CBD Oil for Leash Reactive Dogs

CBD oil can be a part of a training program to help address behavioral problems in dogs such as separation anxiety, aggression, and phobias. 

Although we find that many of our customers have success using Lolahemp to help provide calming relief for their pets, we also believe that proper training methods can make a world of difference, especially for rescue dogs with neglect or abuse in their past. 

We want to make sure our readers have all of the tools available to help their loving pups live happy, long, and healthy lives. 

How Can CBD Help Leash Reactive Dogs?

1. Raises the Reaction Threshold

One of the ways that professional dog trainers use CBD oil in training programs is to help raise the reaction threshold for dogs with phobias. Let’s take a moment to understand what the “reaction threshold” is and how it can help you with desensitization and reconditioning training programs. 

The reaction threshold is a very helpful concept to understand when working with dogs who have any kind of phobia including separation anxiety, travel phobias, noise phobias, hyperactivity, or aggression in response to certain triggers. It refers to the moment that your dog becomes reactive when exposed to a trigger. 

When reconditioning (the training used for most dog phobias), it is important to keep the dog under the reaction threshold. That is, you are looking for the moment when they are close enough to the stimulus that they are aware of it, but not yet reactive to it. Then, reward calm behaviors with tasty treats and praise, while slowly getting closer to the stimulus. 

For example, consider a dog who is reactive when they see another dog on a leash. They may react by pulling on the leash and lunging toward the other dog even when they are 50 feet away. However, since CBD may help the reactive dog, they may only begin to react when another pooch is 20 feet away. This is called a “higher” reaction threshold. 

When the reaction threshold is high, you have more opportunities to reward calm behavior in the presence of a diminished stimulus, speeding up the desensitization and reconditioning process. 

Although not all dogs experience the same calming benefits of CBD oil, many of our customers say that Lolahemp has made a noticeable difference in their dog’s reactivity. So, using CBD for dog reactivity might be an answer, although you can never know precisely how much it will affect your dog. 

Hear the story of Lilly the Border Collie, for example. 

2. Helps Your Dog Focus

Some dogs have a lot of problems with focus during training sessions. For example, many food-motivated dogs get so excited about earning treats that they become hyperactive during training, offering random behaviors in hopes of rewards. 

Others do great with training in familiar environments but struggle to focus around strange sounds, people, or other animals. While enthusiasm is certainly welcome during training sessions, hyperactivity can become a block to ideal learning conditions. 

Again, the calming effect that many dogs experience with CBD may offer pro trainers and dog owners another tool in the toolbox of positive reinforcement-based training. Whether you are looking to rehabilitate a dog with significant phobias or teach a hyperactive Boxer some new tricks, CBD oil may help keep focus possible. 

3. Supports an Active Lifestyle

Many of us train our dogs for athletic sports such as flyball, agility, dock diving, lure coursing, and more. One of the best things we can do for athletic dogs is to help support their overall well-being by doing what we can to reduce inflammation, soreness, and stiffness from a long or vigorous workout. 

Unfortunately, according to the FDA, veterinary drugs prescribed for pain and inflammation can have dangerous side effects including gastrointestinal problems and negative impacts on liver and kidney function. 

Lolahemp, an all-natural CBD oil made from organic hemp, is safe and available without a prescription. 

4. Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

As dogs get older, soreness and stiffness become a barrier to the things they once did, including those fun training sessions. If your dog is getting up in years, then CBD oil may help you keep activity levels as well as interest in training up. 

While many people say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, it just isn’t true. As long as your older dog isn’t suffering, training can be a fun way to get their mind and body moving well into their senior years. After all, they brought their A-game into your life and they deserve to be supported in their golden years. 

Many of our customers report improvements in mobility and interest in games for their older dogs after adding Lolahemp to their daily regimen.