Bringing a new canine companion into your home is an exciting new chapter filled with fun, adventures, and unconditional love. But raising a happy, healthy, well-trained dog also requires dedication, patience, and understanding. While formal training classes are invaluable, consistent reinforcement of lessons at home truly instills good behaviors in the long run.  However, anxiety, impulsivity, excitability, aggression, and lack of focus often hinder a puppy or dog’s ability to learn. It leads to frustration for both pet parents and the dogs themselves.

CBD- A primer

cbd treats for dogs short for cannabidiol, is one of over 80 active compounds called cannabinoids found in hemp plants. Unlike THC, CBD is non-intoxicating and interacts with receptors throughout the brain and body involved in key processes like pain, mood, sleep, stress response, motivation, and more. When given to dogs as oil or infused into tasty treats, CBD provides relaxing effects without any “high.”

Reduces anxiety for improved focus

The separation distress to noise phobias to overall anxious temperaments, many factors cause dogs to feel stressed. Anxious pups have difficulty focusing on commands and absorbing lessons amid environmental stimuli. Stress hormones like cortisol interfere with attention, learning, and cognition.  However, CBD helps reduce anxiety by activating serotonin and adenosine receptors in the brain involved in regulating emotions. It calms the mind and nervous system so dogs focus on directions without distracting worries. Daily CBD also builds confidence in pups over time.

Increased attentiveness

Wild, hyperactive pups have boundless playful energy. But this zesty enthusiasm makes it hard for them to sit still, pay attention, and control impulses during training. CBD helps curb excitability by boosting calming neurotransmitters like serotonin without sedating effects. Pups settle into a relaxed yet alert state for receiving instructions.

Builds impulse control for good behavior

Dogs often act on their first impulses, whether it’s jumping on guests, chasing squirrels, or pulling on the leash. CBD activates cannabinoid receptors involved with improving impulse control. It helps dogs inhibit sudden reactions and instead look to their owner for guidance on the proper thing to do. More patient, thoughtful behavior emerges.

Reduces agitation for less reactivity

Frustration, irritability, discomfort, and confusion manifest as reactive, aggressive behavior in dogs like barking, lunging, and nipping. By relieving underlying anxiety and pain, CBD restores calm in the mind and body of a well-behaved dog. Fewer angry outbursts mean training progresses positively.

Sharpens cognition and memory

Repetition and positive reinforcement help cement new concepts and commands. CBD has shown promise for improving cognition in humans and animals. Sharpened thinking skills lead to faster learning and easier recollection of previously mastered behaviors. Smarter dogs mean faster training success.

Additional puppy training tips

• Socialization from a young age is key for a confident, friendly dog. Safely introduce them to new people, animals, places, sights
• Puppies have short attention spans. Keep training sessions to 5-10 minutes using lots of repetition, and then let them play and relax before the next lesson.
• Stick to basic cues like name, sit, stay, down, come, heel. Only add new commands once they master the basics.
• Be consistent with verbal cues, hand signals, and responses to reinforce behaviors using the same method every time. Dogs thrive on routine.
• Praise and treat reward good behavior immediately when it happens, even for the smallest success like eye contact. It links action with reward.
• Ignore bad behaviors like jumping to avoid inadvertently rewarding them. Redirect their energy into asking for a cue like “sit.”