Pet Boarding & Daycare

How CBD Can Impact Your Business

How CBD Can Impact Your Business

By Angela Ardolino

When Harley, a 5–year–old Boxer, booked her first stay at my boarding business, she was a bundle of wiggle–butt energy. But, when she went in her kennel and was left alone, she became a bundle of anxiety and stress. In fact, I thought she was going to die of a heart attack.

Because I knew that CBD could help combat her anxiety, I asked her parents if I could treat her with CBD and they agreed. After using CBD, Harley became a calm, happy dog who learned to play with other dogs during daycare. It made everyone’s job easier and kept our boarding facility nice and calm.

When Harley’s parents picked her up, we told them what a difference the CBD had made. When she got home, her parents noticed her calm behavior, and two days later came into my shop to purchase CBD to give her at home to keep her anxiety from returning.

Because CBD is up–and–coming, it is a great addition to your offerings and as a retail item at any boarding or doggy daycare business. Not only can it help create a calm and relaxing environment for dogs and staff, it can also provide your boarding business with additional income through offering CBD to anxious dogs. But, it’s important to understand how CBD works and what it can treat before recommending it to clients.

How Does CBD Work?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid (or compounds in the plant) found in the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant is separated into two plant types; marijuana and hemp. Hemp has less than .3 percent of THC (the psychoactive component associated with feeling “high”) but has all of the cannabinoids, including CBD that the cannabis plant contains. Unlike marijuana, hemp is legal in all 50 states, Canada and Mexico.

CBD and other cannabinoids interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system to help carry messages between cells. There are two types of receptors in the endocannabinoid system—CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are located in the brain, spinal cord, lungs, muscles, GI tract and vascular system, while CB2 receptors function in the peripheral nervous system, as well as the bones, skin and spleen. Many cannabinoids work with both CB1 and CB2 receptors, meaning that a single compound can have several positive benefits.

CBD works so well in dogs because dogs have more receptors in their endocannabinoid system than people. This means that the positive effects of CBD are felt even stronger in dogs.

What Does CBD Treat?

CBD hemp oil can treat a variety of illnesses and is effective as preventative care. In fact, hemp seed oil contains the perfect ratio of Omega–3 and Omega–6 fatty acids and has better overall nutrition than fish oil. This makes CBD a fantastic preventative aid to maintain good heart health.

The list of ailments CBD can treat is extensive, and includes (but is not limited to):

Boarding and daycare can be scary and stressful for dogs, especially if the dog is not used to being away from their owner. CBD can help alleviate some of that stress and anxiety and can lead to a more calm, peaceful boarding experience for both the dogs and the employees.

How Do You Safely Use CBD & What Are Some Common Terms I Should Know?

Most CBD companies use tinctures (oils) or treats to administer CBD. You can mix it into your pet’s food or you can put it in their mouth to swallow. CBD can also be absorbed through the gums and can be administered by lifting the dog’s lip and placing it right onto the gums.

CBD products range in the total number of milligrams of CBD per ounce, and they range in the spectrum of cannabinoids. Full–spectrum means that as many natural cannabinoids are present as possible and none were removed or isolated during extraction. Broad spectrum means that some cannabinoids may have been taken out or enhanced. Whenever possible, full spectrum is best for pets.

Most CBD products on the market start anywhere from 50 to 150 mg and go all the way up to 1100 mg of CBD per ounce. Typically, the higher the number of milligrams of CBD, the stronger the effect will be. When shopping for CBD oil, make sure to pay attention to the label. If the label says 1700 mg of hemp oil, but does not say the total number of milligrams of CBD oil, that does not mean there are 1700 mg of CBD oil. CBD oil and hemp oil are not the same. They both have healthful, important qualities, but CBD is extracted from the leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, while hemp oil is extracted from the seeds and stalks of the plant.

Are There Any Side Effects?

One of the appealing benefits of CBD oil for pet parents is that CBD is safe and non–toxic, and CBD is a medicine on which it is impossible to overdose. There are no negative, long–term side effects. If you give your dog too much, what is not absorbed will be excreted through the waste.

Because of CBD, Harley can enjoy stress–free boarding and is able to relax, and our staff is able to do their jobs better because everyone is calm. Not only are the dogs and the staff happy, but our business is able to grow and thrive with the income from offering CBD to our clients.

Angela Ardolino has been caring for animals since she was 8 years old and has operated a farm rescue, Fire Flake Farm, for over 10 years.  She also is the owner of Beautify the Beast, a natural pet salon and spa, and the founder of CBD Dog Health. Angela is an expert in medical cannabis, holding a degree in the therapeutic uses of cannabis from the University of Vermont, and has dedicated her life to providing all-natural relief for pets of all kinds.  She has three dogs, and 4-10 at any time that she is fostering or boarding. Visit www.angelaardolino.com and www.cbddoghealth.com  to learn more.