutive days without clinically relevant problems. If your dog will be on it long term, ask your vet about periodic bloodwork.
How long does it take CBD to work in dogs?
Given as an oil by mouth, most owners notice something within about 30 to 60 minutes. Biscuits take longer because they digest first. For ongoing support, judge it over one to two weeks of consistent use rather than a single serving.
Can a dog have too much CBD?
Not in a life-threatening sense at the concentrations in pet products containing under 0.3% THC. Too much causes drowsiness, wobbliness and loose stool, which resolve on their own — reduce the serving next time rather than stopping altogether. A THC-containing cannabis product is an entirely different matter and is a veterinary emergency.
Should I give it once or twice a day?
Twice, roughly 12 hours apart. Every controlled canine trial except one used twice-daily dosing, because CBD clears a dog's system faster than most owners expect. Splitting the daily amount keeps levels steadier than one large serving.
Can I give my dog human CBD oil?
We would not. Human products are concentrated for a much larger body, may be flavoured with sweeteners including xylitol which is toxic to dogs, and are not formulated with a pet's serving size in mind. Use a product made for the animal.
Does the bottle strength change the dose?
No. Your dog needs the same number of milligrams either way. A higher concentration simply delivers those milligrams in less liquid — which costs less per milligram and is easier on a dog who dislikes oil. Buying the 1,000mg bottle does not mean giving more than you would from the 250mg.
Doses Used in the Published Dog Studies · Our Clinical Research · Lab Results · Hemp Side Effects in Dogs · Additional FAQs · Owner Testimonials
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Serving guidelines are general starting points, not veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian before starting any new supplement, especially if your pet is taking medication or has a health condition.
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